# Odyssey New Media Knowledge Base ## How Website Speed Impacts SEO, Rankings, and Conversions URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/06/how-website-speed-impacts-seo-rankings-and-conversions/ **Date:** 2026-06-11 **Category:** Web Usability | **Tags:** digital marketing, digital tips, website, website speed In today's digital world, users expect websites to load almost instantly. Whether on a desktop, tablet, or mobile device, users rarely tolerate slow response pages. Research consistently shows that even a one-second delay can significantly reduce end-user satisfaction, harm search engine rankings, and reduce revenue. Website speed is no longer only a technical issue for web developers; it is now vital to SEO, user experience, and conversion rate optimisation. Companies that focus on improving their website performance gain a competitive advantage through better search engine rankings, lower bounce rates, and higher customer engagement. ## **The Connection Between Website Speed and SEO** Search engines strive to provide the best experience for users, making website speed a key ranking factor. Google has officially confirmed that page speed affects search rankings. With the advent of mobile-first indexing and the Google Core Web Vitals initiative, website performance now significantly affects page positioning in search results. Although content quality and relevance are the top-ranking factors, a slow website can hinder your ability to compete with faster competitors offering similar content. A website that loads quickly helps search engines: - Crawl pages more efficiently - Index content faster - Deliver a better user experience - Reduce abandonment rates As a result, fast websites often gain an advantage in search visibility. ## **Understanding Core Web Vitals** Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics Google uses to measure real-world user experience. The three primary metrics include: **Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)** Measures how quickly the main content of a page loads. **Ideal target:** Under 2.5 seconds **Interaction to Next Paint (INP)** Measures how responsive a page feels when users interact with it. **Ideal target:** Under 200 milliseconds **Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)** Measures visual stability and how much page elements unexpectedly move during loading. **Ideal target:** Less than 0.1 Websites that perform well across these metrics provide a smoother experience, which can positively influence rankings and user engagement. ## **How Slow Websites Hurt Search Rankings** A slow website can negatively affect SEO in several ways. **Higher Bounce Rates** When users click a search result and encounter a slow-loading page, they're more likely to leave before engaging with the content. This sends negative engagement signals to search engines and can reduce the likelihood of achieving or maintaining strong rankings. **Reduced Crawl Efficiency** Search engine bots have a limited crawl budget. If pages load slowly, search engines may crawl fewer pages during each visit. For larger websites, this can result in: - Delayed indexing - Missed content updates - Reduced search visibility **Poor Mobile Experience** Mobile users often browse using variable network connections. Slow-loading mobile pages create frustration and increase abandonment. Given Google's mobile-first indexing approach, poor mobile performance can directly impact rankings. ## **The Impact of Website Speed on User Experience** Website speed is fundamentally a user experience issue. Visitors form opinions about a website within seconds. A slow website can immediately create perceptions that a business is: - Outdated - Unprofessional - Unreliable - Difficult to work with Fast websites create a sense of trust and professionalism. When pages load quickly, users are more likely to: - Stay longer - View additional pages - Read content - Engage with products and services - Complete desired actions The smoother the experience, the more likely visitors are to become customers. ## **How Website Speed Affects Conversion Rates** One of the most significant impacts of website speed is its effect on conversions. Whether your goal is to generate leads, sell products, or encourage enquiries, page speed directly influences performance. **Faster Websites Generate More Leads** Visitors are more likely to complete forms, request quotes, or contact your business when pages respond quickly. Slow-loading forms, landing pages, and calls to action often result in abandoned enquiries. **Improved E-commerce Performance** For online retailers, speed is directly tied to revenue. Slow websites often experience: - Increased cart abandonment - Lower average order values - Reduced customer satisfaction - Fewer repeat purchases Even small speed improvements can produce measurable increases in sales. **Better User Engagement** Fast websites encourage users to explore further. This can lead to: - More page views - Longer session durations - Greater content consumption - Increased brand awareness These engagement metrics often contribute to stronger overall marketing performance. ## **The Business Cost of a Slow Website** Many business owners underestimate the financial impact of poor website performance. Consider this scenario: If your website gets 10,000 visitors monthly and has a 3% conversion rate, even a slight decrease in conversion due to slow loading could lead to dozens of lost leads or sales each month. Over the course of a year, the lost revenue can be substantial. The hidden costs include: - Lost organic traffic - Reduced advertising effectiveness - Lower customer retention - Damaged brand perception - Missed sales opportunities Website speed should therefore be viewed as an investment rather than an expense. ## **Common Causes of Slow Website Performance** Several factors can contribute to poor website speed. **Unoptimised Images** Large image files are among the most common causes of slow-loading websites. Modern image formats and compression techniques can dramatically reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality. **Excessive Plugins** Many websites accumulate unnecessary plugins and scripts over time. Each additional plugin can increase loading times and create performance bottlenecks. **Poor Hosting** Cheap or overcrowded hosting environments often struggle to deliver fast performance. Quality hosting infrastructure is one of the most important investments for website speed. **Unnecessary Code** Bloated CSS, JavaScript, and outdated code can slow page rendering and reduce responsiveness. Regular optimisation helps maintain efficient performance. **Lack of Caching** Caching allows browsers and servers to store frequently accessed content, reducing load times for returning visitors. Without caching, websites must repeatedly generate content from scratch. ## **How to Improve Website Speed** Improving performance doesn't always require a complete website rebuild. Some of the most effective optimisation techniques include: **Optimise Images** - Compress image files - Use next-generation formats such as WebP - Resize images appropriately **Enable Caching** - Browser caching - Server-side caching - Content delivery caching **Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)** CDNs distribute website assets across global servers, reducing latency and improving loading speeds for visitors worldwide. **Minify CSS and JavaScript** Removing unnecessary code reduces file sizes and improves rendering performance. **Upgrade Hosting** A reliable hosting provider can dramatically improve website speed, uptime, and security. **Monitor Core Web Vitals** Regularly reviewing performance metrics helps identify issues before they impact rankings or conversions. ## **Speed Is a Competitive Advantage** Many businesses prioritise SEO, advertising, and content marketing, but often overlook website performance. However, speed often acts as a multiplier for all other digital marketing efforts. A faster website can: - Improve search rankings - Increase user engagement - Reduce bounce rates - Generate more leads - Boost online sales - Improve customer satisfaction In competitive industries where companies compete for visibility and conversions, website speed often determines success or missed opportunities. ## **Final Thoughts** Website speed is not optional anymore. It is an essential element of SEO, user experience, and business growth. A fast website helps search engines crawl and rank your content more efficiently while providing visitors with the effortless experience they expect. More importantly, it helps convert those visitors into customers. Businesses that invest in website performance frequently see improvements across key metrics, from rankings and traffic to user engagement and revenue. If your website feels unresponsive, now is the time to act. Even small improvements in loading speed can deliver considerable returns and provide a measurable competitive advantage in today's online marketplace. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/). --- ## Google Unveils Gemini-Powered Ad Formats Tailored For AI Mode URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/ **Date:** 2026-05-22 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** ai, google, google ads During the annual Google Marketing Live event, Google showcased the future of commercial integration in generative search. The company unveiled two upcoming ad formats engineered specifically for its AI Mode ecosystem: Conversational Discovery ads and Highlighted Answers. Powered by Google's Gemini large language model, these new formats shift monetisation away from traditional keyword matching. Instead of relying on static search terms, they embed sponsored placements directly within fluid, AI-driven conversations and native recommendation engines. ## **Redefining the Search Interaction** Historically, Google Search ads have functioned on relatively rigid, high-intent keyword queries. In contrast, these native AI formats are built to naturally accommodate long-form, exploratory, and highly nuanced user prompts. Crucially, Google noted that these ad formats will feature an independent, AI-generated explainer. This element creates product data and context on the fly, presenting it alongside the advertiser's creative. To maintain transparency, Google confirmed that all placements will continue to carry distinct Sponsored labels. Here is a closer look at the two formats slated for initial testing: ## **1. Conversational Discovery Ads** This format is designed to interpret multi-turn, descriptive queries in which users refine their intent in real time. - **How it works:** Instead of scanning for standard keyword triggers, Gemini evaluates the broader conversational context. It dynamically shapes tailored creative and surfaces product features relevant to specific, granular user problems. - **The Use Case:** In a demonstration, Google showcased a user asking how to make a home smell like a fancy spa or a rainy forest using low-maintenance methods. The AI creates a response and weaves in highly context-specific ad creatives that directly address the prompt's sensory and practical requirements. ## **2. Highlighted Answers** Rather than appearing parallel to or above search results, this format integrates advertisements directly into AI-generated recommendation lists. - **How it works:** When users leverage AI Mode to compare products or services, eligible ads are natively inserted into the compiled recommendations. This moves the advertisement upstream into the user's consideration phase. - **The Use Case:** Google illustrated this via a scenario where a user explores language-learning applications ahead of an international trip. Advertisers with closely aligned offerings are integrated straight into the AI's curated list of suggestions, accompanied by a generative breakdown explaining why the service matches their criteria. ## **What This Means for Digital Marketers** The transition toward AI Mode changes the basics of paid search strategy. Since Gemini looks beyond exact-match keywords to interpret the context of an ongoing conversation, several shifts are likely to follow: - **Elevated Content Standards:** The depth and accuracy of structured product data, landing page quality, and first-party data signals will become critical. The AI needs comprehensive information to accurately pair an advertiser with highly specific conversational prompts. - **The Attribution Challenge:** Conversational search is non-linear. Because users might ask three or four exploratory questions before arriving at a decision, tracking and assigning value to specific keywords or themes will become significantly more complex. Marketers will face new obstacles in determining exactly which conversational touchpoint or prompt drove a conversion. - **Upstream Visibility:** Formats like Highlighted Answers give brands the opportunity to introduce themselves during the foundational research stage, long before a customer narrows their choices down to a specific branded search. ## **Looking Ahead** While Google has made it clear that AI-driven search experiences are a priority for its long-term strategy, these formats are currently entering limited testing phases within AI Mode. Official timelines for a broader global rollout have not yet been confirmed. However, for advertisers, the message is clear: future-proofing digital strategies will require moving past traditional keyword silos and preparing for a more fluid, conversational web. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our **[contact form](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/)**. --- ## Google Analytics Adds AI Assistant As Default Channel Group URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-analytics-adds-ai-assistant-as-default-channel-group/ **Date:** 2026-05-15 **Category:** Artificial Intelligence, Google AdWords | **Tags:** ai, google ads Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has introduced a significant update to how it tracks and reports incoming traffic, specifically addressing the rise of generative AI. Historically, traffic originating from AI chatbots was lumped into the Referral bucket, making it difficult for marketers to distinguish between a link click from a traditional blog and a recommendation from an AI assistant. Here is a breakdown of the new AI Assistant default channel group and what it means for your digital strategy. ## **The New AI Assistant Channel** Google has officially added the AI Assistant as a default channel group. This change automates the process of identifying and categorising traffic from major AI platforms. When GA4 detects a referrer from a recognised AI tool, it will now apply the following labels automatically: - **Medium:** ai-assistant - **Channel Group:** AI Assistant - **Campaign:** (ai-assistant) This update mirrors the 2022 introduction of the cross-network group for Performance Max ads, which was designed to tidy up reports by pulling specific traffic out of generic categories. ## **Key Platforms Recognised** While Google hasn't released an exhaustive list of every recognised referrer, the official documentation explicitly mentions three major players: - **ChatGPT** (OpenAI) - **Gemini** (Google) - **Claude** (Anthropic) Previous guidance from Google also suggested tracking Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity, so it is likely these (and others) are either included now or will be added as the recognised list evolves. ## **Why This Matters for Marketers** Before this update, savvy analysts had to manually create custom channel groups using complex regular expressions (RegEx) to filter AI traffic. This was cumbersome for several reasons: - **Maintenance:** You had to manually update your filters as AI platforms changed their domains or new ones launched. - **Account Limits:** GA4 only allows two custom channel groups; using one for AI traffic felt like a waste of a limited resource. - **Complexity:** It required Editor-level access and technical knowledge that not every user possesses. By making this a default group, Google is democratising AI attribution. Smaller businesses can now see exactly how much Answer Engine traffic they are receiving without needing a technical specialist to set it up. ## **Limitations to Keep in Mind** Despite being a major step forward, the system isn't perfect. The tracking relies entirely on the Referrer Header. - **Dark Traffic:** If a user copies and pastes a link from ChatGPT into their browser, it will still appear as Direct traffic. - **In-App Browsers:** Traffic from mobile AI apps that strip referrer data may still be miscategorised. - **Undefined List:** Because Google maintains a private list of recognised assistants, some niche or newer AI tools might still leak into your Referral data until Google updates its database. ## **Moving Forward** If you currently have custom RegEx filters in place to track AI traffic, you should compare your custom data against the new default AI Assistant channel. Once you are confident in the accuracy of the automated reporting, you can retire your custom filters and free up those slots for other reporting needs. This update signals Google's acknowledgement that AI Search is no longer a fringe traffic source, but a permanent pillar of the modern web ecosystem. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our **[contact form](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/)**. --- ## 4 Rebrands and What We Can Learn From Their Success (and Failure) URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/4-rebrands-and-what-we-can-learn-from-their-success-and-failure/ **Date:** 2026-05-08 **Category:** Branding | **Tags:** branding, digital tips In the fast-moving business world of 2026, a brand is never truly finished. Rebranding is a high-stakes gamble: done well, it can catapult a legacy company into a new era of relevance; done poorly, it can alienate a loyal customer base and erase decades of equity in a single afternoon. From the bold digital pivots to the blandification of luxury, here are four iconic rebrands that offer vital lessons for every business owner and marketer. ## **1. The Bold Pivot: Nokia (2023)** For decades, the name Nokia was synonymous with indestructible mobile phones and the connecting people ringtone. However, after losing the smartphone war, the brand spent years in a sort of public identity limbo. In 2023, Nokia unveiled a sleek, abstract, and digital-first logo that looked nothing like its predecessor. **The Strategy:** The goal was to signal a total break from the past. Nokia wanted the world to know it was no longer a handset manufacturer but a B2B technology leader focusing on 5G and industrial digitalisation. **The Lesson: Signal Change Clearly** - **Why it worked:** Nokia understood that its old logo carried too much nostalgia baggage. By radically changing its visual identity, it forced the market to stop seeing it as a failed phone company and start seeing it as a modern infrastructure giant. - **Takeaway:** If your business model has fundamentally changed, your brand must reflect that shift immediately, or you risk being trapped by your own history. ## **2. The Identity Crisis: X (formerly Twitter) (2023)** Perhaps the most controversial rebrand in recent history was the transformation of Twitter into X. Overnight, the iconic blue bird, one of the most recognisable symbols on the planet, was replaced by a generic Unicode character. **The Strategy:** Elon Musk's vision was to transform a social media platform into an everything app, moving away from the birds-chirping metaphor of short-form text toward a broader ecosystem of finance and video. **The Lesson: You Can't Force Culture** - **Why it struggled:** A brand is more than a logo; it's a verb. People still tweet and check Twitter. By erasing a decade of cultural shorthand without a clear, functional reason for the change, the rebrand felt like an imposition rather than an evolution. - **Takeaway:** Brand equity is built over years. Scrapping a globally recognised identity requires a plan that offers more value than the recognition you are throwing away. ## **3. The Long Game: Kia (2021-2026)** When Kia first revealed its new logo, a rhythmic, unbroken line, the internet was confused. Google searches for the KN car spiked because many people couldn't read the new typography. Critics called it a failure. Fast forward to 2026, and the narrative has shifted entirely. **The Strategy:** Kia wasn't just changing a logo; it was launching a Movement that inspires. The rebrand was timed perfectly with the release of the EV6 and EV9, cars that were dramatically more premium and design-led than their previous budget-friendly models. **The Lesson: Product Must Meet Promise** - **Why it worked:** The rebrand succeeded because the product experience matched the new look. The cars became as sleek and futuristic as the logo. Kia proved that short-term confusion is a small price to pay for a total shift in market perception. - **Takeaway:** A logo cannot save a bad product, but a great product can give a confusing logo meaning. Be patient; brand perception takes time to catch up with visual change. ## **4. The Danger of Over-Simplification: Tropicana (2009)** In 2009, the orange juice giant spent $35 million (around GBP 25 million) on a brand overhaul, only to revert to its original design months later after sales plummeted by 20%. **The Strategy:** Tropicana replaced its famous straw-in-an-orange imagery with a minimalist glass of juice and a clean, sans-serif font. They wanted to appear modern, sleek, and premium. **The Lesson: Don't Break the Mental Map** - **Why it failed:** The rebrand stripped away the most important visual cues that customers used to find the product on a crowded shelf. To the average shopper, the new packaging looked like a generic or store-brand product. By removing the orange, the universal symbol of freshness, they lost the emotional connection with the consumer. - **Takeaway:** Innovation is great, but never at the expense of findability. If you change your look so much that your loyal customers no longer recognise you, you've essentially handed your market share to your competitors. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our **[contact form](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/)**. --- ## Changes To Google Ads Budget Pacing For Ad Scheduling URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/04/changes-to-google-ads-budget-pacing-for-ad-scheduling/ **Date:** 2026-04-22 **Category:** Google AdWords | **Tags:** google, google ads While Google Ads is designed for precision, external technical glitches with payment processors can occasionally lead to unexpected account activity. Recently, some advertisers may have noticed charges that exceeded their usual billing thresholds or manual payment amounts. If you have spotted an unfamiliar or inflated charge on your statement, here is a breakdown of what is happening and the steps being taken to rectify it. ## **Identifying the Overcharge Glitch** The primary cause of recent billing discrepancies has been identified as a technical fault within a third-party payment processing network. This is not a change in Google's billing policy, but rather a processing error that triggered incorrect transaction amounts for a subset of accounts. **Common Scenarios for Discrepancies:** - **Threshold Timing:** Discrepancies often appear when a payment is processed just as you are reaching your billing threshold. - **Cycle Overlap:** Issues may arise at the transition of a calendar month or the end of a specific billing period. - **Manual Payments:** If you made a manual top-up payment, the system may have erroneously processed an additional automated charge shortly thereafter. ## **The Refund Roadmap** You do not necessarily need to file a formal dispute with your bank to resolve this. Google is actively collaborating with its payment partners to identify every affected account. - **Automatic Corrections:** Refunds for incorrect charges are being initiated automatically. - **Timeline:** Once initiated, the time it takes for the funds to appear in your account depends on your financial institution, typically taking between 3 and 5 business days. - **Credit vs. Refund:** In most instances involving this specific glitch, the correction will appear as a refund to the original payment method rather than just an account credit for future ads. ## **Account Maintenance Checklist** While waiting for a refund to process, you can ensure your account remains in good standing by reviewing your billing tab: - **Transaction History:** Review the Transactions section under Billing & Payments to distinguish between Earned Costs (the ads you actually ran) and Transactions (the actual money pulled from your card). - **Billing Interface Updates:** Occasionally, Google upgrades accounts to a newer billing interface. This can trigger a one-time charge for your current outstanding balance. This is a legitimate settlement of your balance and is distinct from the processing glitch. - **Primary Payment Verification:** Ensure your backup payment methods are up to date to prevent any service interruptions if a primary card is temporarily overextended due to a processing error. ## **When to Reach Out** Managing Google Ads billing discrepancies can be a time-consuming distraction from your core business activities. If more than seven business days have passed and an obvious overcharge remains unaddressed in your Transactions view, professional intervention can expedite the resolution. As a Google Certified Partner, Odyssey New Media provides the technical expertise and direct channel experience to navigate these billing hurdles on your behalf. Here is how we support our clients through such anomalies: - **Audit & Identification:** Our PPC experts conduct a thorough review of your billing data to distinguish between legitimate spend and technical glitches, ensuring you only pay for the traffic you actually received. - **Direct Advocacy:** We can handle the heavy lifting of contacting the Google Ads Help Centre. By providing us with your specific Transaction ID, we can manage the investigation, saving you the stress of back-and-forth support tickets. - **Proactive Account Management:** Beyond fixing billing errors, we monitor your daily spend and Earned Costs to ensure your budget is being utilised efficiently and that your ROI is protected from future system errors. If you are concerned about recent activity in your account or want to ensure your Google Ads strategy is as cost-effective as possible, Odyssey New Media is here to help. Our Birmingham-based team has over 20 years of combined experience in managing complex digital campaigns and ensuring total transparency in ad spend. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our **[contact form](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/)**. --- ## Google Confirms The March 2026 Core Update Is Complete URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/04/google-confirms-the-march-2026-core-update-is-complete/ **Date:** 2026-04-10 **Category:** Google, Google Algorithm Updates | **Tags:** google, google core update The digital marketing landscape has just cleared a significant hurdle. Google has officially confirmed the completion of the March 2026 Core Update, marking the end of a particularly turbulent period for search rankings. If you have noticed your traffic figures fluctuating over the past fortnight, you aren't alone. Here is a breakdown of what happened, how this update compares to previous ones, and what your next steps should be. ## **The Timeline: A Rapid Rollout** The March 2026 Core Update began its journey on 27 March and reached the finish line on 8 April. Clocking in at just 12 days, this rollout was notably swifter than the December 2025 update, which took 18 days to settle. Google has described this as a regular update, aimed at refining how the system identifies relevant and satisfying content. Interestingly, this update arrived on the heels of a record-breaking Spam Update in late March that lasted less than 20 hours. Many industry experts suggest this was a strategic clearing of the decks, removing low-quality spam before recalibrating the broader core signals. ## **Key Takeaways for Site Owners** Unlike some previous updates, Google did not release a specific companion blog post or new guidance for this rollout. However, the core principles remain the same: - **It's Not a Penalty:** If your rankings have dipped, it doesn't necessarily mean you've violated any policies. Core updates are about reassessing the relative quality of all pages on the web. - **A Regular Refinement:** By labelling this a standard update, Google suggests that the focus remains on rewarding high-quality, human-centric content rather than targeting specific niches. - **The Triple-Threat Month:** March 2026 was unusually busy, featuring a Discover-specific update, a Spam update, and finally the Core update. This stacking of updates can make it difficult to pinpoint exactly which change affected your site. ## **What Should You Do Now?** Now that the dust has settled, it is time to move from monitoring to analysis. Here is how to approach your post-update audit: - **Wait for the Cooling Period:** Google recommends waiting at least one full week after the completion date (8 April) before drawing firm conclusions. Data can still be volatile immediately following a rollout. - **Compare Clean Baselines:** When checking Search Console, compare your performance from mid-April against the period _before_ 24 March (to account for both the Spam and Core updates). - **Audit the Winners:** Instead of only looking at what you lost, look at the pages that moved up. What are they doing differently? Often, they provide more direct answers, better mobile experiences, or clearer expertise. - **Prioritise Holistic Quality:** Since there is no quick fix for a core update, focus on long-term improvements. Ensure your content remains satisfying for the user, not just the search engine. ## **Looking Forward** Google has signalled that smaller, unannounced core updates will continue to occur. This means the era of waiting for the big one is slowly being replaced by a state of constant evolution. For now, the best strategy is to stay calm, keep an eye on your analytics, and continue producing content that puts the reader's needs first. If you have seen a significant shift in your rankings this month, let us know in the comments. We're curious to see which sectors were most impacted by this latest rollout! ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our **[contact form](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/)**. --- ## How B2B Marketers Should Use Video Advertising URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/03/how-b2b-marketers-should-use-video-advertising/ **Date:** 2026-03-24 **Category:** Video Advertising | **Tags:** b2b, digital tips, video advertising Video has always been important in B2C marketing, but it has now become a necessary tool for B2B marketers. In a world filled with complex sales cycles and technical language, video offers a strong way to make information easier to understand and connect with key decision-makers personally. If you want to explain a complex SaaS product or build brand authority, video advertising can help move prospects through the B2B funnel. However, to achieve results, you need a strategy tailored to the B2B audience. Here's a guide on how B2B marketers should use video advertising. ## **The Current State of B2B Video Marketing** If you're doubtful about video for B2B, the numbers tell a strong story. According to HubSpot, 54% of consumers want brands or businesses they support to share more video content. More importantly, studies show that decision-makers are increasingly watching video content during their purchase research. Video is no longer just a good idea; it's now a key part of an effective content strategy. ## **Types of B2B Video Ads** Before launching a campaign, it's crucial to understand the different formats of B2B video ads: - **Explainer Videos:** These are short, engaging videos that explain what your product or service does and how it solves a specific problem. They are typically used for high-level brand awareness. - **Product Demos:** More detailed than explainer videos, product demos provide a step-by-step look at your product's features and functionalities. They are effective for the consideration stage of the buyer's journey. - **Customer Testimonials and Case Studies:** These are powerful validation tools. Hearing from a satisfied customer can build trust and credibility far more effectively than any sales pitch. - **Thought Leadership and Interview Videos:** Position your company as an industry expert by featuring interviews with key executives, thought leaders, or subject matter experts. - **Webinar Teasers:** Use short video ads to generate excitement and drive registrations for your upcoming webinars. - **Corporate Culture Videos:** These videos showcase your company's personality, values, and team, helping to build an emotional connection with your audience. ## **A Strategic Framework for B2B Video Advertising** **1. Define Your Objectives and Audience** The foundation of a successful advertising campaign is a clear understanding of your goals and target audience. Are you looking to generate leads, build brand awareness, or drive product demos? Once you define your objectives, you must identify exactly who you want to reach. What are their job titles? What are their pain points? Which channels do they use? This level of detail is crucial for B2B marketing. **2. Match Your Video to the Buyer's Journey** Not all video ads are created equal, and your content should reflect where your prospect is in the buying process. - **Awareness Stage:** Your goal is to capture attention and introduce your brand. Use engaging, problem-focused explainer videos or thought leadership content. Focus on educational and informative value over direct selling. - **Consideration Stage:** Prospects are actively evaluating solutions. This is where product demos, comparison videos, and more detailed explanations of the solution are most effective. You want to highlight your unique selling propositions and showcase your value. - **Decision Stage:** Prospects are close to making a purchase. Use social proof, such as case study videos and testimonials, to build confidence. Offer personalised demos or free trials to nudge them over the finish line. **3. Choose the Right Platforms** The key to effective B2B video advertising is being where your audience is. - **LinkedIn:** The premier platform for B2B marketing. LinkedIn's targeting capabilities are unmatched, allowing you to reach decision-makers by job title, company, industry, and more. - **YouTube:** As the second-largest search engine, YouTube is excellent for educational content, product tutorials, and building thought leadership. - **Google Ads (Display & Video):** Reach broad audiences through Google's massive display network and YouTube. This is effective for awareness campaigns. - **Twitter and Facebook/Instagram:** While primarily B2C, these platforms can be effective for reaching specific B2B audiences with the right targeting, especially for promoting webinars or building brand personality. **4. Craft Compelling Ad Copy and Strong Calls to Action (CTAs)** Your video is the main attraction, but the supporting ad copy and your CTA are critical for driving action. - **Keep Headlines Hooky:** Your headline should grab attention and clearly state the value proposition. - **Write Compelling Body Copy:** Elaborate on the problem you're solving or the benefits of your product. - **Make Your CTA Crystal Clear:** Tell the viewer exactly what you want them to do next. Whether it's Watch the Demo, register for the Webinar, or Download the Case Study, ensure it's simple and direct. **5. Prioritise Production Quality** While you don't need a Hollywood budget, a professional look and feel is important for building trust in the B2B world. Invest in good lighting, clear audio, and professional editing. That said, authenticity often beats high-gloss production. Sometimes a genuine, interview-style video can be more effective than a polished animation. **6. Optimise for Mobile and Sound-Off Viewing** A large amount of video content is watched on mobile devices, usually with the sound off. Ensure your video ads have captions and visual storytelling that do not depend on audio to convey the message. ## **Measuring the Success of Your B2B Video Ads** You can't manage what you don't measure. Track key metrics to understand how your campaigns are performing: - **View Count:** This gives you a high-level overview of how many people have seen your ad. - **Watch Time:** A crucial metric for gauging engagement. The longer people watch, the more compelling your content is. - **Click-Through Rate (CTR):** Measures the percentage of people who clicked on your CTA after watching your video. - **Conversion Rate:** The ultimate goal. Track how many leads, demo requests, or webinar registrations you've generated from your video ads. - **Cost Per Acquisition (CPA):** Helps you understand the cost-effectiveness of your lead generation efforts. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our **[contact form](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/)**. --- ## Meta To Introduce New Location Fees: What Advertisers Need To Know URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/03/meta-to-introduce-new-location-fees-what-advertisers-need-to-know/ **Date:** 2026-03-10 **Category:** Industry News | **Tags:** advertising, advice, meta Meta has recently announced a significant update to its billing structure that will affect advertisers running campaigns in specific global markets. Starting 1st July 2026, Meta will implement Location Fees to help cover the costs associated with Digital Services Taxes (DST) and other regulatory levies imposed by certain jurisdictions. If you manage ad accounts targeting European or Middle Eastern markets, here is a breakdown of what these changes mean for your business and your bottom line. ## **What are Location Fees?** Location fees are additional charges added to your ad spend to offset the costs Meta incurs when doing business in specific regions. Unlike many other taxes, these fees are not based on where your business is registered. Instead, they are determined by where your audience is located and where your ad impressions are delivered. ## **Which Jurisdictions are Affected?** As of the initial rollout, the following jurisdictions will incur these additional percentage-based fees: - **Austria:** 5% - **Türkiye:** 5% - **France:** 3% - **Italy:** 3% - **Spain:** 3% - **United Kingdom:** 2% Note: Meta has indicated that these rates and the list of affected jurisdictions may be updated over time in response to changing regulations. ## **How the Billing Works** It is important to understand that these fees are added after your ads have been delivered. This means Meta will not deduct the fee from your set campaign budget. Instead, you will be billed for your delivery plus the applicable location fee. **The Example:** If you spend GBP 100 on ad delivery specifically targeting users in Italy (where the fee is 3%), you will be charged GBP 100 for the ads plus a GBP 3 location fee, totalling GBP 103. Furthermore, any applicable VAT will be calculated on top of this final total. ## **Why is This Happening Now?** The digital advertising landscape is facing an evolving regulatory environment. Many countries have introduced Digital Services Taxes to ensure large tech platforms contribute to local economies. While Meta has previously absorbed these costs, they are now aligning with industry norms-following in the footsteps of other major digital platforms that have already implemented similar surcharges. **Key Details for Advertisers** - **Format Neutral:** These fees apply to all ad formats, including images, videos, and WhatsApp click-to-message campaigns. - **Transparency:** To ensure clarity in your accounting, these fees will be itemised on your invoices by jurisdiction (e.g., Italy digital services). - **Payment Methods:** The fees apply regardless of your chosen payment method. - **WhatsApp Messaging:** While click-to-message ads are included, these fees do not apply to other types of paid WhatsApp messaging. ## **Next Steps: How to Prepare** With the July 2026 deadline approaching, now is the time to audit your current international spend and adjust your strategy. - **Notify Your Team:** Share this update with your finance, procurement, and marketing departments immediately. - **Adjust Budget Forecasts:** If a significant portion of your traffic comes from the UK or the EU, you will need to account for a 2% to 5% increase in total costs to maintain your current impression levels. - **Consult Support:** If you have specific concerns regarding your account, reach out to Meta Pro Support or your dedicated Meta sales representative. By staying ahead of these regulatory shifts, you can ensure your 2026 marketing plans remain accurate and your ROI remains protected. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our **[contact form](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/)**. --- ## Branding URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/branding/ **Date:** 2026-03-06 # Branding Build a brand that people recognise, trust and remember. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why do you need Branding Services? Your brand is often the first impression customers have of your business. A strong brand identity helps you stand out in competitive markets, communicate your values clearly and create consistency across every marketing channel. As an experienced branding agency Birmingham businesses trust, Odyssey New Media works alongside specialist branding partner Designmc to create distinctive brand identities that support long-term growth. Whether you're launching a new company, developing a new visual identity or planning a full rebranding project, our team helps businesses create brands that connect with their audience. If you're looking for a branding agency in Birmingham that combines creative design with digital marketing expertise, our team can help bring your brand to life. Talk to us about your branding project today. ## Branding services cover: - Strategic Brand Development - Professional Brand Design Birmingham Expertise - Integrated Marketing Support - Consistent Branding Across Digital Channels - A Collaborative and Transparent Approach - Brand Identities Designed to Support Long-Term Business Growth - Creative Design Backed by Digital Marketing Insight - Scalable Branding that Works Across Websites, Advertising and Print - Clear Brand Guidelines to Ensure Consistency Across All Communications ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our brand consultants have 30+ years** **combined experience and we have helped businesses develop and grow their brands. This can be from helping a new startup to create a brand all the way up to an established company who wants to rebrand because their current branding has become stale or outdated in relation to their size, products and services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business get the best branding possible which will give you a great platform from which to grow both in the digital world and real world. ### Branding experience We are honest from day one about our brand service and expectations. We have a proven track record of improving branding for a range clients across various sectors. ### ROI driven brand investment From day one, we look at improving your brand as well as your ROI (Return on Investment). Ultimately an investment into your brand should lead to better visibility and increased intent by your customers. ### Branding for your budget We develop personalised brand strategies and plans that cater to your need and your budget. We have years of experience and success with branding services. ## How Can Branding Services Benefit You? ### Our Branding Process Our approach combines creative thinking with strategic marketing insight to ensure your brand supports long-term growth. **Discovery & Research** We start by learning about your business, industry, competitors and audience. This research helps identify opportunities to differentiate your brand. **Brand Strategy** We define the positioning, personality and direction of your brand to ensure it aligns with your business goals. **Creative Development** Our designers create branding concepts including logo designs, visual styles and typography systems. **Refinement & Development** Once a direction is chosen, we refine the design and develop a complete brand identity system. **Brand Implementation** Finally, we help implement your new brand across websites, marketing campaigns and digital platforms. ### Branding That Supports You A strong brand plays a key role in the success of digital marketing campaigns. Consistent branding improves recognition, engagement and trust across all channels. As a branding agency in Birmingham with extensive digital marketing expertise, we ensure your branding works seamlessly with services such as: • Website design and development • SEO campaigns • Google Ads and PPC management • Social media marketing • Content marketing By aligning branding with marketing strategy, we help businesses create a consistent and recognisable presence across all platforms. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## The Rise Of Subscription Models In Marketing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/02/the-rise-of-subscription-models-in-marketing/ **Date:** 2026-02-26 **Category:** Industry News | **Tags:** advice, digital marketing, digital tips In 2026, the traditional one-and-done transaction is becoming a leftover. From the software on our laptops to the coffee beans delivered to our doorsteps, the subscription economy has fundamentally changed how British brands and consumers interact. According to Zuora, the UK subscription market is projected to reach a staggering GBP 170 billion ($222.6 billion) this year. But this shift isn't just regarding recurring billing; it marks a profound transformation in marketing strategy, moving away from high-pressure sales toward long-term relationship management. ## **Why the UK Went Subscribed** The rise of this model in Britain is driven by a unique mix of consumer desire and a shifting regulatory setting. **The Usership Over Ownership Trend** Led primarily by Gen Z and Millennials, there is a noticeable cultural shift toward prioritising access to services over owning assets outright. This trend is clear throughout various industries, including the automotive sector; for instance, in 2025, major manufacturers such as Volkswagen began offering select upgrades as a monthly subscription service for UK drivers. This method reflects the development of consumer preferences for adaptability and convenience. **Predictable Household Budgeting** According to Barclays, despite the cost-of-living squeeze, nine out of ten UK consumers are signed up for at least one subscription. For many, these services serve as a financial north star, helping them budget more effectively month-to-month rather than making unpredictable one-off purchases. **The Convenience Premium** The Aqua study (2025) paints a clear depiction of a Subscription Britain, where the average person now manages approximately 2.8 recurring payments. While entertainment remains the largest slice of the pie at GBP 27 per month, the growth of more functional subscriptions highlights a deeper shift in our relationship with time and mental effort. ## **The 2026 Marketing Playbook: Key Trends** Marketing a subscription in the UK now requires a more sophisticated approach than a simple subscribe button. **Hyper-Personalisation via AI** With over 40% of UK shoppers now comfortable using AI-driven recommendations, marketing teams are moving beyond generic monthly boxes (Checkout). Dynamic onboarding flows now adjust in real-time; if a subscriber skips their first discovery coffee bag, the AI immediately pivots their next delivery to a tried-and-tested roast to ensure the aha moment isn't lost. **Compliance as a Competitive Edge** The introduction of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC) in early 2026 has changed the game. Brands are no longer using subscription traps. Instead, they are winning trust by being hyper-transparent about cancellation rights and renewal notices. In 2026, the easiest way to keep a customer is to make it incredibly easy for them to leave. **The Pause Dividend** Data from Recurly's in 2026 shows that brands giving a pause functionality saw a 337% increase in its usage compared to previous years. This report analysed data from over 76 million unique subscribers and 2,200 global merchants. By allowing customers to pause during a tight month rather than cancelling, UK marketers are successfully protecting their long-term Customer Lifetime Value. ## **The Challenges: Fighting Subscription Fatigue** It hasn't all been smooth sailing. British consumers are becoming more selective as digital fatigue sets in. **The Churn Battle** According to TSB, approximately 1 in 3 Brits say they have overspent on subscriptions in the past. High churn is the silent killer, and the focus has shifted from getting customers to keeping them through constant proof of value. **The Re-Engagement Revolution** Interestingly, according to Recurly, 1 in 4 new sign-ups in 2026 are win-backs, returning subscribers who previously cancelled. Marketing is now as much about reactivation as it is about initial acquisition. **The Value Gap** If a customer doesn't use the service, they often feel guilty about maintaining their subscription. Recognising this, smart UK brands now send proactive nudges, such as a streaming service recommending a show specifically because the user hasn't logged in for ten days, to help justify the monthly ROI and encourage persistent engagement. ## **Conclusion: The Relationship Revolution** The rise of subscription services marks the end of the funnel and the birth of the loop. In this new era, marketing doesn't end at the checkout; it begins there. The most successful UK brands are those that treat their subscription not as a contract, but as a continuous promise of value. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How to Audit Broken Links on Gated Websites URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/02/how-to-audit-broken-links-on-gated-websites/ **Date:** 2026-02-16 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** digital tips, seo For many B2B companies and premium service providers, the real value of their website sits behind a login screen. Whether it's an exclusive client portal, a resource library, or a paid membership area, these gated environments are where deep brand loyalty is built. However, there is a common blind spot in digital maintenance: The Login Wall**.** Standard SEO crawlers often bounce off these pages, leaving broken links (404s) to fester in the one area where your most valuable customers spend their time. In the B2B world, a dead link isn't just a technical glitch; it's a sign of neglect that can erode professional trust. Here is how to effectively identify and rectify broken links within password-protected sections of your site. ## **Advanced Crawling: Teaching Tools to Log In** You don't have to click every link manually. Industry-standard crawling tools can be configured to bypass authentication, allowing you to audit gated content at scale. - **Screaming Frog SEO Spider:** This is the gold standard for deep dives. By navigating to Configuration > Authentication, you can choose Forms-Based authentication. This allows the tool to submit your credentials as a human user would, granting it full access to scan the private architecture of your site for 404 errors. - **Sitebulb:** If you prefer a more visual representation of your site's health, Sitebulb handles gated content brilliantly. Its Hints system will flag broken links within your member areas and suggest fixes based on the site's internal flow. ## **Real-Time Auditing with Browser Extensions** Sometimes, you don't need a full-site audit; you just need to verify a specific high-value landing page or a newly launched module. For these instances, lightweight browser extensions are your best ally. Tools like Check My Links or Linkly work within your active browser session. Once you have logged into your site as an admin or user, you simply run the extension. It will highlight every link on the page: green for active, red for broken. It is the fastest way to perform a sanity check on gated content before a major client logs in. ## **The Developer's Route: Custom Python Scripting** If your site uses complex multi-level permissions or non-standard login protocols, off-the-shelf tools might struggle to handle them. This is where a bespoke solution excels. Using Python libraries such as Requests and BeautifulSoup, a developer can create a script that: - Authenticates a session. - Persists that logged-in state across multiple sub-directories. - Systematically tests every URL for a 200 (OK) status. This method is particularly useful for enterprise platforms where different user tiers see different content. You can run the script under different profiles to ensure every user group has a seamless experience. ## **Using Leaked Data: Google Search Console** While Google is technically barred from crawling your password-protected pages, it can still provide invaluable second-hand data. If a link within your gated portal points to a public-facing page that has been deleted, Google will record a 404 error, not because it saw the link on the private page, but because the destination no longer exists. To find these hidden breakages, monitor your Indexing and Crawl Stats reports: - **The Referral Trail:** In GSC, look for 404 errors under the Indexing report. Click a specific broken URL, then select the URL Inspection tool. If Google shows a Referring page that is part of your gated directory, you've found a leak. This tells you exactly which private page is hosting a dead link to the outside world. - **The Crawl Stats Report:** Here, you can see if Google is attempting to access your login-protected URLs. If you see a spike in 403 (Forbidden) or 401 (Unauthorised) errors, it suggests that your internal linking structure is accidentally leaking private URLs into the public domain, perhaps via an errant sitemap or a public sidebar link. - **Internal Redirect Loops:** Sometimes, a gated link points to a public URL that then redirects back into the login screen. This ping-pong effect can frustrate users and confuse search bots. GSC will often flag these as Redirect Errors, giving you a head start on mapping out a cleaner navigation path. By treating Search Console as a perimeter alarm, you can catch architectural flaws that standard gated crawlers might miss, ensuring a watertight transition between your public marketing site and your private client environment. ## **Why the Private User Experience Matters** It is easy to prioritise public-facing SEO because it drives new traffic. But your gated content is where you deliver on your promises. In the tech and professional services sectors, your clients expect a premium, frictionless experience. A broken link inside a portal tells the client that your attention to detail ends the moment the sale is closed. By implementing a regular audit schedule for your password-protected areas, you ensure that your brand remains as polished on the inside as it looks on the outside. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google's Latest Refinements To Discover Guidelines URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/02/googles-latest-refinements-to-discover-guidelines/ **Date:** 2026-02-09 **Category:** Google Algorithm Updates | **Tags:** google, google core update Google has once again moved the goalposts for content creators. Alongside the rollout of the February Discover core update, the search giant has quietly overhauled its Get on Discover documentation. While these tweaks may seem minor at first glance, they signal a significant sharpening of Google's focus on user experience and content integrity. If your site relies on Discover for traffic, understanding these revisions is essential for maintaining your visibility. ## **A Hard Line on Clickbait and Sensationalism** The most striking change is the language Google now uses. In the past, the guidelines were somewhat euphemistic, advising creators to avoid tactics to artificially inflate engagement. The updated documentation explicitly names clickbait and sensationalism as tactics to avoid. This isn't just a vocabulary change; it reflects an improved algorithmic ability to identify and penalise content that promises more than it delivers. Key changes include: - **Headline Clarity:** Google has split its guidance on titles into two distinct requirements. It now demands that headlines capture the essence of the content while strictly avoiding clickbait. - **Defining Sensationalism:** The updated text moves away from vague warnings about morbid curiosity and directly instructs publishers to avoid sensationalism that manipulates user appeal. ## **Page Experience Moves to the Forefront** For the first time, Google has explicitly linked Page Experience to Discover eligibility. While Core Web Vitals and mobile-friendliness have long been pillars of traditional Search, they are now officially part of the Discover checklist. This means that even if your content is top-tier, a sluggish loading speed or a layout shift could see your articles relegated to the sidelines. Providing a seamless, high-quality technical experience is no longer optional for Discover's success. ## **Why the Sudden Transparency?** These documentation updates align perfectly with the objectives of the February Core Update. Google's stated goal is to surface more original, expert-led content while reducing the prevalence of low-quality, noisy articles. By being more explicit in its guidelines, Google is providing a clearer roadmap for publishers. The update is currently rolling out for English-language users in the United States, with a global rollout across all languages expected in the coming months. ## **Strategic Takeaways for Publishers** To stay ahead of these changes, publishers should audit their current Discover strategy with a focus on three areas: - **Editorial Integrity:** Review your headline strategy. Ensure they are compelling without being deceptive. If a headline relies on you won't believe what happened next tropes, it's time for a rewrite. - **Technical Health:** Revisit your Page Experience reports in Search Console. Pay close attention to mobile performance, as Discover is inherently mobile-first. - **Originality and Expertise:** The update prioritises content from sites with proven expertise. Double down on original reporting and authoritative insights rather than rehashing trending news. As the algorithm becomes more sophisticated, the tricks of the past are becoming increasingly risky. The message from Google is clear: focus on the user, keep your headlines honest, and ensure your technical foundation is rock solid. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Marketing Tools URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/tools/ **Date:** 2026-01-26 # SEO & Marketing Tools Explore our suite of SEO & Digital Marketing tools. ## Comprehensive SEO tools to help you optimise your website's performance. We offer a suite of SEO tools and SEO checkers designed to help businesses quickly and easily optimise their online presence. Our easy-to-use tools helps you identify keywords, make changes to page titles and descriptions, and monitor your progress over time. We also offer comprehensive analytics so you can track the effectiveness of your SEO efforts. With our all-in-one solution, you get everything you need for successful search engine optimisation in one place. [ Keyword Density Analyser ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/keyphrase-density-analyser/) [ Keyword Concatenation Tool ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ppc-tool/) [ Internal & External Links Checker ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/backlink-checker/) [ WhoIs Domain Checker ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/whois-checker/) [ Header Tag Checker ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/h-tag-checker/) [ Redirect Checker ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/redirect-checker/) [ IP Checker Tool ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ip-checker-tool/) [ Server Signature Checker ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/server-signature-checker/) --- ## Server Signature Checker URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/server-signature-checker/ **Date:** 2026-01-26 # Server Signature Checker Find out exactly what your web server is telling the public. Check your HTTP response headers to identify exposed server software, PHP versions, and operating system data that hackers could exploit. Server Signature Checker Check if your web server is exposing its software version in HTTP headers Enter URL Check Check Server Signature Enter a URL above to check if the server is exposing its software version in HTTP response headers. ## What is a Server Signature? Every time a user or a search engine bot visits your website, your web server sends back an HTTP response header. By default, many web servers (like Apache, Nginx, and Microsoft IIS) include a Server Signature. This is a line of text in the header that identifies the specific software and version the server is running. A typical exposed signature might look like this: Server: Apache/2.4.41 (Ubuntu). Leaving your server signature visible is a cybersecurity risk known as Information Disclosure. While it doesn't directly hack your site, it hands cybercriminals the blueprint they need to launch an attack. If a hacker knows you are running an outdated version of Apache or an old version of PHP, they can simply search a vulnerability database (like CVE) for known exploits specific to that exact software version. Hiding your server signature is a fundamental best practice of security. --- ## IP Checker Tool URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ip-checker-tool/ **Date:** 2026-01-26 # IP Checker Tool Instantly discover your public IP address. Retrieve detailed geolocation data, identify your Internet Service Provider (ISP), and check your network status with our free IP lookup tool. IP Checker Tool View your current IP address and geolocation information Detecting your IP address... ## What is an IP Address? An IP address is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to the internet. It's like a street address that identifies computers on the network. The IP address can be used to identify which country, region, and even city a user is in. Every machine or device connected to the internet has its own IP address, allowing it to communicate with other machines through the World Wide Web. Each IP address consists of four numbers separated by periods (e.g., 192.168.1.105). When you type in an internet domain name such as www.example.com, your computer contacts DNS servers which translates this domain name into its corresponding IP address - this tells your computer where the website you are trying to access is located on the internet. In this way, IP addresses are like the building blocks of the internet. Without them, websites would be unable to communicate with each other and you wouldn't be able to access them. So when you surf online, it's your IP address that allows you to access web pages, send emails and make voice calls over the internet. # How Do I Find My IP Address? Searching for your IP address can seem like a daunting task, but with our IP checker tool, it is easier than ever! Our IP checker tool allows you to find your IP address in no time at all. All you need to do is visit this page and our tool will automatically detect your IP and display it at the top of the page. Your public IP address is unique to you and changes each time you connect to the internet through different devices or networks. It is important to have an accurate record of your public IP address when troubleshooting network issues or setting up online services such as gaming servers or websites. # IPv4 & IPv6 - What's The Difference? IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are both used to identify devices connected to the internet. They are two different versions of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, which are unique numbers assigned to a device. IPv4 is the fourth version of an IP address system and was introduced in 1981. It consists of four sets of numbers separated by periods, e.g., 192.168.0.1. Each set contains one to three digits, ranging from 0-255, and this allows for over four billion total possible combinations. IPv4 has been widely used since its introduction and is still the most commonly used today, however it is not suitable for the huge number of devices now connected to the internet due to the limited range of possible combinations. IPv6 was introduced in 1998 and consists of eight sets of numbers separated by colons, e.g., 2001:db8:0:1234::1. Each set contains four hexadecimal digits (numbers and letters) ranging from 0-9 and A-F, allowing for over 340 trillion trillion possible combinations - far more than enough to accommodate all the devices now connected to the internet. IPv6 is slowly becoming more popular as it is better able to handle the number of devices connecting to the internet today. --- ## Redirect Checker URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/redirect-checker/ **Date:** 2026-01-26 # Redirect Checker Map the exact path your URLs take. Trace redirect chains, identify infinite loops, and ensure search engines can crawl your website efficiently without losing valuable link authority. Redirect Checker Follow the complete redirect chain of any URL and see every hop along the way Enter URL _ **Check Redirects Check Redirect Chain Enter a URL above to trace its complete redirect chain and see all intermediate hops. ## What is a Redirect Checker? A Redirect Checker is a diagnostic tool that traces the exact journey a web browser or search engine bot takes from the initial URL you click to the final destination page. When you migrate a website, delete an old page, or change your domain from HTTP to HTTPS, you use redirects to send users to the correct new location. This tool reveals the hidden "hops" happening behind the scenes in the server headers, ensuring your redirects are set up correctly. Not all redirects are treated the same by search engines. Our tool identifies exactly which type of redirect is being used: - 301 (Permanent Redirect):** This tells Google that a page has moved permanently, passing approximately 90-99% of the original page's link juice (authority) to the new URL. - **302 (Found / Temporary Redirect):** Used for maintenance, A/B testing, or temporary promotions. It sends users to a new page but tells search engines not_ to update their index or pass link authority. - **307 / 308 (HSTS Redirects):** Modern status codes often used to force users from insecure HTTP connections to secure HTTPS connections. --- ## Header Tag Checker URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/h-tag-checker/ **Date:** 2026-01-26 # Header Tag Checker Ensure your content is perfectly optimised for search engines and readers. Scan any webpage to instantly extract its H1-H6 tags, analyse heading hierarchy, and uncover on-page SEO errors. Header Tag Checker Analyse the header tag structure (H1-H6) of any webpage for SEO best practices Enter URL Check Headers Analyse Header Tags Enter a URL above to analyse its H1-H6 header tag structure and get SEO recommendations. ## What is a Header Tag Checker? A Header Tag Checker is an SEO tool that crawls a webpage and extracts all of its HTML heading tags, from H1 down to H6. In web design, heading tags are used to define the structure of a page. The H1 acts as the main title, H2s act as chapter headings, and H3s to H6s act as sub-sections. This tool gives you a bird's-eye view of your page's outline, making it easy to spot structural mistakes that search engines might penalise. --- ## WhoIs Domain Checker URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/whois-checker/ **Date:** 2026-01-26 # WhoIs Domain Checker Instantly uncover the registration details of any website. **Find out who owns a domain name, check its expiration date, and view registrar information with our free WHOIS lookup tool. WHOIS Domain Checker Look up domain registration details, ownership, and expiry information Enter Domain Lookup WHOIS Domain Lookup Enter a domain name above to view its registration details, nameservers, and contact information. ## What is a WHOIS Lookup? Every time someone registers a new domain name (like .com, .net, or .org), they are required by ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) to provide their contact information. A WHOIS lookup is a search engine that queries this public database to retrieve the registration records for a specific website. When you run a domain through our checker, you will typically see the following data: - Registrar:** The company where the domain was purchased (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap). - **Important Dates:** The exact date the domain was registered, when it was last updated, and the crucial expiration date. - **Registrant Details:** The name, organization, and contact email of the domain owner (unless obscured by privacy protection). - **Name Servers:** The DNS servers that point the domain to its web host. --- ## Internal & External Links Checker URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/backlink-checker/ **Date:** 2026-01-26 # Internal & External Links Checker Instantly audit your webpage's link profile and categorise every internal and external link. **Improve your site architecture, fix broken URLs, and ensure optimal flow of link authority. Internal & External Links Checker Analyse all links on a webpage and classify them as internal or external Enter URL Check Links Both types External only Internal only Check Links Enter a URL above to analyse all internal and external links found on the page. ## Why Check Internal and External Links? Links are the pathways that connect the internet. For search engines like Google, links are crucial for discovering new pages and understanding the hierarchy of your website. A thorough link audit helps you understand how link authority flows through your site, ensures users aren't hitting dead ends (404 errors), and verifies that you are linking out to trustworthy sources. ## The Importance of Internal Linking Internal links connect pages on the same domain. A strong internal linking strategy is one of the most effective ways to boost your SEO. - Improves Crawlability:** Helps search engine bots navigate your website and discover new content faster. - **Distributes Page Authority:** Passes SEO value from high-traffic pages (like your homepage) to newer or less visible pages. - **Enhances User Experience:** Guides visitors to relevant articles, keeping them on your site longer and reducing bounce rates. --- ## Keyword Concatenation URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ppc-tool/ **Date:** 2026-01-26 # Keyword Concatenation Instantly merge multiple lists of words to generate thousands of long-tail keyword combinations. **Save hours of manual research and scale your SEO and PPC campaigns in seconds. Keyword Concatenation Tool Generate keyword combinations from multiple word lists with various match types Match Types Select all|Deselect all Output Permutations Select all|Deselect all Check the columns above to see available permutations Concatenate Generate Keyword Combinations Enter keywords in the columns above and select your desired match types and permutations. Perfect for creating PPC campaign keywords ## What is Keyword Concatenation? Keyword concatenation (also known as keyword merging or mashing) is the process of combining two or more lists of words to create new, longer search phrases. Instead of manually typing out every possible combination of your products and their features, this tool does the heavy lifting for you. For example, combining a list of locations (London, Birmingham, Manchester) with a list of services (SEO, Web Design) will instantly generate queries like "Birmingham SEO" and "Birmingham Web Design." ## Why Use a Keyword Concatenation Tool? Whether you are building a Google Ads (PPC) campaign or planning an SEO content strategy, finding the right keywords is essential. - Discover Long-Tail Keywords:** Easily identify low-competition, highly specific phrases that are easier to rank for and have higher conversion rates. - **Save Time:** Eliminate the tedious task of using Excel spreadsheets or manually typing out variations. Generate thousands of outputs in milliseconds. - **Scale Local SEO:** Quickly create localised service pages by merging your service list with a list of target cities, towns, or postcodes. - **Optimise Ad Campaigns:** Group your keywords into tightly themed ad groups for better Quality Scores and lower cost-per-click (CPC). --- ## Keyphrase Density Analyser URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/keyphrase-density-analyser/ **Date:** 2026-01-26 # Keyphrase Density Analyser Instantly analyse your text to optimise your keyword densities, avoid spam penalties, and boost your organic rankings. Keyword Density Checker Analyse the keyword density of any text, HTML or webpage URL URL HTML Plain Text Meta Keywords Meta Description Page Title Min word length Min occurrences Analyse Analyse Keyword Density Enter a URL, HTML or plain text above to analyse keyword frequency and density. ## What Is Keyword Density? Keyword density refers to the percentage of times a keyword or phrase appears on a web page compared to the total number of words on the page. It is an important component in search engine optimisation (SEO) because search engines often examine keyword density to understand the topic of a webpage and rank it accordingly. While keywords help search engines to understand what your content is all about, it's important to maintain an optimum keyword density. This ensures your content does not come across as spammy, which can lead to penalties from search engines. Over-stuffing your content with keywords can also degrade the readability and user experience. Typically, a keyword density of 1-2% is considered good for SEO. This means that your keyword should appear about one to two times for every 100 words. However, this is not a hard and fast rule, and the quality of your content should always take precedence. Remember, SEO is not just about search engines, but also about your audience. Hence, your content should be rich, engaging, and valuable to the reader, with keywords flowing naturally within the text. This approach not only helps you rank better in search engine results but also helps to establish authority and trust with your audience. --- ## Cookie Policy URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/cookie-policy/ **Date:** 2026-01-25 # Cookie Policy ## Odyssey New Media's Cookie Policy ## What Are Cookies? Cookies consist of small text files that are stored on your local device when you're accessing the internet. Whether it's a computer, tablet or smartphone device, cookies are use whenever you visit a website. Cookies enable a website to recognise a user's device in order to improve user experience on a website. Cookies can be used to remember user preferences, provide them with a more personalised experience, navigate between pages more easily, verify their profile, generate website visitor statistics and to enable shopping features. Cookies are used on this website https://www.odysseynewmedia.com as well as any sub-domain. They are used to improve our user's experience and provide a secure and tailored experience for all users. All cookies used are non-intrusive and secure. In this Cookie Policy we aim to give clarity on what cookies we use, how we use them and how they can benefit our users. Our cookies are non-instrusive and do not store any sensitive personal data or information such as names, addresses, personal telephone numbers or email addresses. We always aim to maintain the security and value our user's privacy. Some third party cookies may be used in order to enhance user experience such as Google Analytics or Facebook. All cookies used can't view personal data or information stored on your personal desktop, tablet, smartphone or any other web-enabled device. More information about cookies can be found on [https://www.gov.uk/help/cookies](https://web.archive.org/web/20251109032756/https://www.gov.uk/help/cookies). ## ## Types of cookies we use **Necessary** Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data. Cookie Duration Description cookieyes-consent 1 year CookieYes sets this cookie to remember users' consent preferences so that their preferences are respected on subsequent visits to this site. It does not collect or store any personal information about the site visitors. PHPSESSID session This cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie stores and identifies a user's unique session ID to manage user sessions on the website. The cookie is a session cookie and will be deleted when all the browser windows are closed. **Functional** Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features. Cookie Duration Description breakdance_view_count session Description is currently not available. breakdance_session_count session Description is currently not available. breakdance_last_session_id session Description is currently not available. __Secure-YEC past YouTube sets this cookie to stores the user's video player preferences using embedded YouTube video ytidb::LAST_RESULT_ENTRY_KEY Never Expires The cookie ytidb::LAST_RESULT_ENTRY_KEY is used by YouTube to store the last search result entry that was clicked by the user. 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These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Cookie Duration Description _ga_* 1 year 1 month 4 days Google Analytics sets this cookie to store and count page views. _ga 1 year 1 month 4 days Google Analytics sets this cookie to calculate visitor, session and campaign data and track site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognise unique visitors. **Advertisement** Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns. Cookie Duration Description YSC session Youtube sets this cookie to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE 6 months YouTube sets this cookie to measure bandwidth, determining whether the user gets the new or old player interface. test_cookie 15 minutes doubleclick.net sets this cookie to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA 6 months YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's cookie consent state for the current domain. yt-remote-device-id Never Expires YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos. yt-remote-connected-devices Never Expires YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos. _gcl_au 3 months Google Tag Manager sets this cookie to experiment advertisement efficiency of websites using their services. __Secure-ROLLOUT_TOKEN 6 months YouTube sets this cookie to manage feature rollout and experimentation. It helps Google control which new features or interface changes are shown to users as part of testing and staged rollouts, ensuring consistent experience for a given user during an experiment. ## Managing Cookie Consent Preferences You can modify your cookie settings anytime by clicking the 'Consent Preferences' button above. This will allow you to revisit the cookie consent banner and update your preferences or withdraw your consent immediately. Additionally, different browsers offer various methods to block and delete cookies used by websites. You can adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Below are links to support documents on how to manage and delete cookies in major web browsers. **Chrome: **[https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050](https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050) **Safari: **[https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac](https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac) **Firefox:** [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-cookies-and-site-data-firefox?redirectslug=delete-cookies-remove-info-websites-stored&redirectlocale=en-US](https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-cookies-and-site-data-firefox?redirectslug=delete-cookies-remove-info-websites-stored&redirectlocale=en-US) **Internet Explorer: **[https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-delete-cookie-files-in-internet-explorer-bca9446f-d873-78de-77ba-d42645fa52fc](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-delete-cookie-files-in-internet-explorer-bca9446f-d873-78de-77ba-d42645fa52fc) If you are using a different web browser, please refer to its official support documentation. --- ## Scruffy Dog Creative URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/scruffy-dog-creative-group/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # Scruffy Dog Creative See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top line results # +320% Page 1 Rankings Increase # +304% Organic Traffic Increase # +2 New Brands ## Client Testimonial "Their attention to detail and industry knowledge is second to none. The best agency we've worked with!" **Tim Beavis, Associate Marketing Manager of Scruffy Dog Creative** ## About Scruffy Dog Creative Scruffy Dog Creative ([www.scruffydogltd.com](https://www.scruffydogltd.com)) are amongst the world's premier theme park designers having worked on countless large-scale projects such as Alton Tower's WickerMan in the UK, Heide Park's GhostBusters 5D in Germany, and the Laguna Waterpark in Dubai. Alongside their theme park design services, SDCG are also able to provide planning & design services for museums, waterparks, visitor centers, and FECs, as well as themed interiors and brand activations. Currently based out of London in the UK, they also have branches in Barcelona, Riyadh, and Dubai allowing them to provide services to clients across the globe. ## Services Provided - SEO Management - Google AdWords Management - Social Media Ads Management - Website Management Support ## How We Helped When we started working with Scruffy Dog Creative Group in 2022, they were heavily reliant on referrals and industry exhibitions to source new work. Since neither of these were a reliable medium for generating a steady amount of enquiries, they were exploring additional channels through which to start conversations with potential customers. They initially reached out to Odyssey with a view to spending 1 day a month with us to improve their organic SEO, however, following a discussion with their marketing manager roughly a year into our work together, we also commenced PPC management. They had been running several Google AdWords campaigns in-house and, following a major upturn in their SEO, wanted our advice on how to refine these for improved performance. On the back of our changes, they experienced a near-immediate increase in their impressions, click-through rates, and conversions. Happy with the enhanced metrics, they entrusted us with the management of their ad campaigns going forward. In early 2024, Scruffy Dog Creative Group reached out to let us know that they were very satisfied with the improvements to both SEO and PPC and that they wanted to continue their growth in the digital space. They increased our management time to 7 days a month and enlisted our help to grow their other pre-existing brand - M.A.D Model Makers, specialising in props & models, as well as the additional brands that they were planning to launch later in the year; Cuddle Creative Works - brand activation specialists, and Just Because - providers of custom decor and interior design. These brands would also need to have visibility in Spain & The United Arab Emirates as countries where SDCG were already actively providing their services. As such, we provided full website translation functionality alongside PPC campaigns in local languages. Across these four brands, we have provided branding assistance, paid ads management (across Google & Bing), organic social media posting, social ads management (across Meta & LinkedIn), website maintenance, website translations, as well as our standard SEO procedures including key phrase research, monthly reporting, and auditing. ## What were the goals ### Marketing Goals: - Improve organic rankings & visibility - Generate online enquiries through the websites - Grow visibility in target countries - Stabalise and Increase Leads ### Additional Services & Goals: - Improve social media following metrics - Provide website translation functionality - Build and Improve backlink profile - SEO Auditing & Consultancy - Reporting & Analysis - Creation & Management of Meta Social Ads - Creation & Managament of LinkedIn Social Ads - Content Creation & Optimisation - Key Phrase Research - Pay Per Click Management - Reporting & Analysis - Landing Page Setup - LinkedIn Sequencing - Email Sequencing - Website Maintenance - Website Hosting # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Arcade Mania URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/arcade-mania/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # Arcade Mania See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top line results # +471% Organic Search Increase # +960% Page 1 Rankings Increase # +300% Orders Increase ## Client Testimonial "I've been working with Odyssey for over 2 years on the SEO & Socials and their work is second to none. All the stats are higher than they have ever been for Arcade Mania and the website and socials look great. All the help and advice has been fantastic. Look forward to many more years to come working with Odyssey New Media." **Craig Booth, Director of Arcade Mania** ## About Arcade Mania Arcade Mania ([www.arcademania.co.uk](https://www.arcademania.co.uk)) are a leading provider of custom arcade machines within the UK, handling all aspects of the design and manufacturing from their workshop in South Yorkshire. They bring industry-leading expertise in manufacturing and electronics to offer clients more customisation options than anywhere else on the market; a specialism that also allows them to also carry out repairs and upgrades for pre-existing arcade cabinets. With a keen eye for detail and a lifelong love for retro gaming, Arcade Mania offers their product range to both private and commercial buyers in a bid to reignite the joys of childhood nostalgia and help preserve this culturally significant industry. ## Services Provided - SEO Management - Google AdWords Management - Social Media Ads Management - Website Management Support ## How We Helped Our work with Arcade Mania originally started in 2020 when they contacted us in regards to website development - they were looking to upgrade their site to drive online sales and provide a solid foundation for future SEO efforts. Their new website went live in May 2020 and we commenced with SEO to help grow their organic rankings while also setting up and managing their PPC campaigns. After a successful two years during which Arcade Mania were able to steadily expand their facilities and workforce, they received an offer for a buyout from an established manufacturing company looking to make in-roads into the classic gaming market. Due to the change in ownership, we paused work in 2022 which ultimately led to the Arcade Mania website dropping organic rankings. However, following a referral from the previous owners, we were contracted to re-commence SEO in 2023. The key goal behind our management under the new ownership was that we would help to reinstate the organic rankings that Arcade Mania had lost during their 12-month period of inactivity. Once resuming, we provided content development & optimisation across all of their main category pages and much of their product range to re-align the website with online search demand; rapidly boosting the site onto Page 1 for various broad, as well as more specific long-form search terms. Following the next few months of activity, Arcade Mania saw a major increase in their online visibility with their site hitting an all-time high for organic traffic and on-site product sales/leads. ## What were the goals ### Marketing Goals: - Increase Overall Visbility - Rebuild Organic Rankings & Positioning (SEO) - Resolve On-site Technical Issues - Stabalise and Increase Online Sales ### Additional Services & Goals: - Increase Brand Awareness through Social Media - Improve Website Traffic Volumes - Produce Regular Content for Audience Engagement - Addition of New products & Update of Existing Ranges - SEO Auditing & Consultancy - Reporting & Analysis - Content Development - Content Optimisation - Key Phrase Research - Pay Per Click Management # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## AG Budget URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/ag-budget/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # AG Budget See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top line results # +890% Total Conversions Increase # +71% Organic Traffic Increase # +74% Page 1 Rankings Increase ## Client Testimonial "We have been using Odyssey New Media for many years and we've always found their professionalism and advice next to none. Would highly recommend using this company." **Vanessa Grinall, Managing Director of AG Budget** ## About AG Budget AG Budget ([www.agbudget.co.uk](https://www.agbudget.co.uk)) is a family-run business that has been providing affordable swimming pool solutions for over fifteen years. They specialise in the design, construction and maintenance of swimming pools and all related equipment, with a team of highly trained experts ready to help customers get the most out of their pool experience. With a commitment to quality and value, AG Budget is dedicated to helping families find the perfect solution for their budget and lifestyle. Their products are designed with safety in mind, so customers can have peace of mind when using their services. ## Services Provided - SEO Management - Google AdWords Management - Social Media Ads Management - Keyphrase Research ## How We Helped We worked with AG Budget to achieve their extensive SEO requirements. We first addressed the need for a new website, creating an intuitive design and user experience that aligned with the company's goals. Content was then optimised according to best practices, ensuring it was comprehensive yet concise and search engine friendly. Link building activities were employed to drive referral traffic from authoritative websites and social media profiles were created across multiple platforms. These accounts were managed actively, boosting brand awareness while increasing followers and engagement with company content. Overall, our efforts increased AG Budget's organic visibility online significantly - achieving higher rankings in SERPs as well as driving tangible results through conversions and leads generated by their website. ## What were the goals ### Marketing Goals: - Increase Overall Visbility - Increase Paid Search Sales (AdWords) - Increase Organic Search Traffic, Rankings & Sales (SEO) - Improve Link Profile (Backlinks) ### Additional Services & Goals: - Website Design & Development - Keyphrase Research (SEO & AdWords) - User Experience Guidance & Advice - Social Media Guidance & Advice # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Mint Technology URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/mint-technology/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # Mint Technology See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top line results # +169% Organic Search Increase # +209% Page 1 Rankings Increase # +20% Referring Domains ## Client Testimonial "I recently used Odyssey to help us with our SEO. I come from an IT background, but I'm no web expert that's for sure. I did however ask some pretty tough questions all of which were answered and then some. We have a new website designed with SEO in mind thanks to the input from Rob and the team, and we rank well. To put it bluntly, these guys know their stuff." **Damon Smith, Technical Director at Mint Technology** ## About Mint Technology Mint Technology ([www.wearemint.tech](https://www.wearemint.tech)) is an expert IT support and telecoms company based in Stourbridge. The company provides comprehensive IT solutions for organisations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises. Their experienced team of engineers are highly trained and certified in the latest technologies so that they can deliver exceptional service and reliable results for customers. Mint Technology tailors their services to meet businesses' individual requirements and ensure maximum efficiency. From managed IT services to cloud hosting, Mint Technology can take care of business IT infrastructure requirements. ## Services we provided - Google AdWords Management - SEO Advice & Guidance - LinkedIn Ads Management - Keyphrase Research ## How We Helped Mint Technology wanted to improve the level of website traffic they were getting and also to increase their reach to local businesses. After a thorough audit of their website and current marketing strategies, we recommended a series of changes that would help the company reach its goals. The first step was to revamp the existing content by optimising keywords and meta data to make it more accessible to search engine crawlers. We also identified areas where Mint Technology could improve their backlink building strategy, increasing domain authority and improving keyword rankings. We then developed targeted content strategies that were both high quality and relevant to their industry and location. This included creating new pages to focus on local businesses, writing new blog articles, and drafting press releases. ## What were the goals ### Marketing Goals: - Increase Overall Visbility - Increase National Organic Search Reach (SEO) - Increase Local Organic Search Reach (Local SEO) - Increase LinkedIn Awareness and Traffic ### Additional Services & Goals: - Keyphrase Research (AdWords) - Content Generation & Optimisation - Social Media Guidance & Advice - Reporting & Analysis # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Festival UK* 2020 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/festival-uk-2020/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # Festival UK* 2020 See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top line results # 378,362 Impressions (Brand Visibility) # +8,070 Visits (Clicks) # 48,172 Pageviews ## Client Testimonial "Rob and the team have been an absolute pleasure to work with. Their knowledge, creative problem solving, and most impressively, their strategic campaign skills are second to none. Friendly, well priced and a huge asset to anyone running a business. I can't recommend them enough." **Adam Mazrani, Digital Communications Manager of Festival UK* 2022** ## About Festival UK* 2022 Festival UK* 2022 was a UK-wide celebration of creativity, innovation and public engagement, designed to showcase the country's strengths in both the creative and scientific sectors. The programme brought together a series of ambitious, large-scale initiatives aimed at engaging audiences and highlighting the UK's creative thinking on a national and international stage. Festival UK* championed collaboration across Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM), creating new opportunities for people to experience creativity in unexpected ways. The programme was developed by leading organisations and renowned individuals working alongside emerging talent and underrepresented voices, ensuring a diverse and inclusive platform for ideas. With a strong focus on research and development, Festival UK* invested in new creative projects and multidisciplinary teams, positioning the initiative as a catalyst for innovation, talent development and public engagement across the UK. ## Services we provided - Google AdWords Management - SEO Advice & Guidance - LinkedIn Ads Management - Keyphrase Research ## How We Helped Odyssey New Media assisted Festival UK* 2022 over a contracted six-week period from September 2020 to October 2020, supporting a targeted awareness campaign aimed at companies and creative teams operating within the STEAM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). The primary objective of this activity was to ensure relevant organisations were aware of the opportunity to apply for Birmingham Commonwealth Games Festival 2022 project funding. To achieve this, we planned, launched and managed highly targeted Google AdWords and LinkedIn Ads campaigns, designed to reach decision-makers, innovators and creative professionals across key industries. These paid media campaigns focused on maximising visibility, driving qualified traffic and delivering clear messaging around the funding opportunity and application process. Through a data-driven approach to keyword research, audience targeting and ad optimisation, we helped Festival UK* significantly increase awareness across priority sectors, supporting strong engagement levels and contributing towards achieving their application volume targets within a short campaign timeframe. ## What were the goals ### Marketing Goals: - Increase Overall Visbility - Increase Paid Search Reach (AdWords) - Increase LinkedIn Awareness and Traffic - Reach Funding Applications Target ### Additional Services & Goals: - Keyphrase Research (AdWords) - User Experience Guidance & Advice - Social Media Guidance & Advice - User Experience Optimisation # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## WheresTheMatch.com URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/wheres-the-match/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # WheresTheMatch.com See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top line results # +28.3% Organic Traffic Increase # +407% Referring Domains Increase # +15.5% Total Target Ranking Terms ## Client Testimonial "Their work so far has successfully improved our Organic Search presence which is vital for our business. The website now holds many top three positions for massive traffic and conversion generating keywords. Their team is not only responsive and easy to get a hold of but they're also experts in their area, which makes them an invaluable partner." **Wes Lewis, Co-Founder of WheresTheMatch.com** ## About WheresTheMatch.com Established in 2007, [WheresTheMatch.com](https://www.wheresthematch.com) has grown from a simple fixture-checking website into one of the UK's most popular sports TV listings platforms. Originally created to help football fans find out when live matches were on TV, it has since evolved into a comprehensive multi-sport destination used daily by millions of sports followers. Today, WheresTheMatch serves over 30 million users each year, covering live broadcast information across more than 35 different sports, including football, rugby, cricket, boxing, F1, tennis, golf, darts and American sports. The platform operates across its website, Android app and iOS app, giving users fast, reliable access to accurate TV listings wherever they are. With a strong focus on usability, speed and depth of coverage, WheresTheMatch has built a reputation as a trusted resource within the sports media space. As the brand continues to grow, its focus remains on expanding coverage, enhancing the user experience and strengthening its position as a leading authority for live sports on TV. ## Services we provided - SEO Management - PPC Management - Content Optimisation - Keyphrase Research - Link Building - Conversion Enhancement ## How We Helped Odyssey New Media have supported WheresTheMatch for many years, delivering high-quality SEO services to drive long-term organic growth. During this time, we have helped significantly improve their search visibility both nationally and, more recently, internationally, supporting expansion into new markets including US, Brazil, Germany and France. Alongside SEO, we have also managed Google AdWords (PPC) activity to generate additional targeted traffic around key sports and high-intent searches, supporting user growth and seasonal demand. We have further provided strategic guidance around organic social media posting and blog expansion, helping WheresTheMatch engage new audiences, strengthen topical authority and support ongoing digital growth. Through this integrated approach across SEO, PPC and content strategy, Odyssey New Media continues to support WheresTheMatch in expanding its reach and digital presence. ## What were the goals ### Marketing Goals: - Increase Organic Search Rankings (SEO) - Increase Organic Search Leads - Increase AdWords Traffic & Performance - Expansion info International Markets ### Additional Services & Goals: - User Experience Guidance & Advice - Social Media Guidance & Advice - User Experience Optimisation - Site Speed Optimisation # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Appoly Group URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/appoly-group/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # Appoly Group See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top line results # +714.4% Total Traffic Increase # +800% Total Conversions Increase # +164 Referring Backlink Domains ## Client Testimonial **James Merrix, CEO of Appoly Group** ## About Appoly Group Appoly Group ([www.appoly.co.uk](https://www.appoly.co.uk))are a mobile & web app development company based in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. With a diverse service offering ranging from design and development to code audits and online hosting, they are able to cater to a wide range of business types and project objectives. We have been working alongside Appoly Group since their early days as a small startup, assisting them as they have grown into a major development agency, expanded overseas through the creation of the Australia branch, and acquired two other leading tech companies - Red C and Supersonic Playground, both of which we also provide marketing services for. Offering industry-leading services with specialist attention to detail, Appoly's future goal is to continue its steady growth offering its expertise across even more parts of the UK. ## Services we provided - SEO Management - PPC Management - Content Optimisation - Keyphrase Research - Link Building - Conversion Enhancement ## How We Helped In our 8+ years of providing digital marketing services for Appoly, we have assisted with multiple aspects of their digial strategy. Our first area of focus was for local location rankings which were bolstered through our content creation efforts and helped Appoly compete for business within neighbouring regions of the West Midlands. We followed up with the creation and management of PPC campaigns targetting mobile app development. This was a branch of the business that they wanted to grow and the implementation of a pay-per-click strategy was effective at generating consistant traffic & covnersions through their website. They have since increased their monthly investment in Google AdWords with our team setting up additional remarketing and display campaigns to further push brand awareness and get their website showing in more placements around the web. Growing the backlink profile of their website was also a major goal for the client. Over the course of multiple years we carried out regular link building activities to source and acquire relevant, high-quality links; this has helped to improve their domain authority and place them in a prime posititon to rank alongside, and in many cases above, some of the leading competitiors in their field. ## What were the goals ### Marketing Goals: - Increase Organic Search Rankings (SEO) - Increase Organic Search Leads - Increase AdWords Traffic & Performance - Improve Inbound Link Profile (Backlinks) ### Additional Services & Goals: - Increase Brand Visibility Across UK & Australia - Enhance Local SEO Ranking positions - Expand rankings to industry sectors - Website UX Improvement # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Hallfield School URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/hallfield-school/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # Hallfield School See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top line results # +100.99% Total Web Traffic # +78.04% Total Conversions # +288.23% Total Ranking Terms ## Client Testimonial "We've used the services of Odyssey New Media for many years with great results. In particular, Rob and Alex have provided us with great expertise and exactly what we need, when we need it. They are always super helpful and make suggestions that we hadn't considered. Nothing is too much trouble for the team, which sets them apart from other companies in their field. We would definitely recommend them!" **Nicky Smith, Marketing and Communications Manager at Hallfield School** ## About Hallfield School Hallfield School ([www.hallfieldschool.co.uk](https://www.hallfieldschool.co.uk)) is a leading co-educational independent day school located in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Educating pupils from the ages of three months all the way to thirteen years old, Hallfield School boasts an excellent academic track record and has an impeccable reputation for preparing children for success. With a long and successful history of over 145+ years, Hallfield's distinguished past is matched by their high ambitions for the future. ## Services we provided - SEO Management - PPC Management - Content Optimisation - Keyphrase Research - Link Building - Conversion Enhancement - Website Design - Website Development - Hosting & Maintenance ## How We Helped Odyssey New Media had been selected to help manage the digital marketing aspect in order to help improve the Hallfield School website traffic, increase their presence online, and ultimately, produce more conversions. We had utilised a wide variety of marketing channels in order to maximise their website traffic, such as SEO, PPC, and social media, with the core focus being on search engine optimisation. Over the years, we've helped develop their website by optimising content and writing new content to help expand their rankings on search engines. We've also managed their Pay Per Click campaigns to help promote the school and the events. ## What were the goals ### Marketing Goals: - Increase Organic Search Rankings (SEO) - Increase Organic Search Leads - Increase AdWords Traffic & Performance - Increase Paid Search Leads ### Additional Services & Goals: - Website Hosting & Maintenance - WordPress Website Development - User Experience Optimisation - Site Speed Optimisation # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Prime Facility Services URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/prime-facility-services/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # Prime Facility Services See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top line results # +1,886% Organic Search Traffic # +533% Organic Search Conversions # +32,600% Total Ranking Terms ## Client Testimonial **Dave Edwards, Cheif Executive Officer of Prime Facility Services** ## About Prime Facility Services Prime Facility Services ([www.primefacilityservices.co.uk](https://www.primefacilityservices.co.uk)) are a Commercial Contract Cleaning Company based in Telford, Shropshire who serve the Midlands. They deliver high-quality commercial cleaning to medium-large companies across the Midlands and parts of the UK. Some of the cleaning services they provide include; office cleaning, industrial cleaning and a range of specialist cleaning services. With over 25+ years of experience in the industry, their expert commercial cleaning team have built long-term relationships with clients across a range of industries. ## Services we provided - SEO Management - PPC Management - Content Optimisation - Keyphrase Research - Link Building - Conversion Enhancement - Website Design - Website Development - Hosting & Maintenance ## How We Helped Prime have been a client for over 10+ years now. They came on board because they wanted to expand their digital presence. Over this time period, we have produced and provided SEO and PPC strategies with effective management of both digital marketing channels carried out. We have also developed their new website in 2025 which has helped them to present their brand more effectively as well as providing technical SEO updates to further enhance the ranking positions of their services and location pages. Our agency professionals are constantly optimising the content on the website to make sure we are ranking for target keywords. In addition, our PPC experts have been managing their Google Ads to make sure they are being found for the appropriate terms and maximising the amount of clicks they get. We currently manage a range of Google Ads campaigns targeting different commercial cleaning services. ## What were the goals ### Marketing Goals: - Increase Organic Search Rankings (SEO) - Increase Organic Search Leads - Increase AdWords Traffic & Performance - Increase Paid Search Leads ### Additional Services & Goals: - Custom Responsive Web Design - WordPress Website Development - User Experience Optimisation - Site Speed Optimisation # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## iMendMacs URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/imendmacs/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # iMendMacs See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top Line Results # +1,115 % Web Traffic Increase # +399% Paid Traffic Increase # +460% Page 1 Rankings ## Client Testimonial "Exemplary at what they do, stunning. So resourceful and dedicated to their tasks. Willing to learn something new to improve their customer's experience. They will push and drive for every single result." **Joe Bromley, Operations Manager of iMendMacs** ## About iMendMacs iMendMacs are a company based in Birmingham who repair and refurbish all types of Apple products. From the latest iPhone to the MacBook Pro devices, their specialist technicians are on hand to provide high-quality, same-day Apple repairs. They also provide a range of refurbished Apple products on offer at an affordable price, allowing you to have the Apple product but not have to pay the expensive price tag of a brand-new one. ## Services we provided - SEO - PPC - Web Development - Hosting & Maintenance ## How We Helped **SEO (Organic Search) Activity** Google was key for their brand awareness and leads. We have implemented an effective SEO strategy improving their digital footprint and increasing their website traffic. For example, the term **'apple repair Birmingham'** is currently at **position 3** on Google Search and they are even on page 2 for more generic UK-wide terms such as **'apple repair' **with page 1 positions due soon. **AdWords (Paid Search) Activity** Once we had started the SEO strategy and started the processes we go through, we turned our attention to managing their Google AdWords and Bing Ads Paid Search Campaigns. They have experienced a good increase in ROAS and have now put all of their budgets solely into Google Ads and they are getting conversions through the website and from phone calls. **Website Hosting & Maintenance** We also host the [iMendMacs](https://www.imendmacs.com/) website, our fast servers ensure that their customers have a seamless experience on the website. We are now hoping to rebuild the website in the future to further boost its digital presence. Since the uplift in traffic and conversions, they now have two offices across Birmingham, providing premium Apple repairs to the people of the West Midlands and the UK. ## What were the goals ### Primary goals: - Improve and increase Organic Search ranking positions (SEO) - Improve and increase AdWords performance (PPC) - Improve overal ROAS from AdWords Spend (PPC) - Increasing overall Website Traffic - Generate more leads and enquiries ### Secondary goals: - Provide Hosting & Maintaince their Website - Improve Site Speed - Increase brand awareness. - Improve Social Media efforts and increase followers. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## SJ Financial Solutions URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/sj-financial-solutions/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # SJ Financial Solutions See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top Line Results # +145.22% Total Web Traffic # +128.57% Total Conversions # +383.87% Increased Rankings ## Client Testimonial "Rob and the team at Odyssey have done an amazing job. They've got our old website converting at a higher rate and have increased our SEO rankings massively. In addition, we commissioned them to build and host a new mobile-friendly website for us which is a massive improvement and very cost effective. I recommend Odyssey New Media to anyone who wants an affordable service with great results." **Stuart Moseley, Director of SJ Financial Solutions** ## About SJ Financial Solutions SJ Financial Solutions ([www.sjfinancialsolutions.co.uk](https://www.sjfinancialsolutions.co.uk)) are a complete mortgage advice and protection specialist in Birmingham, serving the local areas and also many other locations in the Midlands. Boasting over 50 years of combined experience, the mortgage and protection specialists at SJ Financial Solutions provide expert advice and support on a wide range of mortgage products and insurance services. From first-time buyer mortgages and remortgaging, to business protection and life cover, their specialists cover a wide range of services. ## Services we provided - SEO - PPC - Website Design - Web Development ## How We Helped Odyssey New Media have supported SJ Financial Solutions with their digital marketing strategy and website development for many years. Over this period, we helped to significantly increase their SEO rankings, generate more traffic to their website, and improve the level of conversions on their website. Utilising key marketing channels, such as SEO and PPC, we've helped to optimise their onsite and offsite SEO, as well as promote their website through paid campaigns in order to generate more traffic and enquiries. We had also been commissioned to build and host a new website that was mobile-friendly and higher converting than their previous website. As a result of the new website, they saw further improvements in traffic and conversions. ## What were the goals ### Primary goals: - Increasing overall Website Traffic - Improve and increase Organic Search ranking positiosn (SEO) - Generate more leads and enquiries - Improve overal ROAS from AdWords Spend ### Secondary goals: - Design & Develop a New Website - Improve User Experience (UX) - Increase brand awareness. - Improve Social Media efforts and increase followers. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Marval Software URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/marval/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # Marval Software See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top Line Results # +75% Organic Traffic Increase # +66% Total Traffic Increase # 23 Avg. Monthly Leads ## Client Testimonial "The team at Odyssey New Media have always provided us with an excellent service. They have really helped us improve our traffic and leads from SEO, PPC and Social Media channels over the years. In additon they have provided us with expert guidance on new website builds and updates. We would recommend Odyssey New Media to anyone who wants to improve their Digital Marketing efforts." **Greg Pritchett, Managing Director of Marval Software Ltd** ## About Marval Software Established since 1989, Marval Software ([www.marval.co.uk](http://www.marval.co.uk/)) are acknowledged by both the ITSM industry and by its customers as being one of the best and most experienced Solutions Providers for IT Service Management. Marval deliver web-based ITIL® process compliant integrated IT Service Management software. They also provide ITSM consultancy and ITSM education services. ## Services we provided - SEO - PPC - Social Media - Conversion Enhancement - User Experience ## How We Helped Odyssey New Media has assisted Marval Software since 2010. During this time we have helped Marval significantly improve its cross-channel marketing efforts. Odyssey has assisted Marval in improving the following core digital channels: - Search marketing - SEO & PPC (as well as their Social Media). - Analysis and consultancy on website development. - Consultancy on website re-designs and re-development. - Conversion Rate enhancement analysis and recommendations. The ultimate focus was to generate quality leads and enquiries throughout the website. ## What were the goals ### Primary goals: - Improve SEO for improved organic search rankings, traffic & leads. - Improve PPC performance and increase leads from ads. - Improve ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) with a focus on quality leads. - Increase overall online leads. ### Secondary goals: - Improve Social Media efforts and increase followers. - Increase brand awareness. - Improve website usability and conversion rate. - Improve User Experience (UX) # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Knowledge Powered Solutions URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/knowledge-powered-solutions/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # Knowledge Powered Solutions See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top Line Results # +75% Organic Traffic Increase # +66% Total Traffic Increase # 23 Avg. Monthly Leads ## Client Testimonial "We have been working with Odyssey New Media for two years and Rob has helped KPS to develop SEO and PPC plans that have increased traffic to the KPS website and importantly generated additional sales opportunities. Rob is always responsive and is very detailed and thorough and is happy to spend time explaining the logic behind his SEO and PPC approach." **Roger Haddon, Managing Director of Knowledge Powered Solutions Ltd** ## About Knowledge Powered Solutions Knowledge Powered Solutions ([www.kpsol.com](https://www.kpsol.com/)) offer knowledge management software solutions to help business improve customer experience and deliver operational efficiencies. Their solutions can apply to many industry sectors including: help desks, web self service, contact centres and more. ## Services we provided - PPC - SEO - Social Media ## How We Helped Odyssey New Media were asked to work alongside another digital agency in order to help manage Knowledge Powered Solutions' Google AdWords PPC account as well as help out with their SEO efforts, Social Media as well as additional usability analysis and enhancements (UX) . The PPC account had previously been managed badly by an overseas marketing company and performance was very poor so a lot of analysis and refinement has been undertaken in order to get it to work and generate quality leads for KPS. The focus was not for numbers of leads but rather the quality of leads. ## What were the goals ### Primary goals: - Increase SEO & PPC search rankings - Increase Website Traffic - Increased Leads (Lead Generation) - Increase Sales ### Secondary goals: - Increase Brand Awareness - Increase Visibility - Improve User Experience (UX) # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## NutraHealth Plc URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/nutrahealth-plc/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # NutraHealth Plc See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top Line Results # 441 Avg. Monthly Transcations # GBP 4.16 Avg. Cost Per Sale (CPA) # 138.85% Return on Ad Spend ## Client Testimonial "Our experience of working with Odyssey New Media has always been very professional. Rob and the team have provided us with detailed PPC and SEO plans as well as managing key campaigns on our behalf. Always very conscientious and thorough in his approach, we would not hesitate to work with Odyssey New Media again." **Ranjit Blythe, Head of eCommerce and Digital Marketing, NutraHealth Plc** ## About NutraHealth Plc NutraHealth Plc ([www.nutrahealth.co.uk](https://www.nutrahealth.co.uk)) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Elder Pharmaceuticals Ltd, operating as a specialist healthcare business focused on the development, manufacture and supply of high-quality health and wellness products. The company works across both branded and own-label healthcare solutions, supporting a wide range of partners within the pharmaceutical, retail and consumer health sectors. With capabilities spanning product development, regulatory compliance, manufacturing and commercial distribution, NutraHealth provides an end-to-end service for businesses looking to bring effective, compliant healthcare products to market. Their own brand portfolio covers a variety of health categories, while their own-label manufacturing services enable partners to create tailored products aligned to their specific market requirements. ## Services we provided - PPC - SEO - Social Media ## How We Helped Odyssey New Media were known to Nutrahealth Plc from the time our Owner & Managing Director - Rob Stoubos worked for them. After leaving Nutrahealth Plc to run Odyssey New Media full-time, we were asked to continue working on the SEO, PPC and Social Media activity for three core brand websites: - BioCare ([www.biocare.co.uk](http://www.biocare.co.uk/)) - Totally Nourish ([www.totallynourish.com](http://www.totallynourish.com/)) - Patrick Holford ([www.patrickholford.com](http://www.patrickholford.com/)) ## What were the goals ### Primary goals: - Increase Search Rankings - Increase Website Traffic - Increase Conversions - Increase Sales ### Secondary goals: - Increase Brand Awareness - Increase Visibility - Increase Email Subscribers - Increase Social Followers # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Wearable Technology Life URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/wearable-technology-life/ **Date:** 2026-01-19 # Wearable Technology Life See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top Line Results # WordPress Migration Full Migration from previous platform # Web Design A new, modern and fresh website design # Responsive Design Desktop & Mobile device responsive design ## Clients Testimonial "Best practise, responsive and extremely hard working - just some of the words we'd use to describe Odyssey New Media. We have worked with Rob on a number of different digital initiatives. They have proven to be a great partner for our international paid & organic search requirements as well as our web design and conversion rate optimisation needs." **Costas Kariolis,** Owner of **Wearable Technology Life** ## About Wearable Technology Life Est. since 2014, Wearable Technology Life ([www.wearabletechnologylife.com](http://www.wearabletechnologylife.com/)) provide expert reviews, articles and news about the emerging fitness technology. They cover all major devices for fitness, sports and photographic technologies worn on the body. ## Services we provided - Web Design - Web Development - Content Optimisation ## How We Helped Odyssey New Media were asked to help Wearable Technology Life move their website away from their previous platform MoonFruit. This platform was a cheap platform which they'd launched their website on initially. However, they had reached a stage where MoonFruit was proving to be too restrictive on design and also not as favourable with the search engines for SEO. Both for usability, flexibility and SEO Odyssey New Media advised that they migrate their website to a newly designed WordPress website. The result was a great looking, fully-responsive, fast website which appeals more to users as well as search engines. ## What were the goals ### Primary goals: - Custom WordPress Theme Development - Responsive Design - User Experience Optimisation (UX) - CMS User Interface Customisation (UI) ### Secondary goals: - Blog Integration - SEO Optimisation - Site Speed Optimisation - AI Optimisation # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Odyssey New Media Dominates TechBehemoths With Triple Win URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/01/odyssey-new-media-dominates-techbehemoths-with-triple-win/ **Date:** 2026-01-16 **Category:** Odyssey New Media News | **Tags:** award, awards, techbehemoths We at Odyssey New Media are absolutely thrilled to share some incredible news that fills us with immense pride: we've been honoured with not one, not two, but three prestigious awards from TechBehemoths, recognising our expertise in WordPress Development, SEO, and Pay Per Click (PPC) services across the UK! This remarkable achievement isn't just a win for us; it's a powerful validation of our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional digital marketing and development solutions to our valued clients throughout the United Kingdom. ## **What is TechBehemoths?** For those unfamiliar, TechBehemoths is a highly respected global platform that connects businesses with top-tier IT companies and agencies. They meticulously evaluate and rank companies based on a rigorous set of criteria, including client reviews, project portfolios, industry recognition, and overall market presence. To be acknowledged by such a discerning platform is a true testament to the quality and impact of our work. ## **Our Triple Crown: Breaking Down the Wins** Let's dive into what each of these awards means to Odyssey New Media and, more importantly, what it means for our clients. ### **Award 1: Top WordPress Developers in the UK** This award solidifies our position as a leading agency for WordPress development in the UK. WordPress powers over 40% of all websites on the internet, and its versatility makes it an indispensable tool for businesses of all sizes. However, merely having a WordPress site isn't enough; it needs to be expertly designed, developed, optimised, and maintained to truly deliver results. Our team of dedicated WordPress specialists excels in: - **Custom WordPress Development:** Crafting bespoke themes and plugins tailored to unique business needs. - **Responsive Design:** Ensuring seamless user experiences across all devices. - **E-commerce Solutions:** Building robust and secure online stores with WooCommerce. - **Performance Optimisation:** Making sure your site loads quickly and efficiently. - **Ongoing Support & Maintenance:** Providing peace of mind with regular updates and security checks. This award reflects our ability not only to build websites but also to create powerful, scalable, and user-friendly digital platforms that drive business growth for our clients. ### **Award 2: Top SEO Companies in the UK** In the crowded digital landscape, being visible is paramount. Our recognition as a top SEO company in the UK underscores our success in helping businesses climb the search engine rankings and attract their ideal customers. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a complex and ever-evolving field, but our approach is consistently rooted in ethical, effective strategies that deliver long-term results. Our expertise covers: - **Comprehensive Keyword Research:** Identifying the terms your target audience is actually searching for. - **On-Page SEO:** Optimising website content, structure, and technical elements. - **Technical SEO:** Ensuring search engines can crawl and index your site efficiently. - **Off-Page SEO & Link Building:** Building authority and credibility through strategic outreach. - **Local SEO:** Helping local businesses dominate their geographical market. - **Content Strategy:** Creating valuable, engaging content that resonates with users and search engines. This award celebrates our proven track record of increasing organic traffic, improving search visibility, and ultimately driving more qualified leads and sales for our clients. ### **Award 3: Top Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Companies in the UK** While SEO builds long-term organic presence, PPC campaigns offer immediate, targeted visibility and can generate rapid returns. Being named a top PPC company in the UK underscores our expertise in managing highly effective paid advertising strategies across platforms such as Google Ads and Bing Ads. Our PPC specialists are adept at: - **Strategic Campaign Setup:** Designing campaigns with clear objectives and targeting. - **In-depth Keyword Management:** Bidding on the most relevant and profitable keywords. - **Compelling Ad Copywriting:** Crafting ads that capture attention and drive clicks. - **Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO): Maximising** the effectiveness of landing pages to convert clicks into customers. - **Continuous Monitoring & Optimisation:** Adjusting bids, targeting, and ad creatives to ensure maximum ROI. - **Transparent Reporting:** Providing clear, actionable insights into campaign performance. This award acknowledges our ability to meticulously manage budgets, optimise campaigns for maximum return on ad spend (ROAS), and deliver immediate, measurable results for our clients. ## **Why This Matters to Our Clients (And Future Clients!)** These three TechBehemoths awards are more than just accolades; they are a public affirmation of Odyssey New Media's dedication, expertise, and results-driven approach to every project. For our current clients, it reinforces your excellent decision to partner with us. You're working with a recognised leader in the digital space, committed to helping your business thrive. For businesses seeking to enhance their online presence, these awards serve as strong indicators of our capabilities. When you choose Odyssey New Media, you're choosing a team that is: - **Proven:** Independently recognised for excellence. - **Expert:** Deeply knowledgeable in critical digital marketing disciplines. - **Results-Oriented:** Focused on delivering tangible, measurable growth for your business. - **Client-Centric:** Dedicated to understanding your unique needs and exceeding expectations. ## **Thank You!** We extend our sincerest gratitude to our incredible team, whose hard work, innovation, and commitment make achievements like this possible. We also want to thank our fantastic clients, who trust us with their digital ambitions and inspire us to continuously raise the bar. This triple win from TechBehemoths fuels our passion even further. We look forward to continuing to provide award-winning WordPress, SEO, and PPC services that empower businesses across the UK to achieve their digital goals. ### **Ready to partner with an award-winning agency?** Contact Odyssey New Media today to discuss how we can help your business achieve its next level of digital success! Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), or alternatively, fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Sitemap URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/sitemap/ **Date:** 2026-01-15 # Sitemap ## Pages - [About Us](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/about-us/) [Accreditations & Awards](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/about-us/accreditations-awards/) - [Careers](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/about-us/careers/) - [The Team](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/about-us/the-team/) - [Banner Design](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/banner-design/) - [Bing Advertising](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/bing-advertising/) - [Blog](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/blog/) - [Branding](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/branding/) - [Case Studies](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-studies/) - [Contact Us](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) - [Cookie Policy](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/cookie-policy/) - [Copyright Notice](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/copyright-notice/) - [Display Advertising](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/display-advertising/) - [eCommerce SEO](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ecommerce-seo/) - [eCommerce Web Design](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ecommerce-web-design/) - [eCommerce Web Development](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ecommerce-web-development/) - [Elementor Web Design](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/elementor-web-design/) - [Header Tag Checker](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/h-tag-checker/) - [Home](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/) - [Internal & External Links Checker](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/backlink-checker/) - [IP Checker Tool](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ip-checker-tool/) - [Keyphrase Density Analyser](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/keyphrase-density-analyser/) - [Keyword Concatenation](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ppc-tool/) - [Landing Page Design](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/landing-page-design/) - [Link Building](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/link-building/) - [Link Detox](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/link-detox/) - [Local SEO](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/local-seo/) - [Marketing Tools](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/tools/) - [Mobile App Development](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/mobile-app-development/) - [Mobile Website Design](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/mobile-website-design/) - [PPC](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ppc/) - [PPC Management](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ppc-management/) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/privacy-policy/) - [Product Listing Ads](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/product-listing-ads/) - [Redirect Checker](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/redirect-checker/) - [Remarketing](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/remarketing/) - [SEO](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/seo/) - [SEO Analysis](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/seo-analysis/) - [SEO Consultancy](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/seo-consultancy/) - [SEO Management](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/seo-management/) - [Server Signature Checker](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/server-signature-checker/) - [Shopify Web Design](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/shopify-web-design/) - [Sitemap](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/sitemap/) - [Small Business SEO](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/small-business-seo/) - [Social Media](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media/) - [Social Media Advertising](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-advertising/) - [Social Media Consultancy](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-consultancy/) - [Social Media Management](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-management/) - [Social Media Setup](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-setup/) - [Terms & Conditions](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/terms-and-conditions/) - [Website Design](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/website-design/) - [WhoIs Domain Checker](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/whois-checker/) - [WordPress Web Design](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/wordpress-web-design/) ## Posts by category - **Category: [Advertising](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/category/advertising/)** [How to Get Your eCommerce Business Black Friday Ready](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/10/how-to-get-your-ecommerce-business-black-friday-ready/) - [Is Your Website Costing You Customers? 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[The Importance Of Keyword Research](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/12/the-importance-of-keyword-research/) - [Why are Images Important to Google?](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/11/why-are-images-important-to-google/) - [What is Generational Marketing and How it Can Help Your SEO Strategy](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/11/what-is-generational-marketing-and-how-it-can-help-your-seo-strategy/) - [Answering The 5 Most Popular SEO Queries](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/10/answering-the-5-most-popular-seo-queries/) - [The Biggest SEO Obstacles](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/10/the-biggest-seo-obstacles/) - [How Can Analytics be Used to Improve Businesses?](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/09/how-can-analytics-be-used-to-improve-businesses/) - [Google Helpful Content Algorithm Update - What It Could Mean for Your Website](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/08/google-helpful-content-algorithm-update-what-it-could-mean-for-your-website/) - [How Many Pages Should My Website Have?](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/08/how-many-pages-should-my-website-have/) - [ALT Text and their Importance](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/08/alt-texts-and-their-importance/) - [The Changes in Digital Marketing Over the Last 10 Years](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/07/the-changes-in-digital-marketing-over-the-last-10-years/) - [Why is My Website Underperforming?](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/07/why-is-my-website-underperforming/) - [The Impact of Images on SEO](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/07/the-impact-of-images-on-seo/) - [5 Reasons Why SEO is a Good Investment](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/06/5-reasons-why-seo-is-a-good-investment/) - [Spotting and Avoiding Blackhat SEO](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/06/spotting-and-avoiding-blackhat-seo/) - [5 Biggest SEO Myths](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/04/5-biggest-seo-myths/) - [Does SEO Work the Same Way in Different Languages?](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/02/does-seo-work-the-same-way-in-different-languages/) - [5 Ways to Improve SEO for Your Business This Christmas](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/12/5-ways-to-improve-seo-for-your-business-this-christmas/) - [The Importance of Link Building](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/12/the-importance-of-link-building/) - [How to Optimise Your Meta Description in 2021](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/11/how-to-optimise-your-meta-description-in-2021/) - [Core Web Vitals, What Are They?](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/09/core-web-vitals-what-are-they/) - [How Do You Optimise YouTube SEO For Top Google Rankings?](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/02/how-do-you-optimise-youtube-seo-for-top-google-rankings/) - [Odyssey New Media Named in Top 3 Marketing Agencies in Birmingham](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/02/odyssey-new-media-named-in-top-3-marketing-agencies-in-birmingham/) - [Odyssey New Media Named Top SEO Company on Clutch](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/01/odyssey-new-media-named-top-seo-company-on-clutch/) - [5 Google Ranking Factors you shouldn't overlook in 2016](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/08/5-google-ranking-factors-you-shouldnt-overlook-in-2016/) - [How SSL Certificates and Dedicated IP Addresses Affect SEO](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/07/how-ssl-certificates-and-dedicated-ip-addresses-affect-seo/) - 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[3 Ways to Improve the Navigation of Your Website](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/12/3-ways-to-improve-the-navigation-of-your-website/) - [Getting Your Website Ready for Father's Day](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/06/getting-your-website-ready-for-fathers-day/) - **Category: [Web Usability](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/category/web-usability/)** [How Website Speed Impacts SEO, Rankings, and Conversions](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/06/how-website-speed-impacts-seo-rankings-and-conversions/) - [Getting Your Website Ready for Black Friday & Cyber Monday](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/11/getting-your-website-ready-for-black-friday-cyber-monday/) ## Case Studies - [Scruffy Dog Creative](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/scruffy-dog-creative-group/) - [Arcade Mania](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/arcade-mania/) - [AG Budget](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/ag-budget/) - [Mint Technology](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/mint-technology/) - [Festival UK* 2020](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/festival-uk-2020/) - [WheresTheMatch.com](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/wheres-the-match/) - [Appoly Group](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/appoly-group/) - [Hallfield School](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/hallfield-school/) - [Prime Facility Services](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/prime-facility-services/) - [iMendMacs](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/imendmacs/) - [SJ Financial Solutions](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/sj-financial-solutions/) - [Marval Software](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/marval/) - [Knowledge Powered Solutions](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/knowledge-powered-solutions/) - [NutraHealth Plc](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/nutrahealth-plc/) - [Wearable Technology Life](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/wearable-technology-life/) - [The Midcounties Co-operative Travel](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/the-midcounties-co-operative-travel/) ## Structured Data - [Branding (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-28/) - [SEO Consultancy (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/seo-consultancy-service-schema/) - [Shopify Web Design (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-27/) - [Banner Design (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-26/) - [Landing Page Design (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-25/) - [Service](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-24/) - [eCommerce Website Design (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-23/) - [Mobile App Development (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-22/) - [Elementor Web Design (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-21/) - [Mobile Website Design (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-20/) - [WordPress Web Design (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-19/) - [Website Design (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-18/) - [Bing PPC Advertising (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-17/) - [Product Listing Ads (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-16/) - [Display Advertising (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-15/) - [Remarketing (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-14/) - [PPC Management (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-13/) - [Social Media Setup (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-12/) - [Social Media Advertising (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-11/) - [Social Media Consultancy (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-10/) - [Social Media Management (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-9/) - [Local SEO (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-8/) - [Link Detox (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-7/) - [Link Building (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-6/) - [SEO Analysis (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-5/) - [Small Business SEO (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-4/) - [SEO Management (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-3/) - [eCommerce SEO (Service Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/service-2/) - [Case Studies (Article Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/article/) - [Blog Articles (BlogPosting Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/blogposting/) - [Sitewide (Organization Schema)](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/saswp/organization/) ## Case Study Categories - [Conversion Enhancement](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study-category/conversion-enhancement-case-study-archive/) - [Hosting & Maintenance](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study-category/hosting-and-maintenance-case-study-archive/) - [PPC](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study-category/ppc-case-study-archive/) - [SEO](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study-category/seo-case-study-archive/) - [Social Media](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study-category/social-media-case-study-archive/) - [UX](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study-category/user-experience-case-study-archive/) - [Web Design](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study-category/web-design-case-study-archive/) - [Web Development](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study-category/web-development-case-study-archive/) --- ## Copyright Notice URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/copyright-notice/ **Date:** 2026-01-15 # Copyright Notice The content and entire website is copyright of Odyssey New Media® Limited. All rights reserved; any redistribution and/or reproduction of any of the contents of this website in any form are prohibited. It is absolutely prohibited to reproduce or redistribute the content, images, pages or items on this website without written permission from Odyssey New Media Limited. No content or website pages can be transmitted, redistributed or republished on any other website or electronic retrieval system. **The only exceptions which are except from prohibition include:** - The download or print of content, images and pages to a local storage hard drive for personal, non-commercial use. - This website must also be cited as the original source of any content or material when distributed to third parties, for their non-commercial and/or personal use. - Specific pages, documents or excerpts of articles/blog posts on this website may be cited and linked to. ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Privacy Policy URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/privacy-policy/ **Date:** 2026-01-15 # Privacy Policy ## Odyssey New Media's Privacy Policy Odyssey New Media Limited always prioritise the protection of user privacy whenever they are visiting our website or in communication with us. To ensure this, we have security measures in place to prevent unauthorised access or release for your information. This online Privacy Policy explains what personal data (if any) we may gather from you and other website visitors. We reserve the right to change or update our Privacy Policy at any time. We encourage you to review our Privacy Policy whenever possible to understand any updates that may have been made and to ensure you are satisfied with our Privacy Policy. For the purposes of the Data Protection Act of 1998, our nominated Data Controller is Robert Stoubos (Founder & Managing Director of Odyssey New Media Limited). ## 1. What Data & Information we collect This outlines the data we may need to collect to ensure correct operation of our website for you: **1.1 - **Information on your visits to the odysseynewmedia.com website as well as any resources used such as weblogs, communication data, traffic data and location data. Data collected is not limited to those specified and other additional data may be included. **1.2 - **Forms completed on our website allow us to collect information about you regarding enquiries, registrations and/or purchases made. **1.3 - **All data from communications between us may be collected for any reason. ## 2. How we use your Data & Information **2.1 - **Data we collect may be used to provide and offer you information you have queries on our website in direct relation to our products or services. If consent has been given we may also send you information on services or products we feel may be of interest to you. **2.2 - **Information and data collected may be used to enable us to offer and improve our services to you. **2.3 - **We may use your data and information to make changes to our website and to explain them. These include service, product or structural changes. **2.4 - **Existing customer contact details may be used to contact them about products and services that were related to an earlier sale. **2.5 - **Data may be used by us or third parties to give you further information about unrelated products and services which may be of interest to you. Consent must be given. **2.6 - **We may use your information in order to fulfil your request and any commitments we have made to you. **2.7 - **Your privacy is very important to us. We will not share any data or information to reveal your identity to advertisers. However, we may provide other advertisers with statistical and aggregated data about our website visitors. **2.8 - **If you have not given consent for our website or a third party to communicate with you then you can have the choice to decline our communication. If your consent is not given then we will not allow your information to be stored or used by third parties. **2.9 - **If consent is given to us for communication then if you are a new customer then you might be contacted by us or third parties. ## 3. How we use Cookies on our website **3.1 - **We value all our website user's privacy. Any information which is collected won't identify who you are but can be used to provide statistics and aggregated data to profile our website users and how they use our website. No sensitive information will be collected. **3.2 - **Website cookies may be used to gather generic data. When using the OdysseyNewMedia.com website, cookies will be stored on your computer automatically without any prompting. Cookies are stored to your local hard drive. Cookie information that has been stored enables us to improve our website and our services to you. **3.3. - **In order to improve our website and services we may collect information relating to your computer and browser. This information is used only for statistical analysis on our website visitors for us and our advertisers. **3.4. - **If you do not want to accept the use of cookies you can block cookies via your browser. This is done by activating the relevant browser settings on your local computer and browser. Please read our Cookie Usage policy information below which provides instructions on how to disable cookies on various web browsers. You should be aware that if you disable cookies, your user experience on our website could be affected. **3.5 - **Our tracking and advertiser cookies cannot be controlled. If you click on any advertisements or visit pages on this website, then cookies will be applied. ## 4. Storage of Personal Data **4.1 - **We treat all personal data with the highest regard and apply the highest security measures possible. Data users provide us with is stored on secure servers and any transaction information is safely encrypted. **4.2 - **We can't totally guarantee the safety of the transmission of personal data over the internet. Whenever transmission occurs 100% security can never be guaranteed. All information provided to us is to be sent at your own risk and discretion. **4.3 - **When processing and storing your data we may transfer data for locations outside of the EEA (European Economic Area). Processing of this information may be done by a company who is employed by us, a supplier or by workers who are operating outside of the EEA. Your order could be processed and concluded through payment details or support services. When processing an order, or payment you have agreed to this form of information and process. Whenever you provide your personal data for storage or processing you have agreed to its transfer. We will always strive to ensure that all security measures and the security of your data is upheld during data transfer within the agreement outlined within this privacy policy. ## 5. Sharing of your Data & Information **5.1 - **Your personal data and information may be shared with any team member if required. Included are companies or subsidiaries we partner or may work with. **5.2 - **If parts of our business are sold then personal data and information may be shared with third parties. **5.3 - **Your personal data or information may be shared with other third parties. **5.4 - **We may need to share your data and information to increase the protection against fraud or to minimise credit risk. ## 6. Third Party Website Links Our Privacy Policy does not cover third party links to other websites from our website. If you wish to find out more information we advise that you review the third party website's privacy policy. We accept no responsibility or liability for third party websites. ## 7. Access to Information Under the Data Protection Act 1998 you have the right to request access to any information that we may have collected or stored about you. If you require access to any of this information, please contact us at: Office No. 0009, The Old Bus Garage, Harborne Lane, Selly Oak, Birmingham, West Midlands, B29 6SN. Our team of experts are always ready to help answer your questions. ## 8. How to Contact Us If you require any data and information we've stored or have any queries relating to our Privacy Policy, please don't hesitate to contact us at: Office No. 0009, The Old Bus Garage, Harborne Lane, Selly Oak, Birmingham, West Midlands, B29 6SN. Our team of experts are always ready to help answer your questions. --- ## Terms & Conditions URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/terms-and-conditions/ **Date:** 2026-01-15 # Terms & Conditions In order to continue to use our website, all users must agree to fully comply with the following terms and conditions of use. Together with our [privacy policy](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/privacy-policy/) these dictate Odyssey New Media's relationship with you and any use/interaction on the odysseynewmedia.com website. The brand 'Odyssey New Media', use of the words 'us' and 'we' refers to the owners of this website who's registered office Odyssey New Media Limited, Office No.0007, The Old Bus Garage, Harborne Lane, Selly Oak, Birmingham, West Midlands, B29 6SN. Odyssey New Media's company registration number is 07297050. The terms 'you', yours', 'you're', 'user', 'users' are made in reference to the users of the website. **Use of the Odyssey New Media website is subject to the following terms and conditions of use:** - Odyssey New Media nor any third parties can provide a guarantee for the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, performance of the information and materials offered on the Odyssey New website. - By using the website users accept that the information may contain errors and inaccuracies. Odyssey New Media are excluded from any liability for all errors and inaccuracies to the maximum permitted extent by law. - The content of the pages on the Odyssey New Media website are only for informational purposes and us - All content on the website can be changed by Odyssey New Media at any time without any required notic - Any information or materials used on this website by you the user is entirely at your own discretion and risk. Odyssey New Media will not be liable for any issues arising from any materials or information taken from our website. - If is the website user's responsibility to ensure that any information, downloads, materials or services taken from the Odyssey New Media website meet your requirements. - By using any strategies, advice, tips and information that we have written about, you the user, Odyssey New Media are indemnified and held faultless to any subsequent detrimental results or events that might occur with your digital marketing, website or search engine rankings. - Odyssey New Media advise that due to the changing nature of search engine algorithms, features and results presentation, website standards, the information provided on this website may become out-dated and/or inaccurate. - At the initial time of writing and posting, any information provided on the Odyssey New Media website is deemed to be accurate and informational to the best of the Odyssey New Media team's knowledge. We discourage all users to only rely on our website as their only source of information and to cross-reference our information with that on other websites, blogs, whitepapers, books and journals. - The Odyssey New Media website contains material which is owned or licensed to Odyssey New Media. The material can include content, design, appearance, plugins, layout and graphical items. We prohibit reproduction unless it is in accordance with out copyright notification which is included with these website Terms and Conditions. - Use of the website, its content or materials without authorisation may result in a claim from Odyssey New Media for damages and may count as a criminal offence. - Within written content or standalone content, the website may include hyperlinks to external websites. Any external links provided by Odyssey New Media are intended to provide relevant citations to other websites and/or information contained on external websites. The use of external hyperlinks does not explicitly mean that Odyssey New Media approve or recommend the websites in question. - Odyssey New Media accept no liability to the nature of content on other websites which are linked to externally. - Odyssey New Media accept no responsibility or liability for any phishing, hacking or viruses obtained by external websites linked to from our website. - User's use of the Odyssey New Media website and any dispute which may arise from the use of the website is subject to the laws of England, Scotland and Wales. --- ## The Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP): How Google Is Building The Future Of AI-Powered Shopping URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/01/the-universal-commerce-protocol-ucp-how-google-is-building-the-future-of-ai-powered-shopping/ **Date:** 2026-01-13 **Category:** Artificial Intelligence, Google | **Tags:** ai shopping, ucp, universal commerce protocol The ecommerce industry is on the edge of a major structural shift. Just this week, Google has announced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a new open standard designed to allow AI agents to discover products, interact with merchants, and complete purchases on a user's behalf. Rather than simply helping users search for products, AI systems are now being positioned to actively participate in transactions. This emerging model, often referred to as agentic commerce, could fundamentally change how people shop online and how merchants acquire customers. This article explores what the Universal Commerce Protocol is, why Google is introducing it, how major platforms are responding, and what it means for ecommerce, SEO, and digital strategy moving forward. ## **What is Agentic Commerce?** Agentic commerce describes a new type of shopping experience where AI agents do more than answer questions or recommend products. Instead, they are capable of performing real commercial actions. An AI agent might search across multiple stores, compare options, confirm availability, apply discounts, complete checkout, and handle payment, all based on a user's goals, preferences, and permissions. In this model, the interface is no longer a traditional website or product listing. The interface becomes a conversation, and the transaction becomes a background process managed by software. The Universal Commerce Protocol exists to make this possible at scale. ## **What is the Universal Commerce Protocol?** The Universal Commerce Protocol is an open, standardised framework for how AI systems and commerce platforms communicate. Its purpose is to give AI agents a consistent way to: • Discover what a merchant can offer • Understand how to build a cart and initiate checkout • Interact with pricing, inventory, shipping, and promotions • Execute secure, permission-based payments • Manage order confirmation and post-purchase actions Instead of every AI system needing a custom integration with every ecommerce platform, UCP creates a shared language that any compliant system can use. In practical terms, this means a single merchant integration could allow that store to transact with multiple AI platforms, assistants, and agent-based services. ## **Why Google Is Pushing UCP** Google's search and AI products are increasingly shifting from information engines to action engines. People already use Google to decide what to buy. The next step is enabling them to complete purchases directly inside AI experiences, such as AI-powered search results or conversational assistants. The problem Google faces is fragmentation. Ecommerce systems, payment providers, and store platforms all work differently. Without a universal protocol, AI agents cannot reliably or securely complete transactions. UCP is Google's attempt to solve that problem at an infrastructure level, similar to how web standards enabled the modern internet. Rather than owning commerce itself, Google is positioning UCP as a neutral layer that connects merchants, platforms, and AI systems without removing merchant control. ## **How UCP Works at a High Level** UCP is built around the idea of exposed commerce capabilities. Merchants and platforms publish structured descriptions of what they support. This can include product discovery, cart creation, checkout processes, payment methods, subscriptions, discounts, or loyalty programs. AI agents can then dynamically interact with these capabilities. Instead of scraping websites or relying on brittle automations, agents follow defined interfaces that are designed specifically for commerce. This makes it possible for an AI assistant to move from "helping someone choose a product" to "executing a compliant purchase flow" without redirecting users across multiple sites and forms. Security, consent, and merchant authority remain central. Merchants continue to control pricing, checkout logic, order fulfillment, and customer relationships. The AI agent acts as an orchestrator, not a reseller. ## **Where Google Plans to Use It** Google has confirmed that UCP will be implemented across its AI experiences, including AI-powered search and the Gemini ecosystem. This means users may be able to research, decide, and buy without leaving a conversational interface. Instead of being sent to a product page, an AI system could confirm details and complete the transaction directly. For Google, this keeps users inside its ecosystem longer. For merchants, it opens a new acquisition channel where the "visitor" is an AI agent acting on behalf of a consumer. ## **How Major Commerce Platforms Are Responding** One of the most important aspects of UCP is that Google is not building it alone. Shopify has positioned itself as a major partner in agentic commerce. Its vision is to allow merchants to expose their products, pricing, and checkout logic to AI agents without rebuilding their stores. Shopify is developing what it calls agentic storefronts, allowing brands to transact across AI platforms while managing everything from their existing backend systems. WooCommerce and the wider WordPress ecosystem are also moving in the same direction. Integrations are emerging that will allow independent merchants to participate in agent-driven commerce without leaving open-source platforms behind. This signals something important: UCP is not being treated as an experimental feature. It is being treated as future commerce infrastructure. ## **What This Means for Merchants** For merchants, UCP introduces both opportunity and disruption. On the opportunity side, it opens new discovery surfaces. Products will not only be found through traditional search and ads, but also through AI agents that actively seek out the best option for a user's needs. It also has the potential to reduce friction dramatically. Fewer pages, fewer forms, and fewer drop-offs could lead to higher conversion rates. At the same time, it forces a shift in thinking. Merchants will increasingly need to optimize not just for human shoppers, but for machine shoppers. This means: • Cleaner product data • More explicit pricing and inventory signals • Standardized commerce capabilities • Clear policies, shipping logic, and service definitions Stores that are technically well-structured will be easier for AI agents to understand, recommend, and transact with. ## **Implications For SEO and Digital Strategy** The rise of agentic commerce changes what "visibility" means. If AI agents are making decisions, ranking products, and executing purchases, then being "findable" is no longer only about ranking blue links. It becomes about being the most machine-readable, reliable, and actionable option. Traditional SEO focuses on pages. Agentic commerce focuses on capabilities. This may push SEO and ecommerce strategy closer together than ever. Structured data, product feeds, API accessibility, and trust signals will likely play a much larger role in performance. Merchants may start competing not just for rankings, but for selection by AI decision systems. ## **What This Means for Consumers** For consumers, the appeal is simplicity. Instead of navigating dozens of tabs, users can delegate the process to AI. They can set constraints, budgets, and preferences, and allow agents to handle the rest. This could reduce friction, save time, and create more personalized shopping experiences. At the same time, it raises new questions around transparency, trust, and control. Who decides which products an agent sees first? How are recommendations influenced? How visible are alternatives? These questions will shape how agentic commerce evolves and how regulation and consumer expectations develop alongside it. ## **Looking Ahead** The Universal Commerce Protocol is not just a product update. It is an attempt to redefine how digital commerce works in an AI-first world. If adoption grows, UCP could become to online shopping what HTTPS is to the web: invisible infrastructure that quietly powers nearly everything. For ecommerce brands, marketers, SEOs, and platform owners, this is not something to watch from the sidelines. It is a signal that commerce is shifting away from pages and toward systems. The businesses that adapt early, structuring their stores not just for customers but for intelligent agents, will be best positioned as AI becomes an active participant in the buying process. ### **Contact Our Experts in AI Commerce and Search Strategy** Speak to our team of digital marketing and ecommerce specialists to discover how emerging technologies like Google's Universal Commerce Protocol and AI-driven shopping experiences could impact your online visibility, traffic, and sales. We help businesses adapt their SEO, ecommerce, and digital strategy for the next generation of search and commerce, ensuring you stay competitive as AI agents become a new route to market. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), or alternatively, fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Introducing Odyssey LLMS: The Complete AI Control Panel for WordPress URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/12/introducing-odyssey-llms-the-complete-ai-control-panel-for-wordpress/ **Date:** 2025-12-04 **Category:** Artificial Intelligence, Development | **Tags:** llms, odyssey llms **We are thrilled to announce that Odyssey LLMS is now live on the WordPress Plugin Repository!** As the web evolves, so does the way users find information. We are witnessing a paradigm shift from traditional search engines to AI-driven answers. To ensure your WordPress website remains visible and relevant in this new era, we built **Odyssey LLMS**, the definitive tool for Artificial Intelligence Optimisation (AIO). ## **The New Frontier: Why llms.txt Matters** For decades, we've optimised our websites for humans (HTML/CSS) and for search engine crawlers (XML Sitemaps, Schema). But today, a new type of visitor is browsing your site: AI Agents. Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity don't "read" websites the way humans do. They consume raw text. When an AI visits a standard webpage, it has to wade through navigation menus, sidebars, pop-ups, and footer links just to find the actual content. This "noise" wastes computing resources (tokens) and increases the risk of the AI hallucinating or missing your key information entirely. **Enter the llms.txt standard.** Think of llms.txt as a "Sitemap for AI." It is a standardised file that sits in your website's root directory, providing AI agents with a clean, prioritised list of your most important content. It tells them exactly what to read and, more importantly, what to ignore. ## **Why We Built Odyssey LLMS** At Odyssey New Media, we realised that while the llms.txt standard is powerful, creating and managing one manually is a technical headache. You have to curate URLs, format them correctly, and keep the file updated every time you publish a new post. We believed that every WordPress site owner deserves control over their AI presence, without needing to write a single line of code. We built Odyssey LLMS to be the bridge between your content and the AI revolution. It's not just a file generator; it's a complete control panel that empowers you to define how AI interacts with your brand. ## **Key Features** Odyssey LLMS is designed for both beginners who want a "set it and forget it" solution, and power users who demand granular control. **1. Instant llms.txt Generation** Simply activate the plugin, and your llms.txt file is live. We automatically scan your published posts and pages to build a compliant file. No configuration needed. **2. RAG-Ready Markdown (llms-full.txt)** This is a game-changer for Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). Instead of just giving AI a list of links, Odyssey LLMS can generate a secondary file, llms-full.txt, which converts your entire website's content into clean, lightweight Markdown. - **Benefit:** AI agents can ingest your actual content immediately without visiting multiple pages, ensuring they have the most accurate context to answer user queries about your business. **3. AI Analytics Dashboard** You can't manage what you can't measure. Odyssey LLMS includes a built-in **AI Analytics** dashboard. - **Track Bot Traffic:** See exactly which AI models are visiting your site. Are you getting more attention from GPTBot, Claude, or Google Gemini? - **Visualise Trends:** View traffic over the last 30 days with beautiful, interactive charts. **4. Content Cleaning & Intelligence** Your website likely has elements that are useful for humans but useless for AI, like "Related Posts" widgets, comment sections, or "Buy Now" buttons. - **CSS Selectors:** Our "Content Cleaning" feature allows you to strip out these elements from your AI files using simple CSS selectors (e.g., .sidebar, #comments). This ensures the AI trains only on your high-quality content. **5. Fine-Tuning Datasets (llms.jsonl)** For developers and data scientists, we include a **JSONL Generator**. This automatically formats your content into "prompt-completion" pairs, creating a ready-to-use dataset for fine-tuning custom models (like Llama 3 or GPT-4) on your specific data. **6. Granular Access Control** Security is paramount. Odyssey LLMS gives you full control over _who_ gets access. - **Block by Default:** You can choose to block all AI bots by default and only "whitelist" the ones you trust. - **Bot-Specific Rules:** Set specific Allow or Disallow rules for individual crawlers. ### **Get Started Today** The AI era isn't coming; it's here. Ensuring your content is accessible and optimised for Large Language Models is no longer optional, it's a competitive necessity. **Download Odyssey LLMS today from the WordPress Plugin Repository and take control of your AI future.** [Download Odyssey LLMS](https://wordpress.org/plugins/odyssey-llms/) --- ## Case Studies URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-studies/ **Date:** 2025-12-02 # Case Studies Explore our client success stories [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) Whether it's SEO, PPC, social media management, or web design, our case studies cover a broad spectrum. See how we've made a difference for businesses below. All Conversion Enhancement Hosting & Maintenance PPC SEO Social Media UX Web Design Web Development All Conversion Enhancement Hosting & Maintenance PPC SEO Social Media UX Web Design Web Development +320% Page 1 Rankings [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/scruffy-dog-creative-group/) +890% Total Conversions Increase [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/arcade-mania/) +890% Total Conversions Increase [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/ag-budget/) +169% Organic Search Traffic [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/mint-technology/) +378,362 Impressions [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/festival-uk-2020/) +533% Organic Search Conversions [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/wheres-the-match/) +800% Total Conversions Increase [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/appoly-group/) +533% Organic Search Conversions [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/hallfield-school/) +533% Organic Search Conversions [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/prime-facility-services/) +460% Page 1 Rankings [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/imendmacs/) +128.57% Conversions Increase [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/sj-financial-solutions/) +119.27% Organic Leads Increase [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/marval/) +75% Organic Traffic Increase [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/knowledge-powered-solutions/) +138.85% Return on Ad Spend [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/nutrahealth-plc/) Web Design Responsive Web Design [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/wearable-technology-life/) +90.57% Total traffic increase [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/the-midcounties-co-operative-travel/) # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## The Midcounties Co-operative Travel URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-study/the-midcounties-co-operative-travel/ **Date:** 2025-12-02 # The Midcounties Co-operative Travel See how we helped our client to succeed [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Top line results # +90.57% Total Traffic Increase # +300% Organic Search Transactions # +559% Organic Search Revenue ## Client Testimonial "Odyssey New Media are a knowledgeable enthusiastic company that go that extra mile to get excellent results. We would recommend them to anyone looking to develop and deliver an online strategy." **Stephen Mills, Managing Director of The Midcounties Co-operative** ## About The Midcounties Co-operative Travel The Midcounties Co-operative is the largest independent co-operative in the UK, with gross sales exceeding GBP 738 million. Operating across a wide geographical area that includes the West Midlands, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire, the group supports millions of members through a diverse portfolio of consumer and business services. Their Co-operative Travel division is a well-established and trusted name on the UK high street, providing customers with expert advice and access to a wide range of holiday providers, destinations and travel services. With a strong focus on ethical trading, community investment and member value, The Midcounties Co-operative has built a reputation for combining commercial success with social responsibility. As a large multi-sector organisation, The Midcounties Co-operative continues to invest in innovation, digital transformation and customer experience to strengthen its market position and better serve both members and customers. Their ongoing growth strategy is focused on expanding their reach, enhancing their service offering and ensuring their co-operative values remain at the heart of everything they do. ## How We Helped Odyssey New Media were asked to help Co-operative Travel ([www.cooptravel.co.uk](https://www.cooptravel.co.uk/)) improve their SEO efforts in order to maximise their organic search presence. A large part of our optimisation efforts involved completely re-writing and expanding their content. In addition, we have been involved in elements of Social Media, Online PR, usability analysis and enhancement. The focus was to increase organic search traffic and online sales from organic search. ## What were the goals ### Primary goals: - Increase Organic Search Rankings (SEO) - Increase Organic Search Traffic (SEO) - Increase Organic Search Orders (SEO) - Increase Online Awareness ### Secondary goals: - Increase Brand Awareness - Increase Social Media Followers & Visibility - Improve Social Media Content Strategy - Compilation of Useful Reports ## Services we provided - SEO - Keyphrase Research - Content Development - Content Optimisation - Link building - Conversion Enhancement # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Shopify Web Design URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/shopify-web-design/ **Date:** 2025-11-12 # Shopify Web Design [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Engage Customers & Boost Sales with a Shopify Website In the competitive world of e-commerce, first impressions matter. That's why having a visually appealing and user-friendly Shopify store is crucial for attracting and retaining customers. Our Shopify web design service is dedicated to transforming your online store into an engaging and effective sales platform. Whether you're launching a new shop or redesigning an existing one, our team of experienced designers and developers work closely with you to create a seamless shopping experience that encompasses both functionality and aesthetics. Let us help you craft a digital space that truly reflects your brand and converts visitors into loyal customers. ## Our Shopify Web Design Services Include - Custom Theme Development - Responsive Design - User Experience Optimisation - SEO Integration - Brand Identity - Product Page Design - Website Maintenance & Updates - Training & Support - Plus many other web design services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? With 30+ years of experience in the industry, our team of dedicated designers and developers brings a wealth of knowledge and creativity to each project. We take the time to understand your brand, audience, and business goals to create a highly personalised online shopping experience. ### Custom Shopify design Our team of experienced designers ensures that each Shopify website is as unique as your brand. We collaborate closely with you to understand your vision, goals, and brand identity, allowing us to create a bespoke design that resonates with your target audience. ### Seamless user experience A great ecommerce store is more than just aesthetics; it's about providing a smooth shopping experience. Our Shopify website designs focus on intuitive navigation, fast loading times, and mobile optimisation, ensuring that your customers can effortlessly browse and purchase, no matter the device. ### Scalable eCommerce We understand that growth is a key component of your business plan. That's why our Shopify website designs are built with scalability in mind, allowing you to easily expand your store's capabilities as your business evolves. ## Our Shopify Development Process In the competitive e-commerce landscape, having a visually appealing and user-friendly Shopify store is essential. A well-designed site not only captures attention but also transforms visits into sales. Our design experts specialise in creating custom Shopify stores that reflect your brand and meet your specific goals. While eye-catching design is our focus, we also incorporate SEO-friendly elements to ensure your store ranks well on search engines. Let us help you create a powerful online presence that draws in potential customers and increases your revenue with our comprehensive Shopify web design services. ### The Process: Initial Consultation We begin by understanding your business, objectives, and competitors to inform our design approach. Design Phase Our expert designers will create a visually compelling and functional design tailored to your needs. Web Development We rigorously test your site for performance and usability before launching to ensure a flawless customer experience. Maintenance & Support Post-launch, we offer continuous support and updates to keep your store at peak performance. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Banner Design URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/banner-design/ **Date:** 2025-11-12 # Banner Design Great banner design boosts websites & social media profiles Get your banners designed by our experts. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why is Banner Design important? Having a great-looking website is just as important as having a functioning website. If your website isn't aesthetically pleasing people will want to spend less time on it and that could drastically affect your conversion rate and even your natural search rankings. Banner design is a part of that look and can sit at the top of each webpage (recommended), serving as a piece of imagery just as focused upon as your logo. A good banner can be either a visual still that sits above the website at all times or an interactive banner tool that will change in appearance and will react to the user's actions with the mouse cursor. Want to see what we mean? Look at the top of the page and interact with the social media icons in our banner. ## Our Banner Design Services Include - Full-Width Banner Designs - Branding & Logo Design - Banner Designs for Social Media - Banner Designs for Websites - Banner Designs for Display Ads - Plus many other Banner Design services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our banner design services help your business create visually striking and impactful representations of your brand. With years of experience across our design team, we specialise in crafting banners that not only capture attention but also resonate with your target audience. Our expert designers leverage state-of-the-art techniques and creative insights to ensure that every banner effectively conveys your brand message while maximising its visibility. ### Very experienced We have been working in the web design, web development and digital marketing fields for over 20+ years so we have a great understanding of what will benefit you the most. ### Client input and feedback No matter the type of project, from an e-commerce web design to banner design or even regular web development, we always accept and value your input and opinion. ### SEO-friendly We can tailor our banner design services to your needs and budget. Whether you need a singular banner for a website or multiple banners for social media, we can help you. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Landing Page Design URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/landing-page-design/ **Date:** 2025-11-12 # Landing Page Design Great landing pages can boost conversions. Get expert landing page design. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What is Landing Page Design? A landing page is the first page visitors see when they arrive at a website. It is important to have a consistent design across all landing pages, even though they may contain different elements. Creating a uniform and visually appealing landing page design can be a challenge, but it is necessary to make a strong impression on visitors. ## Our Landing Page Design Services Include - Responsive Web Page Designs - Corporate Branding & Logo Design - WordPress Installation & Setup Services - Website Hosting - Analytics & Tracking Installation - SEO Optimisation - Plus many other Landing Page Design services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? We are your premier partner for landing page design services, boasting a wealth of experience and a proven track record in transforming digital landscapes. Our team of skilled designers blends creativity with data-driven insights to craft captivating landing pages that not only attract visitors but also convert them into loyal customers. With years of expertise in enhancing online engagement and driving results, we leverage cutting-edge design techniques to provide your business with an edge over the competition. ### Very experienced With over 20+ years of experience in web design, web development, and digital marketing, we have a deep understanding of how to maximise your benefits. ### Client input No matter the type of project, from an ecommerce web design to banner design or even regular web development, we always accept and value your input and opinion. ### SEO-friendly We have extensive knowledge of digital marketing, allowing us to understand what search engines consider important when ranking websites and what they avoid. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## eCommerce Web Development URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ecommerce-web-development/ **Date:** 2025-11-12 # eCommerce Web Development Great eCommerce sites need great development Get eCommerce sites developed on the best platforms.. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What does eCommerce Website Development Involve? Revolutionise your online store with our cutting-edge eCommerce website development. Unlike regular websites, eCommerce platforms demand a higher level of complexity and a minimum set of essential features. ## Our eCommerce Web Development Services Include - Responsive Web Page Designs - Branding & Logo Design - WordPress Installation & Setup Services - Website Hosting - Product Feed Importing & Setup - Analytics & Tracking Installation - SEO Optimisation - Plus many other eCommerce Web Development services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our eCommerce web development specialists bring 30+ years of combined experience to the table, having supported numerous businesses in enhancing their online presence and increasing sales through expertly crafted eCommerce platforms. Whether starting from scratch or optimising an existing site, our team is committed to delivering a seamless eCommerce experience tailored to boost your business growth and customer engagement. ### Very Experienced With over 20+ years of experience in web design, development, and digital marketing, we possess unparalleled knowledge of what will truly benefit your eCommerce website. ### Client input and feedback No matter the type of eCommerce web development project, from an e-commerce web design to banner design or even regular eCommerce web development, we always accept and value your input and opinion. ### SEO-friendly With our extensive knowledge of the digital marketing industry, we decipher what search engines prioritise in website rankings and steer clear of what they dislike. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## eCommerce Web Design URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ecommerce-web-design/ **Date:** 2025-11-12 # eCommerce Website Design Great design is can boost eCommerce sales. Get expert, results-driven eCommerce design. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What is eCommerce Web Design? A great number of online shops use their website as their shop front, a place for their customers to leisurely browse products and services. In the high street, customers wouldn't buy from shops that don't look trustworthy or from shops they can't get around; an eCommerce website is the same. Not many online customers would pay on a website that looks untrustworthy or is not functional. The process of eCommerce web design involves creating a website that is user-friendly and visually appealing, ensuring potential customers are more likely to make purchases from your company. ## Our eCommerce Web Design Services Include - Responsive Web Page Designs - Branding & Logo Design - WordPress Installation & Setup Services - Website Hosting - Product Feed Importing & Setup - Analytics & Tracking Installation - SEO Optimisation - Plus many other eCommerce Web Design services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our eCommerce web designers possess years of experience, having assisted numerous businesses in enhancing their online presence, visibility, traffic, and sales through expert eCommerce solutions. Leveraging our proven methodologies and techniques, Odyssey New Media can help your business maximise its online impact and drive increased traffic to your eCommerce platform. ### We're experienced With over a decade of experience in web design, web development, and digital marketing, we possess a comprehensive understanding of how to best serve your needs. ### Client Input No matter the type of project, from an ecommerce web design to banner design or even regular web development, we always accept and value your input and opinion. ### SEO-friendly By having a vast understanding of the digital marketing landscape we are able to know what search engines look for when ranking websites as well as what they don't want to see. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Mobile App Development URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/mobile-app-development/ **Date:** 2025-11-12 # Mobile App Development Mobile Apps can drive your business forward. Get expert iOS and Android mobile app development. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What are Mobile Apps? Mobile Applications have been around from the early days of mobile phones in the 90s as consumers began pushing for more features on phones and games. Since the release of the original Apple iPhone in 2007 mobile applications have featured increasingly on mobile smartphones to become part of any user's daily life. Mobile apps are usually small items of software designed to run on mobile devices. They often provide useful tools, games, website interfaces, and most importantly access to business services. So many people take their mobiles everywhere with them so by developing a business mobile application, businesses can provide services and connect directly with customers wherever they are and on the move. ## Our Mobile App Development Services Include - Mobile App Planning & Design - Mobile UI & UX Design - Corporate Branding - iOS or Android App Development - Backend Development - App Testing - Mobile App Maintenance - Plus many other Mobile App Development services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our team of seasoned mobile app developers brings years of combined experience to the table, helping businesses craft tailored solutions that seamlessly integrate with their operations. From intuitive user interfaces to custom functionalities, we develop comprehensive mobile apps designed to streamline processes and boost revenue. Our proven methodologies and innovative techniques have been crafted to enhance your brand's visibility and engagement, delivering results that matter. ### Years of experince We have been working in the app design, app development and digital marketing fields for over 20+ years so we have a great understanding of what will benefit you the most. ### Client briefing and input No matter the type of project, from an ecommerce app design to utility app design or even regular app development, we always accept and value your input and opinion. ### SEO-friendly By having a vast understanding of the digital marketing landscape we are able to know what search engines look for when ranking websites as well as what they don't want to see. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Elementor Web Design URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/elementor-web-design/ **Date:** 2025-11-12 # Elementor Web Design [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## We Build Stunning Websites With Elementor We offer exceptional web design and development services using Elementor, one of the most intuitive website builder platform for professionals and business owners on WordPress. With Elementor's powerful features and intuitive interface, we can create stunning, high-performing websites that elevate your online presence and drive conversions. Our team of skilled designers and developers specialises in leveraging the full potential of Elementor to craft visually captivating and user-friendly websites. We work closely with you to understand your brand identity, goals, and target audience, ensuring that the final product perfectly aligns with your vision. With our expertise in Elementor, we can create responsive and mobile-friendly designs that are optimised for performance and search engine visibility. Whether you need a brand new website or a redesign of your existing one, our Elementor web design and development service is tailored to meet your specific needs. Let us bring your unique ideas to life and create a digital space that not only captivates your visitors but also generates maximum impact for your business. ## Our Elementor Web Design Services Include - Custom Theme Development - Responsive Design - User Experience Optimisation - SEO Integration - Brand Identity - Website Maintenance & Updates - Training & Support - Plus many other web design services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? With years of experience in the industry, our team of dedicated designers and developers brings a wealth of knowledge and creativity to each Elementor project. We understand that your website is a key component of your online presence, and our goal is to create a highly personalised and visually stunning web design that captures the essence of your brand, appeals to your target audience, and aligns with your business goals. ### Expertise in Elementor Our team of designers and developers possesses extensive expertise in working with Elementor, a powerful and versatile website builder. With in-depth knowledge of its features and capabilities, we can harness the full potential of Elementor to create stunning and functional websites tailored to your specific needs. ### Bespoke To Your Branding We believe in creating web designs that reflect your unique brand identity and resonate with your target audience. Our tailor-made approach ensures that your website stands out from the crowd and effectively communicates your brand message. ### Client-Centric Approach We prioritise our clients and their satisfaction above all else. Throughout the entire web design process, we maintain open lines of communication, provide regular updates, and actively involve you in the decision-making process. Your feedback and input guide our design choices and ensure that the final product reflects your unique style and preferences.derstand that growth is a key component of your business plan. That's why our Shopify website designs are built with scalability in mind, allowing you to easily expand your store's capabilities as your business evolves. ### Our Elementor Web Design Process At Odyssey New Media, we offer comprehensive Elementor web design services to help businesses transform their online presence and create stunning websites that engage and convert visitors. Our experienced team of designers and developers specialises in harnessing the power of Elementor, to create visually appealing and highly functional websites. Our team of experts is readily available to assist our clients with any technical issues or questions they may have during the design and development process. We believe in delivering exceptional service and ensuring a smooth and successful experience for our clients. If you are considering migrating your existing website to Elementor or need assistance with your web design project, our experienced team is here to help ### The Process: Discovery & Research Through in-depth discussions and research, we gain insights into your brand identity, desired functionality, and design preferences. Design and Wireframing Using insights from the discovery phase, our designers create wireframes and visuals that capture your brand and connect with your audience. Web Development Once the design is approved, our developers use Elementor to create a responsive, functional website with its drag-and-drop editor and library of widgets and templates. Testing & Launch Before the final launch, we conduct thorough testing to ensure that your website is running smoothly, free of any bugs or performance issues. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Mobile Website Design URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/mobile-website-design/ **Date:** 2025-11-12 # Mobile Website Design Mobile visitors are increasing year-on-year. Make sure your website design is mobile friendly. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What Is Mobile Website Design? Mobile website design is very similar to the standard web design procedure, but instead of making a web design suitable for desktops and mobile view, mobile website design ensures that a website is designed correctly for mobile viewing on smaller devices like tablets and mobile phones. ## Our Mobile Website Design Services Include - Mobile UI Design - Responsive Web Page Designs - Corporate Branding & Logo Design - WordPress Installation & Setup Services - Website Hosting - Analytics & Tracking Installation - SEO Optimisation - Plus many other Mobile Web Design services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our mobile web developers have years of combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their visibility online, drive traffic to their business, and increase sales with our mobile web development services. With our proven methodology and techniques, Odyssey New Media can help your business maximise your online exposure by developing an online shopfront that represents your business, branding, messaging, and offerings. ### Very experienced We have been working in the web design, web development and digital marketing fields for over 30+ years so we have a great understanding of what will benefit you the most. ### Client input and feedback No matter the type of project, from an ecommerce web design to banner design or even regular web development, we always accept and value your input and opinion. ### SEO-friendly By having a vast understanding of the digital marketing landscape we are able to know what search engines look for when ranking websites as well as what they don't want to see. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## WordPress Web Design URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/wordpress-web-design/ **Date:** 2025-11-12 # WordPress Website Design Does your business have an online presence? Make sure your business is visible online with a fresh WordPress website. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why do I need Web Design & Web Development? With search engines like Google always changing the way they prioritise websites in their rankings it is very important to know what they are looking for on a website. Previously search engine optimisation processes consisted a number of things, but not website design and website development. To have any success with a website in today's world you will need a very proficient web design and web development company. One-Page WordPress Website from GBP 750 Everything you need to succeed. - WordPress CMS - Premium Template - SSL Certificate - Google Analytics - Search Engine Optimisation - Standard Website Hosting - Standard Website Maintenance [ Enquire Now ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) Full WordPress Website from GBP 1,500 Everything you need to succeed. - WordPress CMS - Custom Web Design - Mobile & Tablet Optimised - SSL Certificate - Google Analytics - Search Engine Optimisation - Premium Website Hosting - Premium Website Maintenance [ Enquire Now ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) eCommerce WordPress Website from GBP 4,500 Everything you need to succeed. - WordPress CMS - WooCommerce Integration - Custom Web Design - Mobile & Tablet Optimised - SSL Certificate - Google Analytics Tracking Setup - Search Engine Optimisation - Premium Website Hosting - Premium Website Maintenance [ Enquire Now ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Our Mobile Website Design Services Include - Responsive Web Page Designs - Corporate Branding & Logo Design - WordPress Installation & Setup Services - Website Hosting - Analytics & Tracking Installation - SEO Optimisation - Plus many other Mobile Web Design services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our team of experienced website designers specialises in crafting unique, tailored websites that elevate your brand's online presence. With years of expertise in web design, we have a proven track record of helping businesses establish a compelling digital identity, increasing site visibility and engagement. Our strategic approach combines creativity with the latest design trends and technologies to ensure your website not only looks exceptional but also functions seamlessly across all devices. ### Honest, dependable and affordable We pride ourselves on being honest with companies and clients before starting any digital development or online marketing project whilst trying to stay affordable and flexible with all budgets. ### Trusted to deliver results since 2010 Odyssey New Media has been trusted since 2010. We help create effective websites, apps and implement digital marketing strategies that produce successful results. ### What makes us different? Our experts at Odyssey New Media are committed to understanding the needs of every one of our clients and their project requirements in as much detail as possible. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Website Design URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/website-design/ **Date:** 2025-11-12 # Website Design Need a new website or to update an existing one? Get affordable, expert web design right here. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why do I need Web Design & Web Development? With search engines like Google always changing the way they prioritise websites in their rankings it is very important to know what they are looking for on a website. Previously search engine optimisation processes consisted a number of things, but not website design and website development. To have any success with a website in today's world you will need a very proficient web design and web development company. ## Our Mobile Website Design Services Include - Responsive Web Page Designs - Corporate Branding & Logo Design - WordPress Installation & Setup Services - Website Hosting - Analytics & Tracking Installation - SEO Optimisation - Plus many other Mobile Web Design services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our team of experienced website designers specialises in crafting unique, tailored websites that elevate your brand's online presence. With years of expertise in web design, we have a proven track record of helping businesses establish a compelling digital identity, increasing site visibility and engagement. Our strategic approach combines creativity with the latest design trends and technologies to ensure your website not only looks exceptional but also functions seamlessly across all devices. ### Web design experience We have been working in the web design, web development and digital marketing fields for over 20+ years so we have a great understanding of what will benefit you the most. ### Tailored to client's needs No matter the type of project, from an ecommerce web design to banner design or even regular web development, we always accept and value your input and opinion. ### SEO-friendly By having a vast understanding of the digital marketing landscape we are able to know what search engines look for when ranking websites as well as what they don't want to see. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Social Media Setup URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-setup/ **Date:** 2025-11-11 # Social Media Setup Need help setting up your Social Media profiles? Let our Social Media experts help. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Social Media Profiles Require Setup Although using social media may be fairly simply for both an individual and a business. For a business, sometimes the hardest part of using social media is the social media setup process. Although it may seem very simple as there are a lot of existing businesses on Facebook and Twitter and all of those would have had to go through the Facebook setup process or would have had to set up Twitter, sometimes your business may need to have a slightly different social media setup depending on the business and the platform. ## Our Social Media Services Include - Social Profile Setup - Social Media Planning - Social Post Management - Social Ads Setup - Social Ads Management - Content Syndication - Social Content Development - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other Social Media services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our social media setup specialists have 30+ years combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their social media presence, visibility, traffic and sales with our expert social media setup services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business maximise social media exposure and grow your traffic. ### Honest & transparent We are honest from day one about service and expectations. We have a proven track record with a range of existing clients from various industries. ### Results-driven We closely manage your social media profiles and platforms. We also offer a high-quality social media setup service. ### Tailored to your budgets We create personalised social media strategies and plans for all budgets. We have years of experience and success with social media advertising. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Social Media Advertising URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-advertising/ **Date:** 2025-11-11 # Social Media Advertising Target customers by age, gender, location and more Get help from our Social Media Advertising experts [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What is Social Media Advertising? Social media advertising is a form of direct communication through social media. Unlike standard social media management, which is free for the business owner, social media advertising does not aim to grow a following naturally through content and typical engagement, for a small cost social media advertising can allow you to speak directly to your target audience. ### Our Social Media Services Include - Social Profile Setup - Social Media Planning - Social Post Management - Social Ads Setup - Social Ads Management - Content Syndication - Social Content Development - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other Social Media services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our social media advertising experts have 20 years combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their social media presence, visibility, traffic and sales with our expert social media advertising services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business maximise social media exposure and grow your traffic. ### Honest and transparent We are honest from day one about service and expectations. We have a proven track record with a range of existing clients from various industries. ### Results-driven We closely manage your social media profiles and platforms. We also offer a high-quality social media setup service. ### Tailored budgets We create personalised social media strategies and plans for all budgets. We have years of experience and success with social media advertising. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Social Media Consultancy URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-consultancy/ **Date:** 2025-11-11 # Social Media Consultancy Need help with your Social Media Strategy? Get expert help from our Social Media Consultants. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why do I need Social Media Consultancy? Although nearly every business in modern times uses social media in some way, not all of them are using it properly; or well enough to be receiving the maximum benefit. Our social media consultancy service is essentially a review of your social media presence. We can offer Facebook consultancy, Twitter consultancy, LinkedIn consultancy, or a review of your business's entire social media presence. ### Our Social Media Services Include - Social Profile Setup - Social Media Planning - Social Post Management - Social Ads Setup - Social Ads Management - Content Syndication - Social Content Development - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other Social Media services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our Social Media consultants have 20 years combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their social media presence, visibility, traffic and sales with our expert social media consultancy services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business maximise social media exposure and grow your traffic. ### Honest & transparent We are honest from day one about service and expectations. We have a proven track record with a range of existing clients from various industries. ### Results-driven We closely manage your social media profiles and platforms. We also offer a high-quality social media setup service. ### Tailored to your budgets We create personalised social media strategies and plans for all budgets. We have years of experience and success with social media advertising. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## AI-Generated Content: A Guide to Leveraging Benefits and Mitigating SEO Risks URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/11/ai-generated-content-a-guide-to-leveraging-benefits-and-mitigating-seo-risks/ **Date:** 2025-11-10 **Category:** Artificial Intelligence | **Tags:** ai, digital marketing, digital tips, seo The digital landscape is undergoing a monumental shift, with projections suggesting that Artificial Intelligence could soon touch a vast majority of online content. For UK businesses and digital marketers, the question is no longer whether to use generative AI tools, but how to use them strategically to gain a competitive edge in search without compromising on quality or falling foul of Google's updated guidelines. Success with AI-generated content hinges on a quality-first, human-led approach. Here is a guide to navigating the benefits, mitigating the risks, and establishing robust SEO best practices for the AI era. ## **Google's Stance: Quality and Value Trump Origin** It is essential to understand Google's official position. In short, Google does not inherently penalise content simply because AI assisted in its creation. Their ranking systems are focused on rewarding original, high-quality, and valuable content. However, the guidance has significantly tightened, with a clear warning against what they term 'scaled content abuse ', the mass generation of pages without adding distinct value for the user. The Key Takeaway for Marketers: Your priority must be to deliver content that demonstrates E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). If the AI content is thin, repetitive, or unedited, it risks being flagged as spam and harming your rankings. AI is a tool to support your content strategy, not a replacement for it. ## **From Generation to Strategic Assistance** To truly add value, AI should move from being a generator to a strategic assistant. ApproachRole of AIHuman InvolvementSEO Impact**AI-Generated**Produces the final text/asset based on a prompt.Minimal editing and upload.High risk of generic, low-value content. Likely to fall under 'scaled abuse' if done at volume.**AI-Assisted**Helps with research, outlines, competitor analysis, ideation, and refinement.Provides unique insight, fact-checks, edits for brand tone, and injects E-E-A-T.Highest potential for ranking. The human touch guarantees value and uniqueness. **Best Practice:** Utilise AI to draft outlines, conduct keyword research, or refine existing copy. The final piece, however, must be reviewed, fact-checked, and enhanced by a human expert to ensure it provides a unique perspective or a depth of detail not available elsewhere. ## **Mitigating Risk: Accuracy, Bias, And Trust** Generative AI models, for all their power (stemming from complex neural networks and Large Language Models (LLMs)), are prone to 'hallucinations'-making up facts, statistics, or sources. They can also inherit biases present in their vast training data. To protect your brand authority, a rigorous editorial process is non-negotiable: - **Mandatory Fact-Checking:** Every statistic, quote, or claim generated by AI must be manually verified using reputable, primary sources. Link to these sources to demonstrate diligence and build user trust. Tools like Perplexity, which cite their sources, can be helpful starting points. - **Check for Bias:** Ensure the content does not inadvertently reflect or perpetuate biases related to gender, race, or age that may have been present in the LLM's training material. - **Edit for Tone and Uniqueness:** AI content can often sound generic. A human editor must rework the prose to align with your brand's voice and inject proprietary business insight, turning generic information into genuine thought leadership. ## **Measuring Success Beyond Keyword Rankings** If you plan to invest in using AI for content production, you must have a system in place to measure its commercial return. Rankings are merely a means to an end; the ultimate goal is to drive traffic and conversions. Ensure you are tracking the following metrics in Google Analytics 4 (GA4): - **Organic Pageviews and Engagement:** Monitor the 'Pages and Screens' report for AI-assisted pages. Are users staying on the page? Is the engagement time comparable to your human-written content? - **Conversions and Key Events:** Use the 'Landing Pages' report to see if AI content is generating key events or driving sales/lead conversions. - **Content Decay:** Monitor the long-term performance. If AI content drops significantly in rankings or traffic over time, it suggests it is not meeting the user's needs and may require a human rewrite. ## **Controlling Indexation For Scaled Content** For businesses experimenting with generating a high volume of articles (e.g., product descriptions, hyper-specific guides), exercising caution with indexation is a vital best practice. If you generate content at scale, consider a strategy of Gating and Testing: - **Restrict Google's Access:** Use your website's robots.txt file to temporarily disallow Google from crawling a specific directory where the new AI-generated content is hosted (e.g., Disallow: /ai-content-test/). - **Monitor Performance:** While indexed, monitor the content's engagement (Time on Page, - Bounce Rate) via GA4. - **Release Only Quality:** Once the content meets your set threshold for user value and engagement, remove the robots.txt restriction to allow Google to crawl and index the pages. This approach protects your site's overall quality signal by preventing the accidental indexation of low-value, thin content, ensuring only your best work is presented to the search engine. In the pursuit of greater scale, the biggest mistake a business can make is prioritising speed over substance. AI is a powerful utility, but strategic execution demands that human expertise remains at the heart of content creation to optimise for both Google's algorithm and, more importantly, the end-user. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Social Media Management URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-management/ **Date:** 2025-11-07 # Social Media Management Too busy to manage your Social Media? Get expert Social Media Management. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why do you need Social Media Management? Often businesses will go through the process of setting up social media platforms on one or more of the Social Media sites of their choosing. However, once a social media profile is set up, much like a website, it requires management in order to attract new followers, engagement, likes, shares, and referrals to links shared. Without publishing engaging, relevant content as well as promoting social media profiles through other channels there is little chance that businesses will attract the engagement they desire. Having good social media management is vital to establishing your business and brand on the relevant major Social Networks. Social media management can involve numerous things from creating upload/posting plans specific to your business, interacting with relevant profiles in your industry, recording analytics and results, and making decisions based on them. For a business to undertake the social media management responsibility and make it efficient, this often requires a significant amount of time to be invested. Companies like Tesco and Apple employee social media experts to manage their social media profiles and interactions with customers. However, not all business can afford to do this so that is why Odyssey New Media offer any business the option of our affordable social media management services. ## Our Social Media Services Include - Social Profile Setup - Social Media Planning - Social Post Management - Social Ads Setup - Social Ads Management - Content Syndication - Social Content Development - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other Social Media services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our Social Media Management consultants have 20 years combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their social media presence, visibility, traffic and sales with our expert social media management services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business maximise social media exposure and grow your traffic. ### Honest and transparent We are honest from day one about service and expectations. We have a proven track record with a range of existing clients from various industries. ### Results-driven We closely manage your social media profiles and platforms. We also offer a high-quality social media setup service. ### Tailored to your budgets We create personalised social media strategies and plans for all budgets. We have years of experience and success with social media advertising. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Social Media URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media/ **Date:** 2025-11-07 # Social Media Connect with your next customer via Social Media. Get help from our Social Media experts.. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What is Social Media? Social media has become an integral part of our lives, allowing us to connect and engage with others all over the world regardless of time and location. More and more people are taking advantage of the numerous platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs, with users sharing updates, content and engaging in conversations with other like-minded individuals. For businesses, social media offers a great opportunity to reach out to new customers and engage with existing ones - increasing sales and brand loyalty in the process. By creating an effective strategy for social media marketing (SMM), businesses can gain a competitive edge over their competitors by targeting various demographics with tailored messages that resonate with their target audiences. Through careful analysis and observation of trends across all social channels, businesses can identify the best strategies for reaching out to potential customers. ### Our Social Media Services Include - Social Profile Setup - Social Media Planning - Social Post Management - Social Ads Setup - Social Ads Management - Content Syndication - Social Content Development - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other Social Media services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our social media experts have 30+ years combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their social media visibility, traffic and sales with our expert social media marketing services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business maximise your online visibility and grow your traffic. ### Honest & transparent We are honest from day one about service and expectations. We have a proven track record with a range of existing clients from various industries. ### Results-driven We closely manage your social media profiles and platforms. We also offer a high-quality social media setup service. ### Tailored to your budgets We create personalised social media strategies and plans for all budgets. We have years of experience and success with social media advertising. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Bing Advertising URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/bing-advertising/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # Bing PPC Advertising [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Supercharge Your Campaigns With Bing Avertising At Odyssey New Media, we believe in helping you reach more people, effortlessly. Our Bing Advertising Services are designed to unlock new opportunities and expand your digital presence. With Bing ads, you can connect with millions of potential customers around the world. Our team crafts tailored, impactful campaigns that align with your goals-so you can focus on growing your business while we take care of the rest. Partner with us for our Bing Advertising Services and let us help you maximise your visibility, drive targeted traffic, and achieve your business goals with Bing ads. ## Our Bing Advertising Services Include - Search Advertising - Display Advertising - Shopping Campaigns - Remarketing - Audience Targeting - Keyword Research and Bid Management - Reporting and Analytics - Plus many other Bing PPC services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? We are committed to delivering exceptional results for your Bing PPC advertising campaigns. Our team comprises experienced professionals who have deep knowledge and expertise in running successful Bing PPC advertising campaigns. We stay up-to-date with the latest trends and strategies to ensure your campaigns are always ahead of the curve. We understand that every business is unique, and that's why we tailor our Bing PPC advertising strategies to align with your specific goals and target audience. Our customised approach ensures that your campaigns are highly targeted and effective in driving relevant traffic and conversions. ### Data-driven approach We believe in the power of data. With our data-driven approach, we meticulously analyze and monitor the performance of your Bing PPC campaigns. This allows us to make data-backed decisions, optimize your campaigns for maximum ROI, and continuously improve their effectiveness. ### Transparent reporting Transparency is at the core of our client relationships. We provide transparent and comprehensive reporting on the performance of your Bing PPC campaigns, keeping you informed about key metrics, conversions, and the overall success of your advertising efforts. ### Exceptional customer service Our dedicated team is always here to support you every step of the way. We value open communication and responsiveness, ensuring that your questions are answered promptly and your concerns are addressed effectively. ## How can PPC services benefit you? ### Our Bing Advertising Process Bing Advertising is a powerful tool for businesses to reach their audience and grow. With Bing's wide search network and advanced targeting, businesses can create ads that effectively engage customers. **Key benefits include:** **Wide Audience Reach:** Bing Advertising helps businesses reach millions of users searching on the Bing network daily. By extending beyond Google, you can connect with an audience that other platforms might miss. **Advanced Targeting Options:** Bing Advertising offers targeting options to help businesses reach the right audience. With demographic, location, device targeting, and ad scheduling, businesses can tailor campaigns to reach relevant users at the best times. **Cost-Effective Advertising:** Bing Advertising offers flexible budgeting, making it accessible for businesses of all sizes. With daily or monthly budget caps and adjustable bids, businesses can maximise efficiency and ROI. ### The Process: Discovery & Research We focus on your business goals, target audience, and competitors. Through research and analysis, we identify keywords, demographics, and trends to ensure your Bing ads reach the right audience. Account & Campaign Setup Our experts set up your Bing Ads account with campaigns, ad groups, and extensions tailored to your goals. We use advanced targeting and ad scheduling to boost visibility and performance. Ad & Asset Creation Our team develops engaging copy and visuals that match your brand. We focus on strong calls-to-action and impactful messaging to drive conversions and meet your goals. Monitoring and Optimisation Our team analyses performance metrics to identify improvements. Through A/B testing, bid adjustments, and keyword tweaks, we optimise your campaigns to boost click-through rates and drive conversions. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Product Listing Ads URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/product-listing-ads/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # Product Listing Ads Advertise your products on key online marketplaces. Get help from our Google certified experts. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What are Product Listing Ads? Product Listing Ads are a kind of product advertising, working on a cost per click (CPC) basis. These adverts are mainly used for Google product search. Appearing on the search results page, product list ads provide audiences with an advert for the product they have searched for, linking directly to your website. Product listing ads tend to have a higher conversation rate than an Adwords ad or any other form of paid advertising online. There are a number of reasons why product listing ads garner more success than other forms of online advertising, including: - **Images of products** - All product listing ads include an image of the product being listed, consumers tend to engage more with images than text, the focus of a product listing ad is the product image. - **Product price** - Any consumer can decide immediately on whether they want to click through to your website and your product, this is because any product listing ad includes the price. If you list your featured product at a competitive price, customers are more likely to visit you as opposed to your competitors. - **Platform** - Product listing ads tend to appear as the first listing on any search platform, appearing first with a product listing ad on a platform like Google is more likely to drive traffic and customers to your website or product. ## Our PPC Services Include - Campaign & Account Setup - Advanced Keyword Research - Ad Copy Writing - Bid Management - Negative Keyword Management - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Performance tracking and analysis - Google Ads Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other PPC services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our Product Listing consultants have 30+ years of** **combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales through product listings ads. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business get top positions in search engines and grow your traffic. ### Years of experience We have over 30+ years of collective experience in managing and improving PPC campaigns including product listing ad campaigns ### Google & Bing certified We are a Google Ads partner and we are also Bing certified PPC consultants. We have a wealth of experience in product listing ads and other ad type campaigns. ### Tailored budgets & strategy We develop personalised PPC strategies that cater to your need and your budget. We work with budgets from as low as GBP 100 to GBP 100,000+. ## How can PPC services benefit you? ### The Benefits: Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising places your brand directly in front of customers the moment they search for your products or services. Unlike organic strategies, PPC allows you to bid on specific keywords to display ads on search engines like Google and Bing. These platforms use a real-time auction system to determine ad placement. Campaigns that are optimised for relevance and bid strategy achieve the top positions in the "sponsored" search results. By appearing at the very top of the page, your website gains immediate visibility and captures high-intent traffic from users ready to buy. Essentially, PPC provides a controllable, scalable way to drive instant leads and sales, ensuring you only pay when a potential customer actually clicks on your ad. This makes PPC crucial for generating quick revenue, testing new markets, and maximising your Return on Investment (ROI). ### The Process: Initial Consultation We analyse your business goals, target audience, and current advertising budget to determine the most profitable paid search opportunities for your specific market. Onboarding & Setup Once signed up, we will configure your ad accounts (such as Google Ads or Microsoft Ads) and install precise conversion tracking to measure success. Strategy Implementation We will conduct deep keyword research, structure your ad groups, and write compelling ad copy that aligns with the agreed strategy. Campaign Execution At this stage, we will launch your live campaigns, managing bid strategies to ensure your ads appear for the right searches at the right cost. Reporting & Refinement We will deliver monthly PPC performance reports and continuously optimise keywords and negatives to lower costs and increase conversions. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Display Advertising URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/display-advertising/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # Display Advertising Boost brand awareness and reach new customers.**Display Ad Management from Google qualified experts. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What is Display Advertising? Display advertising is a form of online advertising that uses visuals such as images, videos, and animations to promote products or services. It is one of the most popular methods of reaching potential customers with targeted messages and offers. Display ads are typically served through ad networks which allow advertisers to reach large audiences quickly. These ads can be placed on websites, blogs, and social media platforms in order to capture attention and drive engagement. By utilising display advertising, brands can effectively increase their visibility while communicating their message in an engaging manner. ## Our PPC Services Include - Campaign & Account Setup - Advanced Keyword Research - Ad Copy Writing - Bid Management - Negative Keyword Management - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Performance tracking and analysis - Google Ads Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other PPC services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our Display Ads consultants have 30+ years **combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales with our expert display ads services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business get set up with display ads to maximise your online exposure and grow your traffic. ### Years of experience We have over 30+ years of collective experience in managing and improving PPC campaigns including display advertising and display campaigns ### Google & Bing certified We are a Google Ads partner and we are also Bing certified PPC consultants. We have a wealth of experience in display ads and other ad campaigns types. ### Tailored budgets & strategy We develop personalised PPC strategies that cater to your need and your budget. We work with budgets from as low as GBP 100 to GBP 100,000+. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## PPC Management URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ppc-management/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # PPC Management Get dedicated monthly PPC management from Google and Bing Ads qualified experts. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why Do I Need PPC Management Services? Pay Per Click (PPC) offers companies the opportunity to rank at the top of search engines like Google and Bing very quickly. PPC advertising setup and management however are often complicated and if done incorrectly it can be very costly to companies. Often companies end up wasting PPC budget on PPC adverts and key phrases that aren't converting to sales or leads for them. Setup of PPC campaigns can also often be a very time consuming and requires someone with previous PPC management experience to set them up. Hence, many individuals and businesses choose to let a PPC agency manage its entire PPC advertising campaigns. ## Our PPC Services Include - Campaign & Account Setup - Advanced Keyword Research - Ad Copy Writing - Bid Management - Negative Keyword Management - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Performance tracking and analysis - Google Ads Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other PPC services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our PPC Management experts have 30+ years combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales with our expert PPC management services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business get top positions in search engines and grow your traffic. ### 30+ Years of experience We work with all types of businesses whether they small, medium and large managing monthly PPC budgets from just GBP 100 to GBP 100,000+. With our experience we aim to maximise your budget. ### Proven PPC case studies We have case studies of successful PPC clients across a variety of sectors. All PPC activity is measured and reported on monthly to show full transparency and ROI (Return On Investment). ### Google & Bing certified We are Google Adwords Qualified and Bing Ads Accredited Professionals. We earn our qualifications annually and maintain a high standard of account management. So you can be assured your PPC campaigns are in good hands. ## How can PPC services benefit you? ### The Benefits: Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising places your brand directly in front of customers the moment they search for your products or services. Unlike organic strategies, PPC allows you to bid on specific keywords to display ads on search engines like Google and Bing. These platforms use a real-time auction system to determine ad placement. Campaigns that are optimised for relevance and bid strategy achieve the top positions in the "sponsored" search results. By appearing at the very top of the page, your website gains immediate visibility and captures high-intent traffic from users ready to buy. Essentially, PPC provides a controllable, scalable way to drive instant leads and sales, ensuring you only pay when a potential customer actually clicks on your ad. This makes PPC crucial for generating quick revenue, testing new markets, and maximising your Return on Investment (ROI). ### The Process: Initial Consultation We analyse your business goals, target audience, and current advertising budget to determine the most profitable paid search opportunities for your specific market. Onboarding & Setup Once signed up, we will configure your ad accounts (such as Google Ads or Microsoft Ads) and install precise conversion tracking to measure success. Strategy Implementation We will conduct deep keyword research, structure your ad groups, and write compelling ad copy that aligns with the agreed strategy. Campaign Execution At this stage, we will launch your live campaigns, managing bid strategies to ensure your ads appear for the right searches at the right cost. Reporting & Refinement We will deliver monthly PPC performance reports and continuously optimise keywords and negatives to lower costs and increase conversions. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Remarketing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/remarketing/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # Remarketing Get a second bite at the cherry! Remarket to visitors and boost conversions. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What is Remarketing? Remarketing allows you to position advertisements in the view of an audience, consisting of individuals who have previously visited your website. The adverts will appear as they continue to browse elsewhere on the internet. These advertisements can be in either text form or image form. Google remarketing is done by placing cookies on the machines of your website's visitors when they match specific criteria, their cookie ID is registered with you and you are free to choose which advertisements they will see whilst on other websites. For example: if a customer were to go onto your website and, whilst browsing through your website, viewed a product. That customer would then see that specific product from your website in advertisements on other webpages as they browse elsewhere. ## Our PPC Services Include - Campaign & Account Setup - Advanced Keyword Research - Ad Copy Writing - Bid Management - Negative Keyword Management - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Performance tracking and analysis - Google Ads Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other PPC services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our remarketing consultants have 30+ years** **combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales with our expert remarketing services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business get top positions in search engines and grow your traffic. ### 30+ years of experience ave over 30+ years of collective experience in managing and improving PPC campaigns including remarketing ad campaigns. ### Google & Bing certified We are a Google Ads partner and we are also Bing certified PPC consultants. We have a wealth of experience in remarketing ads and other ad type campaigns. ### Tailored budgets & strategy We develop personalised PPC strategies that cater to your need and your budget. We work with budgets from as low as GBP 100 to GBP 100,000+. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## PPC URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ppc/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # PPC (Pay Per Click) Want top positions on Google? Get PPC from Google AdWords Qualified Experts. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What is PPC? (Pay Per Click Advertising) Pay Per Click Advertising (PPC) means that for each click an internet advert receives there is a cost (i.e. cost per click). Advertisers you see appearing in search results on search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing often use this model of paying for each click they received which then goes through to their website. ## Our PPC Services Include - Campaign & Account Setup - Advanced Keyword Research - Ad Copy Writing - Bid Management - Negative Keyword Management - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Performance tracking and analysis - Google Ads Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other PPC services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our PPC consultants have **20 years **combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales with our expert PPC services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business get top positions in search engines and grow your traffic with Pay Per Click Advertising. ### Years of experience We have over 30+ years of collective experience in managing and improving PPC campaigns. ### Qualified partners We are Google certified AdWords experts and we are also Bing qualified PPC consultants. ### We're affordable We develop personalised PPC strategies that cater to your need and your budget. ## How can PPC services benefit you? ### The Benefits: Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising places your brand directly in front of customers the moment they search for your products or services. Unlike organic strategies, PPC allows you to bid on specific keywords to display ads on search engines like Google and Bing. These platforms use a real-time auction system to determine ad placement. Campaigns that are optimised for relevance and bid strategy achieve the top positions in the "sponsored" search results. By appearing at the very top of the page, your website gains immediate visibility and captures high-intent traffic from users ready to buy. Essentially, PPC provides a controllable, scalable way to drive instant leads and sales, ensuring you only pay when a potential customer actually clicks on your ad. This makes PPC crucial for generating quick revenue, testing new markets, and maximising your Return on Investment (ROI). ### The Process: Initial Consultation We analyse your business goals, target audience, and current advertising budget to determine the most profitable paid search opportunities for your specific market. Onboarding & Setup Once signed up, we will configure your ad accounts (such as Google Ads or Microsoft Ads) and install precise conversion tracking to measure success. Strategy Implementation We will conduct deep keyword research, structure your ad groups, and write compelling ad copy that aligns with the agreed strategy. Campaign Execution At this stage, we will launch your live campaigns, managing bid strategies to ensure your ads appear for the right searches at the right cost. Reporting & Refinement We will deliver monthly PPC performance reports and continuously optimise keywords and negatives to lower costs and increase conversions. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Local SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/local-seo/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # Local SEO Services [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Grow Your Business with Our Local SEO Services Are you looking to expand your business's reach within your local community? Our Local SEO services are designed to help businesses like yours improve their online visibility and attract more customers in their target geographical areas. With our strategic approach and expertise in local search optimisation, we can help you rank higher in local search results and drive more qualified traffic to your website. In today's digital age, consumers increasingly rely on search engines to find local businesses and services. Local SEO ensures that your business appears prominently in search engine results when potential customers in your area search for relevant products or services. By optimising your online presence, you can increase your chances of being found by local customers who are actively looking for what you have to offer. ## Our SEO services include: - Keyword Research - On-Page Content Optimisation - Local Listings Management - Local Citations - Online Reputation Management - Localised Content Creation - Reporting and Analytics - Plus many other Local SEO services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? At Odyssey New Media, we are passionate about helping businesses succeed in their local markets by boosting their visibility and driving local traffic with our exceptional Local SEO services. We understand the importance of ranking higher in local search results to connect with nearby customers, build trust, and grow your business. Here's why you should choose us for your local search optimisation needs: ### Proven expertise With 30+ years of combined experience in the field, our team of skilled professionals possesses in-depth knowledge and expertise in local search optimisation. We stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices to ensure that your business stays ahead of the competition. ### Tailored strategies We understand that every business is unique, and a one-size-fits-all approach won't yield optimal results. That's why we develop custom-tailored strategies to meet the specific needs and goals of your business. Our personalised approach ensures that we maximise your online visibility within your local community. ### Expert local SEO solutions Our Local SEO services encompass a wide range of strategies and techniques to enhance your online presence in local search results. From optimising your website and local listings to managing online reviews and building relevant citations, we provide comprehensive solutions to boost your local visibility. ## How can SEO services benefit you? ### Our Local Search Engine Optimisation Process Local SEO offers numerous advantages for businesses looking to enhance their online presence and attract local customers. Here are some key benefits: **Increased Local Visibility:** Local SEO strategies focus on improving your business's visibility in local search results. By optimising your website and online profiles for local keywords and directories, you can increase your chances of appearing in front of potential customers who are actively searching for products or services in your area. **Targeted Traffic and Higher Conversions:** Local SEO helps you reach customers in your target market who are already interested in your offerings. By using local keywords and optimising your site for local relevance, you can drive targeted traffic that is more likely to convert into leads or customers. **Improved Online Reputation:** Local SEO includes managing your reviews and reputation. Engaging with customer feedback helps build a positive image for your business. Positive reviews not only attract customers but also improve search rankings, boosting your visibility and credibility locally. ### The Process: Keyword Research & On-Page Optimisation We identify relevant local keywords and optimise your website's meta tags, headings, content, and URLs to target local customers effectively. Google My Business Optimisation We ensure your Google My Business listing is accurate and up-to-date, boosting visibility in local search results and enhancing credibility. Citation Building We create and optimise business citations across reputable directories, ensuring consistent and accurate information to improve local search rankings. Local Content and Performance Analysis We create location-specific content and continuously monitor your local SEO performance, making adjustments to optimise results and align with your goals. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Link Detox URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/link-detox/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # Link Detox Don't let bad links hold your search rankings back. Get a Link Audit and Link Detox today. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why is a SEO Link Detox Required? Link detox refers to the thorough examination and subsequent elimination of detrimental (toxic) links that are interconnected with a website. Numerous website proprietors remain oblivious to the presence of such toxic links that direct towards their website. It is imperative to note that search engines, including Google, can impose penalties on websites associated with these malicious links, consequently adversely impacting the organic search keyword ranking positions. In simpler terms, it is of utmost importance to ensure the absence of any harmful links directing towards your website in order to achieve higher rankings. ## Our SEO services include: - Advanced SEO Keyphrase research - Advanced SEO Auditing - Advanced white-hat SEO Target Site Link Building - Advanced SEO Reporting Setup and Management - SEO Link Detox analysis and link disavowing - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Onsite usability tracking and analysis - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other SEO services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our link building consultants have **20 years **combined experience and we have helped business grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales with our expert link detox services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business get top positions in search engines and grow your traffic. ### Honest and affordable... We pride ourselves on our honesty and transparency from the very beginning when it comes to our services and what our clients can expect. Our proven track record speaks for itself, having successfully served a diverse range of clients across various industries. ### We are results-driven.. From day one, we look at improving your website traffic and your ROI (Return on Investment), whilst also deploying on-going SEO. ### What makes us different? We develop personalised SEO strategies and plans that cater to your need and your budget. We have years of experience and success with SEO management services. ## How can SEO services benefit you? ### Our Link Detox Process My website rankings are being affected by bad/toxic links - how can Odyssey New Media help? • Ideally a link detox is required regardless of whether you think your rankings are being penalised by bad links or not. • Unless your website has no links at all or is a brand-new website, you could be being penalised to some level for having bad/toxic links linking in to your website. • Many website owners have no idea how many bad links are linking into their website. Sometimes these links have accumulated over many years and can number into the 100s or even 1000s! • We have software that lets us extract all the links linking into their website so that we can then analyse all the links and try to remove them. • Our trained SEO experts are very experienced at analysing your entire backlink profile, identifying and removing the offending links so that you can cut your website free of the deadweight of bad/toxic links. ### The Process: Extracting Backlinks Extract all backlinks reported from Google through Google Webmaster Tools. Data Acquisition Combine this with backlink data we acquire through the use of our SEO link analysis software. Manual Review Manually analyse all links and categorise them (i.e. bad, poor, good etc.) Client Reporting Review the bad backlinks with the client and reach an agreement with regards to the links to be removed. Removal & Disavow Email the offending websites requesting removal of the bad backlinks and submitting a disavow file to Google to ignore these links. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Link Building URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/link-building/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # Link Building Is Your Website Not Being Found? Increase the visibility of your website with link building services. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## What Is Link Building? Link building, essentially, refers to the process of creating inbound links to a website with the aim of enhancing search engine rankings. The quantity and quality of links that point to a site are crucial ranking factors considered by major search engines such as Google. By utilising effective link building strategies, websites can significantly boost their online visibility and improve their overall search engine performance. **In other words, link building is all about getting other websites to link back to yours.** However, link building involves more than just acquiring high-quality and relevant links. It also encompasses enhancing brand awareness and positioning yourself as an expert in your field. This is typically achieved through the sharing of high-quality and useful content. Additionally, establishing strong connections with other reputable websites can significantly contribute to the success of your link building strategy. ## Our SEO Link Building Services Include - Competitor Backlink Analysis - Target Site Sourcing - Outreach & Negotiations - Paid Link Opportunity Recommendations - Converting Paid Link Opportunities - Organic Link Placements - Monthly Backlink Performance Reports ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why are SEO Link Building Services Required? Link building services are frequently required to strengthen your SEO endeavours. Even if your website boasts exceptional content, the absence of authoritative links from established websites can obstruct search engines and users from stumbling upon your website, making it considerably more challenging for them to do so. Generally, the more high-quality links you have pointing back to your site, the higher your site will rank in search engine results pages (SERPs). Since SERP real estate is limited, ranking higher can mean increased traffic and web visibility for your business. ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our link building consultants have 30+ years combined experience and we have helped business grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales with our expert link building services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business get top positions in search engines and grow your traffic. ### Link Building Experience We have been deploying link building strategies and services for over 20+ years, and our team has a wealth of experience and knowledge. We know what it takes to build high-quality links that will help improve your rankings, and we're always keeping up with the latest trends and algorithm changes to ensure that our methods are effective. ### We're results-oriented Our ultimate goal is to help our clients achieve their desired results, whether that's increasing traffic, generating leads, or improving sales. We'll work closely with you to develop a customised link building strategy that's tailored to your specific goals, and we'll track your progress along the way to ensure that we're meeting your needs. ### A commitment to excellence With over 30+ years of combined experience we know that it is essential to only use white hat methods that comply with Google, Bing and other search engine guidelines. We regularly review our internal processes and we work to best practices to ensure that we're getting the right links to your website to achieve the right results. ## How can SEO services benefit you? ### Our Link Building Process Link Building Services specialise in acquiring hyperlinks from external websites to your own, a critical component of Off-Page SEO. In the eyes of search engines like Google, every high-quality backlink acts as a vote of confidence for your brand's credibility. These services manage the demanding process of manual outreach, content creation, and digital PR to secure placements on authoritative sites within your industry. By increasing your website's domain authority, link building signals to algorithms that your content is trustworthy and valuable. The result is a significant boost in organic rankings, particularly for competitive keywords, along with increased referral traffic from relevant audiences. While great content is the foundation, link building is the fuel that propels it to the top. Essentially, these services bridge the gap between having a good website and having a market-leading one. ### The Process: Competitor Research Identify websites offering similar services or those with a placement within the same industry. Competitor Link Analysis An SEO tool is used to curate a list with the high-quality links competitors have attained. Outreach Contact is made with the linking websites enquiring into how a link can be placed on their domain. Link Placement Links are placed where possible, some opportunities may need budget while others may need ongoing link building. Summary Report Providing a summary to the client with information about links attained and potential paid opportunities. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## SEO Analysis URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/seo-analysis/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # SEO Analysis Maximise your SEO efforts. Get Expert SEO Analysis and Auditing. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why do business owners need SEO Analysis? For any business, the success of its online presence is dependent on effective search engine optimisation (SEO). It can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to SEO and what strategies will prove most beneficial. This is where SEO Analysis services come in. An SEO Analysis service helps business owners understand their website's current performance and identify areas for improvement in order to maximise visibility and increase traffic. With a comprehensive evaluation of your website, you can better optimise content, target keywords, and ensure that you are staying ahead of the curve when it comes to SEO best practices. Our SEO experts can perform our Advanced SEO Audit which can unearth any major issues which might be hindering your website from ranking as highly as it should be. The Odyssey New Media Advanced SEO Audit covers on-site SEO factors as well as server-side checks which are often overlooked by many web development and other SEO companies. ## Our SEO services include: - Advanced SEO Keyphrase research - Advanced SEO Auditing - Advanced white-hat SEO Target Site Link Building - Advanced SEO Reporting Setup and Management - SEO Link Detox analysis and link disavowing - SEO Content Development - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Onsite usability tracking and analysis - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other SEO services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our SEO analysis experts have 30+ years combined experience and we have helped business grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales with our expert SEO analysis services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business get top positions in search engines and grow your traffic. ### Honest & transparent From day one, our experts are transparent and honest about our service and expectations. We have a proven track record of various clients from different industries. ### We strive for results As a results-driven company, we take satisfaction in helping you to get the results you need. We look at improving your website traffic and ROI through on-going SEO. ### What makes us different? We understand that every business is different and that's why we develop personalised SEO strategies and plans that cater to your marketing needs and budget. ## How can SEO services benefit you? ### Our SEO Analysis Process We analyse a whole range of factors as part of our SEO analysis and advanced SEO audit. Here is a summary of what is analysed during SEO analysis by our SEO experts: **On-Site SEO** - We analyse your website and server-side SEO to identify areas in need of improvement. Areas analysed include: titles & meta-descriptions, onsite content, keyphrase density, mobile and desktop site speed and much more. **Off-Site SEO and Referral Backlinks** - As part of our SEO analysis, we will analyse your backlinks profile and highlight if it requires attention. Very often an additional SEO link detox is required to remove bad links. We will also perform gap analysis to show you how your link profile compares with your competitors' link profiles. **Social Metrics** - Google and the other search engines use Social Media as an indicator of brand authority and popularity. Brands which have more followers, more post likes, more reviews, more engagement and visits from social profiles generally rank better. Google and the other search engines use Social Metrics because it is hard to fake engagement. Therefore it is important that companies and brands invest in social media management in order to improve their SEO authority and rankings. **On-Site Usability Metrics** - How users behave once they visit your website through organic search as well as other channels is vitally important to how your website ranks in the SERPS. SEO means having great usability and therefore work is required to improve your onsite usability metrics. ### The Process: Comprehensive Website Audit Our SEO analysis starts with a detailed audit of your website to assess its performance. We evaluate technical aspects like site speed and mobile responsiveness, ensuring the site's architecture supports optimal functionality and user experience. Evaluation of On-Page Elements We closely examine on-page elements like meta tags, content quality, and keyword usage to ensure they align with SEO best practices. This optimisation improves search engine visibility and meets your target audience's expectations. Competitor Analysis Analysing competitors helps us benchmark your website against industry leaders. This step is key to identifying improvement areas, offering growth opportunities, and achieving strategic differentiation in the marketplace. Advanced Analytics Tools We use advanced analytics tools to gather data on traffic sources, user behavior, and conversion rates. This information helps us provide a detailed report with actionable insights to improve your digital strategy. Tailored SEO Strategy Development Using insights from our audit and analysis, we create a custom SEO strategy to boost your site's visibility. Our approach focuses on enhancing user experience and delivering measurable results to support your business goals. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Small Business SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/small-business-seo/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # Small Business SEO Every Small Business needs SEO to be found online.**Get Affordable SEO Services from Google certified experts. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## How can my Small Business benefit from SEO? The truth is, any business no matter how small needs to have SEO and to be found via Google and the other search engines through better rankings for their services and products. We've provided tailored services SEO for many small business. As a result of working with us, many have experienced definite growth and in several cases, their entire business has been transformed through the success they've experienced by having better rankings in the search engines. ## Our SEO services include: - Advanced SEO Keyphrase research - Advanced SEO Auditing - Advanced white-hat SEO Target Site Link Building - Advanced SEO Reporting Setup and Management - SEO Link Detox analysis and link disavowing - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Onsite usability tracking and analysis - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other SEO services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our SEO consultants have **20 years **combined experience and we have helped small business grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales with our expert small business SEO services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your small business get top positions in search engines and grow your traffic. Honest, reliable, affordable We are honest from day one about service and expectations. We have a proven track record with a range of existing clients from various industries. Delivering results since 2010 From day one, we look at improving your website traffic and your ROI (Return on Investment), whilst also deploying on-going SEO. What makes us different? We develop personalised SEO strategies and plans that cater to your need and your budget. We have years of experience and success with SEO management services. ## How can SEO services benefit you? ### Our Small Business SEO Process Implementing Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategies for your small business can yield several significant benefits. Here are some key advantages of investing in small business SEO: **Increased Online Visibility****: By optimising your website for search engines, you improve its chances of ranking higher in search results. This increased visibility helps potential customers find your business more easily, leading to enhanced brand exposure and website traffic. ****Targeted Website Traffic****: SEO allows you to target specific keywords and phrases relevant to your business. This targeted approach ensures that the traffic driven to your website comprises individuals actively searching for the products or services you offer, increasing the likelihood of conversions and sales. ****Cost-Effective Marketing****: Compared to traditional marketing methods, SEO is a cost-effective strategy for small businesses. It allows you to compete with larger competitors on a level playing field without spending exorbitant amounts on advertising. ****Builds Trust and Credibility****: Appearing in top search results instils trust and credibility in potential customers. When your website is displayed prominently, it signals that search engines consider it a reliable source of information, which can positively influence customers' perception of your brand. ****Long-Term Results****: SEO is a long-term strategy that can provide sustainable results over time. By consistently optimising your website and creating quality content, you increase your chances of maintaining high search rankings and driving continuous organic traffic to your business. ### The Process: Keyword Research & Analysis We start by researching keywords to find the most relevant and valuable ones for your small business. This includes analysing search volume, competition, and user intent to target keywords that drive traffic to your website. On-Page Optimisation We optimise your website's meta tags, headings, and content to ensure search engines understand its relevance. Through strategic keyword placement and technical improvements, we boost your website's visibility in search results. Content Creation & Optimisation Our team creates informative, engaging content tailored to your audience's needs and search intent. By naturally using targeted keywords, we boost your website's relevance and authority in search rankings. Link Building & Off-Page Optimisation We create a link building strategy to boost your website's authority and credibility. Using ethical methods, we secure high-quality backlinks from reputable sites, improving your visibility and rankings. Ongoing Monitoring & Analysis We monitor your SEO campaign, tracking keyword rankings, traffic, and user engagement. With regular reports, we make data-driven adjustments to optimise your small business SEO strategy for long-term success. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## eCommerce SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ecommerce-seo/ **Date:** 2025-11-06 # eCommerce SEO Enable more customers to find your online store with our expert eCommerce SEO services. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why do you need eCommerce SEO Services? Having an eCommerce website is a powerful way to reach customers online and boost product sales. However, if your site is hard to find or doesn't rank well for key search terms related to your products and categories, it can feel like your investment in building the website was wasted. Think of it this way: opening a shop in a hidden alley while all your potential customers are shopping on the busy high street will make it nearly impossible to drive sales. Similarly, ranking high on Google and other search engines is like placing your website where your customers are actively looking. Investing in eCommerce SEO services is one of the most effective ways to capitalise on the immense traffic generated by search rankings for your top product categories and terms. It ensures your website is not just online but positioned to attract and convert the right audience. ## Our SEO services include: - Advanced SEO Keyphrase research - Advanced SEO Auditing - Advanced white-hat SEO Target Site Link Building - Advanced SEO Reporting Setup and Management - SEO Link Detox analysis and link disavowing - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Onsite usability tracking and analysis - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other SEO services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. ** Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our SEO consultants have **20 years **combined experience and we have helped eCommerce businesses grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales with our expert eCommerce SEO services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your eCommerce business get top positions in search engines and grow your traffic. ### We're honest & realistic We understand that honest and transparancy are important so that our clients understand our service and so that we can manage their expectations. We have a proven track record with a range of existing eCommerce clients. ### We're results-driven From day one, our aim aligns with that of our eCommerce clients and we look at improving their eCommerce website positioning, traffic and overall ROI (Return on Investment), whilst also deploying on-going SEO that will ensure they continue to grow moving forwards into the future. ### 30+ years of experience With over 30+ years of combined experience we develop tailored eCommerce SEO strategies and plans that cater to our clients' needs and budgets. As a result we have helped many eCommerce clients improve their organic search rankings, traffic and sales. ## How can SEO services benefit you? ### Our eCommerce SEO Process Our eCommerce SEO services are designed to drive targeted traffic to your online store, boost your search engine visibility, and ultimately increase your sales. **Here are the key benefits of leveraging our expertise in eCommerce SEO:** **Improved Organic Rankings****: By implementing effective SEO strategies tailored specifically for eCommerce websites, we help you rank higher on search engine result pages. This increased visibility ensures that your products are more likely to be discovered by potential customers searching for relevant keywords. ****Increased Website Traffic****: Higher rankings and improved visibility lead to increased organic traffic to your eCommerce site. As more qualified visitors land on your website, you have a greater chance of converting them into paying customers, leading to improved sales and revenue. ****Enhanced User Experience****: Our eCommerce SEO services include optimising your website's structure, navigation, and user interface to provide a seamless and intuitive browsing experience. This improves customer satisfaction, increases time spent on your site, and reduces bounce rates, ultimately boosting your conversion rates. ### The Process: Keyword Research & Content Optimisation We identify high-performing keywords and optimise product pages, meta tags, headings, URLs, and content to align with your audience's search intent. Technical SEO We perform audits to fix issues like site speed, broken links, and crawlability while enhancing website performance with structured data. Content Strategy We create high-quality, engaging content, from blogs to product descriptions, to build trust and connect with your target audience. Link Building We secure quality backlinks to boost your website's authority, improve search rankings, and drive targeted traffic. Performance Monitoring We track key metrics like keyword rankings and traffic, providing detailed reports to refine strategies and deliver results. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## SEO Consultancy URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/seo-consultancy/ **Date:** 2025-11-03 # SEO Consultancy Get SEO Consultancy from Google qualified SEO experts. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why do I need SEO Consultancy Services? Businesses need SEO consultancy services to ensure their marketing strategies are effective and up-to-date. SEO is an ever-changing field, and what works today may not work tomorrow. Many businesses want to increase brand awareness and the traffic they receive from organic search which often comes due to of having good positions in the search engine results. Our SEO consultants can help you review your existing marketing strategy and identify areas where it could be improved. We can also assess your website and give you advice on how to make it more search-engine friendly. If you are thinking about launching a new website, our SEO experts can help you to plan and design it in a way that will maximise its chances of ranking highly in the search engines. In short, businesses need SEO consultancy services to stay ahead of the competition and make sure their marketing campaigns are as effective as possible. By working with an experienced and knowledgeable consultant, you can ensure that your business gets the most out of its marketing budget. ## Our SEO services include: - Advanced SEO Keyphrase research - Advanced SEO Auditing - Advanced white-hat SEO Target Site Link Building - Advanced SEO Reporting Setup and Management - SEO Link Detox analysis and link disavowing - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Onsite usability tracking and analysis - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other SEO services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our SEO consultants have 30+ years combined experience and we have helped business grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales with our expert SEO consultancy services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business get top positions in search engines and grow your traffic. ### SEO Industry Experience We are honest from day one about service and expectations. We have a proven track record with a range of existing clients from various industries. ### Results-Driven Specialists From day one, we look at improving your website traffic and your ROI (Return on Investment), whilst also deploying on-going SEO. ### Tailored SEO Consultancy We develop personalised SEO strategies and plans that cater to your need and your budget. We have years of experience and success with SEO management services. ## How can SEO services benefit you? ### Our Small Business SEO Process Our SEO consultancy process is meticulously crafted to deliver tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of our clients. This begins with a comprehensive audit of your website, assessing current performance, identifying issues, and uncovering opportunities for improvement. Through detailed analysis and competitor benchmarking, we set a strategic plan that aligns with your business goals. Our team conducts thorough keyword research to ensure your content targets the right audience and maximises reach. Implementation involves both on-page and off-page optimisation strategies, enhancing site architecture and increasing domain authority. We provide ongoing monitoring and detailed reporting, adjusting tactics as needed to achieve sustained growth and return on investment. Through collaboration and transparent communication, we ensure each client not only meets but exceeds their digital objectives. ### The Process: Understanding Your Business Aims Our SEO Consultancy involves analyzing your website and meeting with company owners or marketing managers to understand their needs and expectations. Analysis Of Your Current SEO We'll review your current SEO to identify areas needing improvement, conducting basic or advanced audits depending on the website's scope. Diagnosis & Reporting Results We'll have follow-up sessions to explain your SEO status and highlight areas for quick wins that can boost traffic and rankings. Formulating a Plan of Action We'll have follow-up sessions to explain your SEO status and highlight areas for quick wins that can boost traffic and rankings. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Merchant Centre's 'Creative Content' Drive Visibility With Video URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/11/merchant-centres-creative-content-drive-visibility-with-video/ **Date:** 2025-11-03 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** news, seo Google has rolled out a significant workflow-streamlining update within the Google Merchant Centre, introducing a dedicated "Creative Content" section. This new hub empowers brands to upload, manage, and map video assets directly to their product listings, promising a considerable boost to both paid and organic visibility across Google's entire ecosystem. ## **Key Features & Benefits** **1. Unified Creative Management** The standout benefit is the automatic synchronisation of uploaded videos. When you add a video here, it is instantly connected to the Google Ads asset library for any linked accounts. This dramatically simplifies creative management, allowing marketers to govern their product visuals and video collateral from a single location. **2. Enhanced Visibility** By linking high-quality video assets to specific products, brands can offer a richer and more engaging experience for potential customers. This enhanced content is designed to enhance a product's presence and discoverability across various Google surfaces, thereby strengthening brand storytelling throughout the shopping journey. **3. Flexible Video Sourcing** The Merchant Centre now accepts videos from multiple sources, allowing for maximum flexibility: - Your brand's website. - Social channels, including TikTok. - Content generated using Google's own Product Studio. **4. Intelligent Mapping** Users have the ability to map videos to individual product listings manually. Even more efficient is the support for AI-powered product mapping from connected YouTube channels, helping to automate the process for brands with large video libraries. ## **Where To Find It** If the feature is live in your account, you can locate the new section by navigating to: Creative content → Video assets (found just beneath Product Studio). This update is expected to be a real game-changer for performance, allowing early adopters to test how visual assets directly impact product discoverability and campaign performance metrics. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## SEO Management URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/seo-management/ **Date:** 2025-10-30 # SEO Management Dedicated monthly SEO management from Google qualified SEO experts [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Why do I need SEO Management Services? Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) gives businesses the chance to rank at the top of the search engines all the time without having to pay PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising revenues to Google, Bing and the other search engines. SEO management however is often complex and requires a lot of groundwork. SEO also requires a lot of experience, particularly with being able to collate extensive SEO key phrase research, analysing and adjusting website architecture, collating content and link building strategies as well as many other technical areas. Hence, many individuals and businesses choose to let an SEO agency manage their entire SEO campaigns. ## Our SEO services include: - Advanced SEO Keyphrase research - Advanced SEO Auditing - Advanced white-hat SEO Target Site Link Building - Advanced SEO Reporting Setup and Management - SEO Link Detox analysis and link disavowing - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Onsite usability tracking and analysis - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other SEO services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our SEO experts have 20 years combined experience and we have helped business grow their organic search visibility, traffic and sales with our expert SEO management services. We can help your business grow by improving your website's search engine ranking. We offer a variety of SEO services that will help you get more visibility online and attract more customers. ### We're honest and affordable We are honest from day one about service and expectations. We have a proven track record with a range of existing clients from various industries. ### We're results-driven From day one, we look at improving your website traffic and your ROI (Return on Investment), whilst also deploying on-going SEO. ### We're very experienced We develop personalised SEO strategies and plans that cater to your need and your budget. We have years of experience and success with SEO management services. ## How can SEO services benefit you? ### Our SEO Management Process There are a range of areas that require careful monitoring and management in order to have successful SEO campaign management, the main areas include: **SEO Key Phrase Research** - Quality key phrase research is crucial to understand the landscape and select the best target terms. **Website Architecture** - Use the key phrase research with website architecture analysis. Structure your site around top target terms, ensuring enough focused landing pages. **Advanced SEO Audit** - An advanced SEO audit is essential to identify onsite SEO elements needing attention. Implementation and management of changes are part of SEO management. **Link Building Strategy** - Links from other websites are like recommendations. We implement ongoing link building strategies to get quality links as part of your SEO management. **Content Development** - Landing pages should focus on a few target terms. Content must include the key phrases you want to rank for. We provide recommendations and can write content to make pages more focused. **Social Strategy** - Social media followers, engagement, and referrals boost your brand. Search engines often reward strong social presence with better rankings. Many companies lack activity on major networks. We offer social training and strategies as part of SEO management to grow your social presence. ### The Process: Understanding Your Business Aims SEO Consultancy with Odyssey New Media involves analysing your website and meeting with company owners or marketing managers to understand their needs and expectations. Analysis of Your Current SEO We will analyse your current SEO to pinpoint areas needing improvement. This can involve a basic or advanced SEO audit, depending on the website's scope and scale. Diagnosis & Findings of Your Current SEO Once we know which elements are required, we can then work with your business to formulate a plan and strategise how we can address the areas of SEO in need of attention. Formulating a Plan of Action Once we know which elements are required, we can then work with your business to formulate a plan and strategise how we can address the areas of SEO in need of attention. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## How to Get Your eCommerce Business Black Friday Ready URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/10/how-to-get-your-ecommerce-business-black-friday-ready/ **Date:** 2025-10-28 **Category:** Advertising | **Tags:** black friday, email marketing, google ads, meta ads, seo Black Friday can feel like the World Cup for eCommerce businesses. It's a day of massive traffic, huge sales potential, and intense competition. Success doesn't happen by accident, it's the result of careful planning and strategic execution that starts before the first customer clicks "add to basket." This guide will walk you through how to get your business ready, covering when to start and what channels to focus on for maximum impact. ## **When Should You Start Preparing for Black Friday?** Getting ready for Black Friday should ideally start as early as possible, but your exact timing will depend on the size of your business and the number of products you want to promote. For many eCommerce businesses, kicking off your preparations about a month before the big day is the sweet spot. This gives you enough time to refresh your website, line up marketing campaigns, and sort out your inventory without feeling rushed. Smaller stores with fewer products might be able to move faster, while larger retailers or those managing hundreds of SKUs will need to plan further in advance to ensure that everything runs smoothly. It's also becoming more common for businesses to launch their Black Friday deals up to a week ahead of the traditional date. Starting early helps capture shoppers who are eager to snag deals before the rush and spreads out the surge in orders, reducing pressure on your fulfilment and customer support teams. Early sales also help you stand out from competitors waiting for the official day, and give you time to adjust offers based on initial response. ## **Refresh Your Product and Category Pages** Your website serves as your digital storefront, especially during Black Friday, when it needs to shine brighter than ever. To earn customer trust and drive conversions, providing an exceptional user experience is essential. Start by refreshing your category pages and updating your product descriptions. Consider adding an FAQ section to address common concerns, highlight new features and benefits, and include any information that can help buyers make quick decisions. High-quality, professional images are a must, and if possible, adding videos to showcase your products in action can be a game-changer for hesitant shoppers. As you prepare for Black Friday, think about what potential customers will be searching for. Instead of simply typing "Black Friday deals" into search engines, they often use specific, intent-driven phrases such as "best gifts for dads," "wireless headphone Black Friday deals," or "vegan skincare gift sets under GBP 50." Consider creating blog posts or gift guides that target these long-tail keywords. For instance, a post titled "Top 10 Black Friday Tech Deals for 2025" or "The Ultimate Vegan Skincare Gift Guide for Black Friday" can start ranking in search results just in time for the shopping frenzy. When you add new content and refresh old material, remember to optimise everything for Black Friday. Integrate relevant keywords throughout your site, particularly on product or category pages featuring these deals. Additionally, consider creating a new category page dedicated solely to Black Friday deals. On this page, you can optimise it with relevant keywords associated with Black Friday. To build trust and enhance conversions, prominently display customer reviews for your products. Shoppers are more likely to make a purchase when they see genuine feedback from others. Make it easy for customers to leave reviews, and consider gathering testimonials on platforms like Google and Trustpilot to boost your credibility. Reviews not only reassure potential buyers but also help improve your SEO, allowing your site to rank higher during this competitive shopping event. As you get ready for Black Friday, use this checklist to give your product and category pages a competitive edge: - Refresh meta titles with phrases like "sale" or "Black Friday Deal". - Update meta descriptions to highlight timely offers. - Optimise on-page content for clarity and relevant keywords. - Refresh product descriptions with benefits and up-to-date information. - Add clear, descriptive alt text to images for improved SEO. - Add new, high-quality images and videos to better showcase products. - Include an FAQ section if common customer questions arise. - Create a space for customers to leave reviews directly on your page. - Encourage customers to leave Google and Trustpilot reviews. ## **Amazon Advertising** A great platform to market your products during Black Friday is Amazon, as they introduced the holiday to the UK. **Refresh Your Amazon Listings** If you do not currently have Amazon listings for your products, we recommend creating them. Treat your Amazon product listings with the same care as your own website, by refreshing your content specific to Amazon's search engine. - **Titles:** Amazon's search algorithm heavily weighs the title. Include your main keywords, brand, product type, key features (like material or size), and colour. Make it descriptive and easy to read. - **Bullet Points:** Use the bullet points to highlight the most important benefits and features. Think like a customer: what would convince you to buy? Mention warranty (if applicable), materials, key uses, and what problem it solves. - **A+ Content:** If you are a brand-registered seller, use A+ Content (Enhanced Brand Content) to add rich images and text to your product description. This is your chance to tell your brand story and visually showcase your product in action, which can significantly increase conversion rates. - **Backend Keywords:** Fill out the backend search term fields with keywords you couldn't fit into your title or bullet points. Include synonyms, related terms, and common misspellings. - **Reviews:** Products that have great reviews seem to float to the top. Try to get reviews on your products. **Create Compelling Amazon Ads** A powerful tool for getting in front of motivated buyers is Amazon Advertising. This could help you get a few more sales, as Amazon will prioritise your products. - **Sponsored Products:** These ads appear in search results and on product detail pages. Focus your budget on your top-performing products and those with the best Black Friday offers. Use both automatic campaigns (to discover new keywords) and manual campaigns (to target specific, high-converting keywords). - **Sponsored Brands:** These ads feature your brand logo, a custom headline, and multiple products. Use them to drive traffic to your Amazon Storefront or a custom landing page featuring your Black Friday deals. A headline like "Save up to 40% on Your Brand's Winter Collection" can be very effective. - **Sponsored Display:** These ads can retarget shoppers who have viewed your products but didn't purchase, both on and off Amazon. This is perfect for reminding potential customers about your deals during the peak shopping week. Start your campaigns before Black Friday to gather data and optimise your bids. As the day approaches, be prepared to increase your daily budgets to stay competitive. ## **Meta Ads** Another excellent platform to market your products during Black Friday is Facebook and Instagram. These platforms serve as discovery tools where you can create demand and encourage impulse purchases. **Warm Up Your Audiences** Don't wait until Black Friday to start running ads. Use October and early November to run brand awareness and engagement campaigns. Share valuable content, run contests, or promote your gift guides. The goal is to build warm audiences of people who have engaged with your brand. These audiences are people who have watched your videos, liked your posts, or visited your website and will convert at a much higher rate when you show them your Black Friday offers. **Use Dynamic Product Ads** If you have a large product catalogue, Dynamic Product Ads are essential. These ads automatically show products to people who have viewed them on your website. For Black Friday, you can create a specific catalogue of sale items and serve ads that highlight the discount. Seeing an ad for the exact product they were considering, now with a 30% discount, is a powerful motivator. **Craft Scroll-Stopping Creatives** The Meta feed is a crowded space. Your creative needs to stand out. Use high-quality video, eye-catching carousels, and clear, bold text overlays. Make the offer unmissable. A simple graphic stating "Black Friday: 50% Off Everything" is often more effective than a subtle, artistic image. Test different creatives and copy combinations early to see what resonates with your audience. ## **Google Ads** When shoppers know what they want, they go to Google. Your Google Ads campaigns need to be perfectly tuned to capture this high-intent traffic. **Structure Your Campaigns for Black Friday** Create separate campaigns specifically for Black Friday. This gives you greater control over budgets, bidding, and ad copy. You can easily switch these campaigns on before the event and off afterwards without disrupting your year-round "business as usual" campaigns. Use ad extensions to make your ads more prominent and informative. Sitelink extensions can direct users to your main deals page, specific categories, or gift guides. Price extensions can showcase specific product deals directly in the ad, while promotion extensions highlight your special offers, like "30% off all knitwear." **Optimise Your Bidding and Budget** Competition on Google Ads skyrockets during Black Friday, and so do costs-per-click (CPCs). Be prepared to increase your daily budgets significantly to avoid having your campaigns stop running midday. Consider using Smart Bidding strategies like Target ROAS (Return On Ad Spend) or Maximise Conversion Value. These automated strategies use machine learning to adjust your bids in real-time to help you get the most value from your ad spend. **Write Compelling Ad Copy** Your ad copy should create a sense of urgency and clearly state the offer. Include your Black Friday keywords in the headlines and description. Phrases like "Limited Time," "Ends Monday," or "While Stocks Last" encourage immediate action. For example, a headline could be "Black Friday Sneaker Sale - Up to 50% Off," followed by a description that mentions free shipping and highlights the limited-time nature of the deal. ## **Email Marketing** Your email list is one of your most valuable assets. It's a direct line to an audience that already knows and trusts you. **Build Anticipation and Segment Your List** Start teasing your Black Friday deals in early November. Create a sense of excitement with "sneak peek" emails. You could even offer early access to your VIP customers, those who have purchased frequently or spent the most. This not only rewards loyalty but also helps you spread out demand and test your website's stability before the main rush. Segment your audience based on past purchase behaviour, engagement, or interests. A customer who has only ever bought menswear shouldn't receive emails promoting your womenswear deals. Personalised emails that cater to a subscriber's specific interests will always perform better than a generic "blast to all" campaign. **Craft Irresistible Offers and Emails** Your email design should be clean, mobile-friendly, and focused on the offer. Use a strong, clear call-to-action (CTA) button like "Shop The Sale" or "Claim My 30% Off." Create a sense of urgency with countdown timers that show how much time is left on the offer. Plan a sequence of emails for the entire Black Friday weekend: - **The Teaser:** Sent a week before, hinting at what's to come. - **The Early Access:** Sent to your VIP list a day before the main sale. - **The Launch:** Sent the morning of Black Friday as soon as the sale goes live. - **The Reminder:** Sent on Black Friday evening to those who haven't purchased yet. - **The Extension:** An email for Cyber Monday, perhaps with a slightly different offer. ### **Need Help with Your Black Friday Promotion?** Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping events of the year, and we're here to help you make the most of it. Whether you need expert [**SEO strategies**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/) to boost your search rankings, [**PPC campaigns**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/ppc/) to drive targeted traffic, or tailored advertising solutions to maximise your reach, our team has you covered. Let us take the stress out of your Black Friday marketing so you can focus on what matters most. [**Get in touch**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) with our experts today. --- ## The Team URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/about-us/the-team/ **Date:** 2025-10-16 # The Team Grow your business and save time with a seamless experience [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ### 95% Client retention ### 60+ Five Star Google Reviews ### 20+ Years Experience ### 200+ Satisfied Clients ### Robert Founder & CEO ### James CTO ### Bernard Business Development ### Alex Digital Account Manager ### Martin Digital Marketing Executive ### Thomas Digital Marketing Executive ### Matt Branding & Design ### Mark Graphic Design ### Hannah Jones Digital Marketing Executive ### Daniel Lead Developer ### Jim Accounts Manager ### Helen Credit Control Officer # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Careers URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/about-us/careers/ **Date:** 2025-10-16 # Careers Be a part of the innovation that revolutionises the way businesses grow. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Join the Odyssey New Media Team We're seeking motivated individuals who are passionate about making a difference in digital marketing. Digital Marketing refers to a form of advertising that is delivered through online channels such as search engines, websites, social media platforms, email campaigns, as well as mobile and web applications. Whilst traditional forms of marketing still exist, digital marketing is on the forefront when it comes to creating engagement with customers, reaching a broader audience, and increasing brand presence. If you're interested in working at Odyssey New Media, then please get in touch with us and send us your CV. Recognised awards: 10+ Our commitment to innovation and quality has earned us 10+ prestigious awards. Projects completed: 500+ We've delivered 500 successful projects and campaigns across a wide variety of industry sectors. Years of experience: 20+ Our team offers unparalleled expertise and a collaborative environment. Team nights out: 75+ We believe in fostering a strong community spirit, team bonding in key to our culture. ## Fulfil your potential If you're motivated, ambitious, and just as determined as we are, then you'll find the perfect place to grow with us. We believe in creating an environment where talent is nurtured, ideas are valued, and every individual has the opportunity to make a real impact. Here, you won't just be another team member - you'll be part of a culture that champions creativity, collaboration, and continuous learning. We'll challenge you to push boundaries, support you in developing your skills, and give you the space to thrive both professionally and personally. ### Excellent Birmingham Location with Transport Links ### Dedicated Training and Development Time ### Culture Built on Hard Work, Teamwork and Trust ### Quarterly Team Social Events to Bond and Relax ## Available positions ### Apprentice View details ### Managing Director View details ### CFO View details ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Contact Us URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/ **Date:** 2025-10-16 # Contact We help businesses reduce marketing spend and improve results. Get in touch today to take your digital marketing to the next level. ### Lets talk - [ 0121 439 5450 ](tel:0121 439 5450) - **Head office:** Office #0009, The Old Bus Garage, Harborne Lane, Selly Oak, Birmingham, B29 6SN ### Get in touch Complete the form below and one of our experts will get in touch with you to discuss your enquiry. Name* Email* Phone* Company Website Message* Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. HP Name Submit --- ## Google Unveils Gemini-Powered Ad Formats Tailored For AI Mode URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/ **Date:** 2026-05-22 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** ai, google, google ads # Accreditations & Awards 15 years of delivering and implementing tailored digital marketing strategies. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) Odyssey New Media have over 20+ years of experience in delivering and implementing tailored digital marketing strategies for all types of businesses in the UK and internationally. ## Awards & Accreditations 2023 We were announced as one of the Top Digital Marketing Agencies overall by Agency Spotter. 2019 We were announced as the winner of the 'Digital Agency of the Year 2019' award, an award based on nominations by several clients who had shown evidence that their business was established within the Birmingham area. Google Partners We are a Google Partner, employing Google-qualified individuals to help us deliver the highest level of service. Ads Certified We are Google Ads Certified and Bing Ads Accredited. RAR Recommended We are also a RAR Recommended Agency. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Latest from the blog [ ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/06/how-website-speed-impacts-seo-rankings-and-conversions/) ### [ How Website Speed Impacts SEO, Rankings, and Conversions ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/06/how-website-speed-impacts-seo-rankings-and-conversions/) Hannah Jones June 11, 2026 In today's digital world, users expect websites to load almost instantly. Whether on a desktop, tablet, or mobile device, users rarely tolerate slow response pages. Research consistently shows that even... [ Read more ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/06/how-website-speed-impacts-seo-rankings-and-conversions/) [ ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/) ### [ Google Unveils Gemini-Powered Ad Formats Tailored For AI Mode ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/) Hannah Jones May 22, 2026 During the annual Google Marketing Live event, Google showcased the future of commercial integration in generative search. The company unveiled two upcoming ad formats engineered specifically for its AI Mode... [ Read more ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Google Unveils Gemini-Powered Ad Formats Tailored For AI Mode URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/ **Date:** 2026-05-22 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** ai, google, google ads # About Us A Digital Marketing Company with a full range of services [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## We help grow your business Established in 2010, Odyssey New Media are a leading Digital Marketing Agency. With over 20 years of experience, we know how to tailor strategies which utilise the best digital marketing and media channels to help your business. We provide a wide range of services that help businesses increase their revenue and achieve good return on their marketing spend. ## A full service digital agency SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Achieving higher search positions for keywords that are likely to generate enquiries and sales is a crucial aspect of effective search engine optimisation (SEO). PPC and Paid Search Advertising PPC (Pay-Per-Click) and Paid Search Advertising are powerful digital marketing strategies that place your business at the top of search engine results when potential customers are actively looking for your products or services. Social Media Management To engage stakeholders effectively, it's vital to integrate online and offline communications across social networks, ensuring everyone stays informed, connected, and aligned for success. Website Design and Development We provide expert project management for SEO-optimised, social-ready websites - combining functionality, design, and user experience to strengthen your online presence. Mobile Design and App Development Mobile search and usage is increasing. It's therefore important to ensure your site has a mobile friendly version for mobile users as well as taking advantage of mobile applications which can help target and increase brand awareness in the ready-made market places for Mobile Apps. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Latest from the blog [ ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/06/how-website-speed-impacts-seo-rankings-and-conversions/) ### [ How Website Speed Impacts SEO, Rankings, and Conversions ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/06/how-website-speed-impacts-seo-rankings-and-conversions/) Hannah Jones June 11, 2026 In today's digital world, users expect websites to load almost instantly. Whether on a desktop, tablet, or mobile device, users rarely tolerate slow response pages. Research consistently shows that even... [ Read more ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/06/how-website-speed-impacts-seo-rankings-and-conversions/) [ ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/) ### [ Google Unveils Gemini-Powered Ad Formats Tailored For AI Mode ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/) Hannah Jones May 22, 2026 During the annual Google Marketing Live event, Google showcased the future of commercial integration in generative search. The company unveiled two upcoming ad formats engineered specifically for its AI Mode... [ Read more ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/seo/ **Date:** 2025-10-16 # SEO 91% of all clicks to websites happen on the 1st page of Google. Make sure you're found at the top. [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Increase your website traffic with SEO services We understand the importance of being visible in organic search engine results to boost your website traffic and sales. That's why we offer a comprehensive range of SEO services to suit any budget. Our dedicated team of SEO consultants can craft high-quality campaigns from scratch or enhance specific elements of your existing strategy. Whether you're in retail, finance, healthcare, or any other sector, we have the expertise to drive your business forward. We also provide detailed reporting and analysis to ensure your SEO campaigns remain effective, making necessary adjustments to keep up with ever-changing search engine algorithms. Trust Odyssey New Media to keep you at the cutting edge of SEO practices and help you achieve sustained growth. ## Our SEO services include: - Advanced SEO Keyphrase research - Advanced SEO Auditing - Advanced white-hat SEO Target Site Link Building - Advanced SEO Reporting Setup and Management - SEO Link Detox analysis and link disavowing - Analytics setup, customisation and goal tracking - Onsite usability tracking and analysis - Social Media Training, Strategies and Implementation - Plus many other SEO services available... ### Make an Enquiry Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit ## Why choose Odyssey New Media? Our SEO consultants have 30+ years combined experience and we have helped businesses grow their organic search (SEO) visibility, traffic and sales with our expert SEO services. With our proven, methodology and techniques Odyssey New Media can help your business get top positions in search engines and grow your traffic. ### Transparent & affordable We pride ourselves on being honest with clients before starting any SEO campaign so that expectations can remain realistic and managed. We also pride ourselvs on being transparent throughout so our clients know exactly what activity is being focused on to improve their organic search rankings, traffic and leads. ### SEO results since 2010 Odyssey New Media has been trusted to delivery SEO services and results since 2010. We help create effective SEO-friendly websites and apps, followed by the implementation of SEO and digital marketing strategies that produce successful SEO results. We also aim to be as affordable as possible. ### What makes us different? Our experts at Odyssey New Media are committed to understanding the SEO landscape, keeping up with the latest algorithm changes and relaying this to our clients so that we can meet their SEO project requirements as much as possible. ## How can SEO services benefit you? ### The Benefits: Search Engine Optimisation involves improving your website to achieve higher rankings in search like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. These search engines use complex algorithms to evaluate numerous factors for each site. Websites that perform well in these evaluations get higher positions in the organic, non-paid search results. By Ranking higher on the search results page, your website gains more visibility and higher click through rate (CTR) from potential customers. Essentially, SEO helps your website achieve betters rankings in natural search results, driving more long-term traffic without needing to pay for positions. This makes SEO crucial for maintaining an online presence and attracting more visitors to your site. ### The Process: Initial Consultation Developing and maintaining software applications, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and implementing new features and enhancements. Onboarding & Setup Once signed up, we will set up your account with us and website reporting. Strategy Implementation We will then implement the strategies discussed and plan out work. Campaign Execution At this stage, we will begin working on campaign deliverables. Reporting & Refinement We will deliver monthly SEO report to highlight the performance. # Are you ready to break new ground? We will get you there. [ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Google Unveils Gemini-Powered Ad Formats Tailored For AI Mode URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/ **Date:** 2026-05-22 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** ai, google, google ads # Growing Businesses Fast An Award-Winning Agency Providing Digital Marketing and Web Development Services. Convert Your Clicks into Customers. Increase enquiries and sales Improve website usability Increase website traffic [ Talk to us ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Fuel the next chapter of your journey Utilising our 30+ years of combined experience, we expertly tailor strategies to maximise the power of online marketing and media channels. We pride ourselves on delivering strategic, comprehensive digital solutions tailored to achieving your unique business objectives. Our expertise covers the full spectrum of online marketing services, including SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), PPC (Pay-Per-Click), social media management, web design and development, mobile application development, and more. Drive more traffic, increase revenue, and maximise your marketing ROI. Experience outstanding results with our proven strategies. Honest and affordable We pride ourselves on being honest with companies and clients before starting any digital development or online marketing project whilst trying to stay affordable and flexible with all budgets. Delivering results since 2010 Odyssey New Media has been trusted since 2010. We help create effective websites, apps and implement digital marketing strategies that produce successful results. Digital marketing experts Our experts at Odyssey New Media are committed to understanding the needs of every one of our clients and their project requirements in as much detail as possible. ## A full service digital agency ### SEO Want to rank higher on Google? We implement proven strategies to boost your organic traffic, ensuring your business is found by the right people at the right time. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/seo/) ### PPC Get instant visibility and immediate results. We create targeted pay-per-click campaigns that drive qualified traffic and maximise your return on ad spend. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ppc/) ### Web Design First impressions matter. We craft stunning, user-friendly websites that reflect your brand identity and provide a seamless experience for your visitors. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/website-design/) ### Social Media Build a community around your brand. We create engaging content that resonates with your audience and amplifies your voice across the platforms that matter most. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media/) ### Local SEO Dominate your local market. We optimise your Google Business Profile and local citations to attract nearby customers actively searching for your services. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/local-seo/) ### Link Building Build authority and trust. We secure high-quality backlinks from reputable sources to boost your domain authority and climb the search engine results pages. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/link-building/) ### SEO Management Let us handle the complexities of search algorithms. Our management ensures your rankings remain stable and your traffic continues to grow month over month. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/seo-management/) ### PPC Management Maximise ROI without the stress. We constantly monitor and optimise your campaigns to ensure every penny of your budget is working hard for you. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ppc-management/) ### Social Media Management Consistency is key to growth. We handle your posting schedule and community interaction, ensuring your brand stays active and engaged 24/7. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-management/) ### Social Media Setup Start on the right foot. We handle the account creation, branding, and initial profile optimisation to ensure you make the right first impression from day one. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-setup/) ### SEO Consultancy Need expert guidance? We provide strategic insights and roadmaps to help your internal team navigate the ever-changing landscape of search engine optimisation. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/seo-consultancy/) ### eCommerce SEO Turn browsers into buyers. We optimise your product pages and site structure to increase visibility in shopping results and drive revenue for your online store. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ecommerce-seo/) ### Link Detox Protect your reputation. We identify and remove harmful backlinks that could be penalising your site, restoring your standing with search engines. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/link-detox/) ### Product Listing Ads Showcase your inventory directly in search results. Drive higher click-through rates and sales with visually compelling shopping ads that feature your products. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/product-listing-ads/) ### Remarketing Don't lose potential customers. We re-engage visitors who left your site without buying, keeping your brand top-of-mind and encouraging them to return. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/remarketing/) ### Display Advertising Build brand awareness visually. We design and place eye-catching banner ads across relevant websites to capture attention and drive interest. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/display-advertising/) ### Bing Advertising Reach a unique audience often overlooked by competitors. We help you tap into the Bing network to capture additional market share at a competitive cost. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/bing-advertising/) ### Social Media Consultancy Strategic advice for social success. We help you define your voice, choose the right platforms, and develop a content strategy that actually converts. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-consultancy/) ### Social Media Advertising Laser-focused targeting for real results. We run paid social campaigns that reach your ideal customer demographics based on their specific interests and behaviors. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/social-media-advertising/) ### Mobile App Development Put your business in their pocket. We develop intuitive mobile apps that enhance customer loyalty and offer unique utility to your users. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/mobile-app-development/) ### WordPress Web Design Flexible, scalable, and easy to manage. We build custom WordPress sites that look great and give you full control over your content. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/wordpress-web-design/) ### eCommerce Web Design Design that sells. We build attractive online stores optimised for user experience, ensuring a smooth path from product discovery to checkout. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ecommerce-web-design/) ### eCommerce Web Dev Powerful functionality for your shop. We develop robust backend solutions to handle inventory, payments, and complex integrations seamlessly. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/ecommerce-web-development/) ### Shopify Web Design Launch your store with confidence. We specialise in creating beautiful, high-converting Shopify themes tailored specifically to your brand and products. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/shopify-web-design/) ### Elementor Web Design Visual editing made easy. We utilise Elementor to create dynamic, pixel-perfect layouts that allow for rapid development and easy future updates. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/elementor-web-design/) ### Mobile Web Design Capture the mobile market. We design responsive sites that look and perform perfectly on smartphones and tablets, ensuring you never miss a lead. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/mobile-website-design/) ### Landing Page Design Convert traffic into leads. We design high-impact landing pages focused on a single goal: getting your visitors to take action immediately. [ More info ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/landing-page-design/) ### Banner Design Get click-worthy visuals. We create professional digital banners that grab attention and drive traffic to your specific campaigns or offers. 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[ Let's get started ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/) ## Latest from the blog [ ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/06/how-website-speed-impacts-seo-rankings-and-conversions/) ### [ How Website Speed Impacts SEO, Rankings, and Conversions ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/06/how-website-speed-impacts-seo-rankings-and-conversions/) Hannah Jones June 11, 2026 In today's digital world, users expect websites to load almost instantly. Whether on a desktop, tablet, or mobile device, users rarely tolerate slow response pages. Research consistently shows that even... [ Read more ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/06/how-website-speed-impacts-seo-rankings-and-conversions/) [ ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/) ### [ Google Unveils Gemini-Powered Ad Formats Tailored For AI Mode ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/) Hannah Jones May 22, 2026 During the annual Google Marketing Live event, Google showcased the future of commercial integration in generative search. The company unveiled two upcoming ad formats engineered specifically for its AI Mode... [ Read more ](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2026/05/google-unveils-gemini-powered-ad-formats-tailored-for-ai-mode/) ## Get in touch Name* Email* Phone* Budget Message Terms* By ticking this box, I understand and accept that my personal data will be utilised for the purpose of contacting me in relation to my enquiry. Odyssey New Media may also send me interesting digital marketing and promotional newsletters or information by email and phone. See also our privacy policy. Submit --- ## Google's Eases Rules For Prescription Drug Advertising URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/10/googles-new-certification-for-prescription-drug-advertising/ **Date:** 2025-10-15 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** ads, advice, digital tips, google, google ads Google is introducing a major policy overhaul for prescription drug advertising on Google Ads, requiring advertisers to obtain certification to target related keywords. This marks a significant shift for healthcare and legal marketers. The update was initially noticed by Higman after he shared a letter from Google he received on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/anthony-higman-a3656a46_pretty-wild-google-ads-update-related-to-activity-7383903634528350208-Y7zS/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAB0N7MBstWf5SblEci2G1F3WzMSeIW1b7s), as seen below in the screenshot. ## Key Policy Details - **Effective Date:** Enforcement begins on 29 October 2025, with a gradual ramp-up over four to six weeks. Advertisers will receive a seven-day warning before any account suspension. - **Certification is Mandatory:** Advertisers must now be certified to keyword-target prescription drug terms in their ads, landing pages, and keywords. Previously, keywords were considered "fair game," making this a substantial change, especially for mass tort advertisers. - **Geographical Rules:** **United States, Canada, and New Zealand:** Prescription drug promotion is permitted provided it complies with local laws, but certification is now required for keyword targeting. This rule applies to online pharmacies, telemedicine providers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. - **Everywhere Else:** The promotion of prescription drugs is generally banned. Only non-promotional uses-such as public health notices or academic research-are permitted, although certain certified businesses may still be allowed to keyword-target these terms. ## Industry Reaction and Impact The update has been met with a mixed or unhappy response from the industry. Many concerns have been raised over the practical implementation of the rule, particularly how certification will interact with broad or phrase match keywords and automated campaigns like Performance Max (PMax). This change is expected to lead to higher compliance costs and stricter oversight for healthcare marketers, ushering in a compliance-first era for advertising in this sector. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Could ChatGPT Have A Checkout Feature? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/10/could-chatgpt-have-a-checkout-feature/ **Date:** 2025-10-08 **Category:** Artificial Intelligence | **Tags:** advice, ai, CHATGPT, digital tips The traditional customer journey is always changing. For years, digital marketing experts have said that the AIDA (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action) model optimises for clicks, website traffic, and a multi-step checkout process. Yet, with the rise of conversational artificial intelligence, particularly models like ChatGPT, a concept is emerging that threatens to collapse this entire structure: Instant Checkout. While ChatGPT does not yet have a physical "checkout button," industry discussions, such as the one you referenced, are focused on a future where AI facilitates the entire purchasing journey, from research to transaction, in a single, frictionless conversational step. This isn't merely an update to e-commerce; it's a foundational change to the geometry of the sales funnel. For marketers, the time for adaptation is not tomorrow; it is now. ## **Deconstructing "Instant Checkout" in the Age of AI** The term "Instant Checkout" here extends far beyond a one-click payment button. In the context of [generative AI](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2025/08/18/the-rise-of-generative-ai-a-new-era-for-seo/), it represents a seamless, zero-friction conversion driven entirely by an intelligent agent. Imagine a customer querying the AI: "I need a new pair of durable, ethical running trainers for road use under GBP 150." In the current model, the AI might return search results or a list of brands, forcing the customer to visit multiple websites, compare specifications, read reviews, and input payment details. In the "Instant Checkout" model, the AI agent performs all these steps simultaneously: - **Aggregating Research:** It cross-references product databases, pricing information, real-time stock levels, and independent reviews. - **Determining Intent:** It understands the user's specific criteria (durable, ethical, road use, price cap). - **Executing Transaction:** It selects the statistically _best_ match, asks for simple confirmation, and executes the purchase via securely stored payment credentials or a linked digital wallet. The entire Interest and Desire phases of the traditional funnel become an opaque, algorithmic black box. The customer moves directly from Awareness (or need recognition) to Action (the instant purchase). For brands, this loss of visibility over the crucial comparison stage is the ultimate disruptor. If the AI doesn't recommend you, you do not exist in the decision-making process. ## **The Funnel Collapse: From AIDA to AI-Driven Decision** The marketing funnel isn't just contracting; its core mechanics are shifting. **1. Awareness: The New Battleground for Discovery** Awareness remains vital, but its definition changes. Marketers are no longer fighting for the top of the search engine results page_ _(SERP); they are fighting for inclusion in the _AI's knowledge graph_. If a customer asks the AI, "What is the best coffee machine under GBP 50?", the AI needs to have instant, verifiable data on your machine. This makes SEO, or rather, AI Optimisation (AIO), a data-structuring challenge. Brands must ensure their product data-features, benefits, pricing, and availability is clear, unambiguous, and easily consumed by large language models (LLMs). This means making heavy investments in schema markup, structured data, and authoritative, non-promotional content to train the AI to trust your brand as a factual source. **2. Interest and Desire: The Black Box** This is where the major paradigm shift occurs. In the past, marketers used persuasive copy, retargeting ads, and personalised emails to nudge a customer from interest to desire. Now, the AI performs this entire deliberation internally. **Marketers no longer sell to the consumer at this stage; they must sell to the algorithm.** The AI makes decisions based on objective, quantifiable metrics: trust signals (reviews, sustainability reports), price/feature comparison, and historical success rates. This means the creative, emotional brand work-while still crucial for initial awareness-needs to be supported by unassailable proof points. Your product reviews need to be outstanding. Your specifications must be accurate. Your returns policy must be fair. **3. Action: The Instant Conversion** The action is executed with zero friction. The customer skips creating an account, filling out forms, or even thinking about shipping preferences. The implication is that the primary conversion goal for a brand shift is to move from "get a click to the checkout page" to "achieve the conversational recommendation." ## **Strategic Pillars for the Conversational Commerce Era** To survive and thrive in this new landscape, marketing efforts must pivot across three fundamental strategic pillars. **Pillar 1: Optimisation for AI Discovery (AIO)** Marketers must become proficient at speaking the AI's language. - **Knowledge Graph Clarity:** Your brand must be a clearly defined entity in the digital world. Utilise **Google's Knowledge Graph** and similar authoritative data structures. Ensure your company description, CEO, physical locations, and key selling propositions are consistent across all platforms. - **Structured Data Mastery:** Go beyond basic product schema. Implement rich snippets for reviews, availability, and specific features (e.g., "washable," "vegan-friendly," "energy-rated"). The AI should be able to instantly compare your product's attributes with your competitor's without visiting your site. - **The Content Shift:** Content marketing must move from 'Top-of-Funnel' persuasion to authority. Instead of writing a 2,000-word blog post titled "Why Our Product is Best," write a factual, comprehensive guide on "How to Choose the Right Running Trainer," where your product naturally and objectively emerges as the superior choice based on facts and data the AI can trust. **Pillar 2: Extreme Brand Salience and Reputation Management** In a world of instantaneous, non-transparent decisions, the AI will default to the most trusted, safest option. Trust becomes the highest currency. - **Authenticity Over Volume:** A proliferation of low-quality, paid-for reviews will be filtered out by sophisticated LLMs. Investment must be placed in generating genuine, high-quality, and detailed user-generated content (UGC). - **Public Relations as Conversion:** Non-promotional mentions in reputable media outlets, academic papers, or industry reports become more valuable than banner ads. These are powerful trust signals that the AI factors into its recommendation algorithm. - **Ethical Footprint:** Since AIs are often programmed with ethical weights (e.g., favouring sustainable or fair-trade options), ensuring your brand's ethical sourcing and labour practices are well-documented and publicly accessible is now a direct conversion driver. **Pillar 3: The Post-Purchase Relationship & CRM** If the AI controls the acquisition, the only reliable, direct channel left for a marketer is the post-purchase relationship. - **Retention as the New Acquisition:** Loyalty schemes and exceptional customer service become paramount. A satisfied, retained customer is much more likely to prompt the AI with a request like, "Re-order my last purchase from Brand X," bypassing the entire competitive search process. - **The Power of First-Party Data:** The conversion data (who bought what, when, and where) will remain proprietary to the brand. This first-party data must be used to fuel hyper-personalised customer relationship management (CRM) strategies, offering timely refills, upgrades, or complementary products directly through email or app notifications, channels the AI does not yet fully intermediate. ## **Tactical Adjustments: Where Marketing Budgets Must Shift** This shift requires a tactical reallocation of resources. - **PPC: A Bid for Recommendation:** Traditional Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads might be replaced by a new bidding model: paying to be included in the AI's top recommendation set. This is not a banner ad but a subtle sponsorship of the conversational answer itself. Marketers will need to become experts at bidding not on keywords, but on intent scenarios (e.g., "durable ethical running trainers"). - **Analytics: Conversational Attribution:** The current method of tracking a customer's journey using UTMs or cookies will become obsolete. New KPIs are needed to measure Conversational Attribution, which involves tracking a sale that never visited the brand's website until the final confirmation page. This will require deep integration and data sharing with the AI providers to understand the _prompt_ that led to the conversion. 'AI Recommendation Rate' and 'Prompt-to-Purchase Lead Time' will become standard metrics. - **The Ethical Consideration:** When an AI suggests a brand, transparency is key. If a brand pays to be the AI's preferred recommendation, regulators and consumers will demand disclosure. Marketers must pre-empt this by ensuring any paid placement is clearly signalled to avoid damaging the trust, the very element that led to the recommendation. ## **The Challenges Ahead** The road to conversational commerce is not without substantial hurdles. - **Data Monopoly:** The AI providers (OpenAI, Google, Meta, etc.) will control the new path to purchase, creating a potential choke point. Marketers must lobby for open standards and fair access to attribution data. - **Homogenisation of Creativity:** If the AI only favours the "best" factual choice, will it stifle the creative, emotional storytelling that defines unique brands? The challenge for creative marketers is to find ways to build emotional connection and differentiation within the constraints of factual, verifiable data. - **The Trust Gap:** The AI needs to be completely secure and trusted with personal and payment data. A single high-profile breach could shatter consumer confidence and set back conversational commerce by years. ## **Conclusion** The concept of ChatGPT's "Instant Checkout" marks a pivot from selling _to_ the consumer to selling _to_ the artificial intelligence acting as the consumer's proxy. This shift demands a strategic reorientation, moving from optimising for clicks on a website to optimising for algorithmic trust and data excellence. For the forward-thinking marketer, the future lies in becoming the most accurate, authoritative, and trusted answer to any given query. Stop pouring resources into a collapsing funnel and start investing in data, reputation, and CRM strategies that will ensure your brand is the default recommendation when the customer asks the AI, "Just buy it for me." The age of conversational commerce is here, and only those who adapt their data structure and strategic focus will secure their place at the new, frictionless point of conversion. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Importance Of Social Media Marketing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/10/the-importance-of-social-media-marketing/ **Date:** 2025-10-01 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** advice, digital tips, social media In the modern commercial landscape, social media is no longer just a digital playground; it is the cornerstone of a successful business strategy. From global corporations to local start-ups, a strong, active social media presence is the critical engine driving brand discovery, customer engagement, and, ultimately, revenue. If you're still questioning the investment in social media marketing (SMM), the numbers speak for themselves. With an estimated 65.7% of the world's population now active on these platforms, ignoring this channel is akin to operating your business with the doors locked. Here, we break down the five most crucial reasons why social media marketing is indispensable to your business growth. ## **Unprecedented Brand Awareness And Visibility** Before you can make a sale, you need to be seen. Social media offers a level of brand exposure that traditional marketing cannot match, especially for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). - **Massive Reach:** The sheer volume of users means your potential customer base is colossal. An estimated 58% of consumers report discovering new businesses directly via social media, surpassing traditional search and even TV in brand discovery. - **Building Your Narrative:** Social platforms are where you tell your brand's story, showcase your values, and humanise your company. This authentic content-whether it's employee-generated snippets or thought leadership articles-builds a consistent and credible brand image across all digital touchpoints. - **Viral Potential:** While 'going viral' is elusive, the interconnected nature of social media means engaging, shareable content can rapidly amplify your message across a vast audience, reaching people you could never have targeted otherwise. ## **Deep Customer Engagement and Relationship Building** Unlike a billboard or a magazine advert, social media is a two-way street. It allows you to transform passive consumers into active, loyal community members. - **Real-Time Interaction:** Social media platforms allow for instant feedback, questions, and conversations. Responding to comments and messages in a timely and thoughtful manner doesn't just resolve issues; it publicly demonstrates that your company is listening and genuinely cares about its customers. This level of personalised interaction is crucial for building trust. - **Creating Community:** Savvy brands are moving beyond simple follower counts to focus on building _communities_. Platforms like Facebook Groups or Discord offer private spaces for customers to connect with the brand, fostering a deep sense of loyalty. Research shows that consumers who feel an emotional connection to a brand can triple their lifetime value. - **Valuable Insights:** Every like, comment, and share is a piece of data. Social listening tools allow you to track conversations around your brand, your industry, and your competitors in real-time. This provides invaluable market intelligence, helping you to refine products, improve service, and identify emerging trends before they go mainstream. ## **A Critical Driver for Leads and Conversions** Ultimately, marketing must generate a return on investment (ROI). Social media has evolved into a powerful, full-funnel marketing channel capable of directly influencing purchasing decisions. - **Social Commerce is Booming:** Features like Instagram Shops and TikTok's native shopping capabilities have made the path from discovery to purchase seamless. Consumers are increasingly making direct purchases via social platforms, with global social commerce revenue projected to grow significantly. - **Powerful Targeted Advertising:** Social ad platforms provide advanced targeting options based on demographics, interests, and behaviour. This allows you to serve highly personalised content to your most valuable audience segments, ensuring your advertising budget is spent efficiently and delivers a higher return than generic advertising. - **Lead Generation:** Dedicated ad formats and calls to action (CTAs) within social posts are highly effective for generating high-quality leads, with some studies showing brands achieving a significantly higher lead-to-close rate when they actively utilise social platforms. ## **Staying Ahead of the Curve (And Your Competitors)** In a fast-moving digital world, social media is where new trends are born, and it's a crucial tool for competitive analysis. - **Competitive Intelligence:** Social media is an open book on your rivals. You can easily monitor their content strategy, see which campaigns are resonating with their audience, and spot gaps in the market that your brand can fill. - **Content Dominance:** The **short-form video** format (think Reels and TikTok) continues its reign, being the most effective way to capture attention in 2025. Brands that successfully incorporate authentic, vertical video content are better positioned to drive engagement and stay relevant. - **Leveraging AI:** The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into social media marketing is streamlining content creation, optimising ad placements, and enabling hyper-personalisation. Businesses that embrace AI tools for idea generation and campaign management will gain a clear operational advantage. ## **Cost-Effectiveness and Measurable ROI** Compared to the hefty upfront costs of traditional media like print or television, social media marketing provides a highly cost-effective alternative with granular, transparent analytics. - **Lower Barrier to Entry:** Setting up a business profile on most social networks is free. Even paid advertising on social media generally costs significantly less per thousand impressions than traditional advertising. - **Data-Driven Decisions:** Every central social platform provides built-in analytics dashboards, allowing you to track key performance indicators (KPIs) like engagement rate, reach, click-through rate, and conversion value. This immediate data loop will enable you to make real-time adjustments, ensuring your strategy is continually optimised for the best possible ROI. ## **Final Word: Invest in Being Social** The question is no longer whether a business should be on social media, but how effectively it can leverage these platforms. Social media marketing is not an accessory; it is a fundamental infrastructure requirement for modern business success. It's the place where trust is built, relationships are formed, and purchasing decisions are influenced. Suppose you want your business to thrive in this digital decade. In that case, it's time to stop dipping your toe in and dive headfirst into crafting a strategic, authentic, and engaging social media presence. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Contact our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, helping you increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## AI vs Organic Search: Why Organic Still Drives More Traffic URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/09/ai-vs-organic-search-why-organic-still-drives-more-traffic/ **Date:** 2025-09-18 **Category:** Artificial Intelligence, Mobile Search | **Tags:** ai, organic search The rise of AI-powered search platforms has been a major topic among digital marketers. With rapid, triple-digit growth month-over-month, many have felt the pressure to pivot their strategies towards these new technologies. However, a closer look at the data reveals a surprising truth: the hype doesn't yet match the reality of referral traffic. Despite its impressive growth, AI search is not the traffic driver many expected it to be. For businesses focused on conversions and sustainable growth, traditional organic search remains the undisputed champion. ## **The Numbers Don't Lie** Recent findings from enterprise SEO platform BrightEdge have shed light on the actual impact of AI search on website traffic. The report, which analysed thousands of search queries and top-performing websites from January to August 2025, delivered a clear verdict. The most significant finding from the BrightEdge analysis is that AI-driven search referrals accounted for less than 1% of all traffic. This figure stands in stark contrast to the platform's meteoric rise in usage. While more people are experimenting with AI for search, these interactions are not translating into clicks through to websites. In comparison, organic search continues to be the primary engine for digital growth. It consistently drives the majority of referral traffic and, more importantly, conversions across nearly every industry. This data underscores a critical distinction between a tool's popularity and its effectiveness as a marketing channel. ## **Growth vs Quality** The disparity between usage growth and traffic quality is a crucial point. Jim Yu, co-founder of BrightEdge, offered a clear perspective on the findings. He stated, "AI search is the fastest-growing channel we've ever tracked. But growth and quality are two different things. Organic search continues to outperform on conversions and remains the engine of digital growth." This comment highlights a fundamental difference in how users interact with these two types of search. AI search appears to function more as a research or answer engine, while organic search is the channel users turn to when they are ready to take action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a service, or visiting a physical location. ## **Understanding the User: Intent and Behaviour** To understand why organic search still dominates, we need to look at user intent. The way a person frames a query and the platform they choose often reveal their goal. **AI Search** AI search platforms, like ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews, excel at synthesising information and providing direct answers. Users often turn to them for: - **Broad exploration:** Learning about a new topic or gathering general information. - **Complex questions:** Getting summarised answers to multi-faceted queries. - **Idea generation:** Brainstorming or creating content outlines. In these scenarios, the user's goal is to get an answer within the platform itself. The AI provides a consolidated response, reducing the need to click through to multiple sources. This makes it an excellent research tool but a poor driver of referral traffic. The journey often ends with the answer, not with a click to a website. **Organic Search** Organic search, on the other hand, is built on a foundation of user action. When users type a query into a traditional search engine, they are presented with a list of websites. This format encourages exploration and clicking. User intent in organic search is often more transactional or navigational. They are looking to: - **Buy a product:** Searching for "best running shoes for flat feet" or "iPhone 17 deals". - **Find a specific website:** Typing in a brand name or a known URL. - **Solve a specific problem:** Looking for a tutorial or guide that requires detailed steps found on a webpage. This action-oriented behaviour is why organic search traffic is so valuable. The visitors arriving from organic search are often further along in their customer journey and have a higher likelihood of converting. ## **How Marketers Should Adapt** The data isn't a signal to ignore AI search. Instead, it's a call for a more measured and strategic approach. The most successful marketers will be those who adapt to the new landscape without abandoning the strategies that continue to drive results. As Jim Yu advises, "The most successful marketers aren't choosing one over the other - they're adapting for AI while doubling down on the organic strategies that have always driven results." Here is some actionable advice for creating a balanced strategy. **1. Double Down on What Works** Your primary focus should remain on building a strong organic search presence. This is the engine of your digital growth. - **Focus on High-Quality Content:** Create in-depth, valuable content that fully answers user questions. This not only performs well in organic search but also positions you as a source authority that AI models may reference. - **Optimise for Conversions:** Ensure your website provides a seamless user experience. Make it easy for visitors to find what they need and take the next step, whether that's making a purchase or contacting you. - **Build Topical Authority:** Develop comprehensive content clusters around your core business topics. This signals your expertise to search engines and builds trust with your audience. **2. Adapt for AI Search Visibility** While AI search may not drive significant traffic now, it is still a rapidly growing channel that influences user perception. Optimising for it is about brand visibility and being part of the conversation. - **Structure Your Data:** Use schema markup to help AI models understand the context of your content. This increases the chances of your information being used in an AI-generated answer. - **Answer Questions Directly:** Create content that provides clear, concise answers to common questions in your industry. FAQ sections and "how-to" guides are excellent formats for this. - **Monitor Your Brand Mentions:** Keep an eye on how AI search platforms are representing your brand and information. Ensure the answers they provide are accurate and align with your brand messaging. **3. Measure What Matters** Track your referral traffic sources closely. While it's important to monitor trends in AI search, pay closest attention to the channels that are driving conversions and revenue. Use analytics to understand the behaviour of visitors from different channels. This data will help you allocate your resources effectively. ### **Conclusion** The emergence of AI search is an exciting development in the world of information discovery. However, for marketers focused on driving meaningful business results, the latest data offers a clear directive: organic search is still the most critical channel for traffic and conversions. Its ability to connect with users who have a high intent to act makes it an irreplaceable part of any digital marketing strategy. If you're looking for a company that can produce optimised content for organic and AI search engines, contact the **[SEO experts](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/)** at Odyssey New Media. --- ## Google's August 2025 Spam Update URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/09/googles-august-2025-spam-update/ **Date:** 2025-09-12 **Category:** Google Algorithm Updates | **Tags:** google august 2025 update, google spam update, seo Google has once again set the SEO community abuzz with the release of its August 2025 Spam Update. Announced on August 26, this update is designed to refine search quality by targeting websites that violate Google's established spam policies. While veteran webmasters are familiar with these periodic adjustments, each new update brings a wave of anticipation and uncertainty. ## **What is the August 2025 Spam Update?** Google's Search Central account on X announced the rollout of a new spam update. According to the official statement, the update began at 9:00 AM and is expected to take a few weeks to complete its global implementation across all languages. Unlike some previous updates that targeted specific practices like link spam or user-generated content spam, Google has remained tight-lipped about the exact behaviours this update is designed to penalise. The announcement simply stated its purpose is to combat spam, leaving SEO professionals and website owners to refer to Google's broader spam policies for guidance. This multi-week rollout is standard procedure for significant algorithm changes. It allows Google's engineers to monitor the impact on search results in real-time, gather data, and make necessary adjustments to prevent unintended consequences. For site owners, this means that ranking fluctuations may occur for several weeks until the update is fully integrated and the search engine results pages stabilise. ## **Understanding Google's Stance on Spam** To grasp the potential impact of the August 2025 Spam Update, it is crucial to understand what Google considers spam. Google's primary goal is to provide users with the most relevant, helpful, and high-quality results for their queries. Spam policies are in place to prevent websites from using deceptive tactics to manipulate rankings and deliver a poor user experience. While Google hasn't specified the focus of this update, its general spam policies target a wide range of manipulative behaviours. Let's revisit some of the most common types of spam that Google actively works to eliminate from its search results. **Content & Keyword Spam** This is one of the oldest forms of spam. It includes practices like: - **Cloaking:** Showing different content to search engine crawlers than what is shown to human users. - **Doorway Pages:** Creating multiple pages or sites that are optimised for specific, similar keywords but all lead to the same destination. - **Hidden Text and Links:** Hiding text or links by making them the same colour as the background or using tiny font sizes to manipulate search rankings. - **Keyword Stuffing:** Loading a webpage with keywords or numbers in an attempt to manipulate its ranking in Google Search results. This often makes the content unnatural and difficult to read. - **Scraped Content:** Copying content, often with little to no original contribution or value, from other, more reputable websites. **Link Spam** Links are a fundamental signal for Google's ranking algorithms, which makes them a prime target for manipulation. Link spam includes: - **Excessive Link Exchanges:** "Link to me and I'll link to you" schemes that exist purely for cross-linking. - **Low-Quality Directory or Bookmark Site Links:** Creating links on irrelevant or poor-quality websites. **AI-Generated Content as Spam** Content is not penalised simply for being created with AI. However, using AI to generate low-quality content at scale, primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings, is considered spam. The focus remains on the quality and helpfulness of the content, not how it was produced. If AI is used to create content that is unoriginal, unhelpful, or designed to deceive users, it falls squarely into the category of spam. ## **How to Monitor the Impact of the Update** During the rollout period, it is natural to feel anxious about your site's performance. However, making knee-jerk reactions can often do more harm than good. A structured and patient approach to monitoring is the best course of action. **Use Google Search Console** Your Google Search Console account is the most valuable tool during an algorithm update. Pay close attention to these key metrics: - **Impressions and Clicks:** Look for significant drops or spikes in your performance reports. A sudden, sustained decrease could indicate that your site has been negatively impacted. - **Average Position:** Monitor the average ranking position for your most important keywords. Volatility is expected, but a consistent downward trend is a cause for concern. - **Queries and Pages:** Analyse which specific queries and pages are experiencing the most significant changes. Are you seeing drops across a particular content cluster or for a specific page type? This can help you identify potential problem areas. **Be Patient and Avoid Reactive Changes** The most important advice during a multi-week rollout is to wait. The rankings you see today might be different tomorrow and different again next week. Making significant changes to your site based on temporary fluctuations can be counterproductive. Wait until the rollout is officially complete, as announced on the Google Search Status Dashboard, before drawing any firm conclusions or implementing a recovery strategy. **Aligning Your Strategy with Google's Guidelines** Whether you have been hit by this update or have come through unscathed, it is always a good time to ensure your SEO practices align with Google's quality guidelines. The best defence against any spam update is a long-term commitment to creating a high-quality, user-focused website. ### **Final Thoughts** The Google August 2025 Spam Update is another step in Google's ongoing effort to clean up its search results and reward high-quality websites. While the lack of specific details can be unsettling, the core advice remains the same: focus on creating a fantastic user experience with helpful, original content. If you want to improve your website's SEO and performance, please contact the **[SEO experts](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/) **at Odyssey New Media. --- ## The Rise of Generative AI: A New Era for SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/08/the-rise-of-generative-ai-a-new-era-for-seo/ **Date:** 2025-08-18 **Category:** SEO, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** ai, digital tips, seo Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked many conversations, with some predicting the demise of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). However, instead of being a threat, generative AI is opening up new and exciting avenues for SEO professionals. The landscape is shifting, and to stay ahead, content must be built for both humans and AI systems. ## **Content for the AI-Driven Web** The traditional SEO model, which prioritised manipulating technical signals and simple keyword density to rank a page high in a list of 'ten blue links', is rapidly evolving. Now, the ultimate goal is no longer just a high ranking; it's to become an authoritative, definitive source that generative AI models-such as Google's AI Overviews (or Search Generative Experience - SGE) and large language models like ChatGPT or Claude-can confidently draw from to synthesise accurate, complete, and trustworthy answers for users. To achieve this coveted status as a preferred source for AI systems, your content needs to be demonstrably accurate, meticulously well-structured, and unequivocally trustworthy. To be the source that AI systems prefer, consider these key elements: - **Factual Accuracy and Granularity:** AI models operate by cross-referencing vast amounts of data. Generic claims will not suffice. Specific data points, verifiable statistics, unique examples, and transparent methodologies must back your content. This high level of granularity makes your information more 'citable' and defensible by an AI. - **Authority Signals (E-E-A-T):** Content must demonstrate exceptional Experience, Expertise,Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T), a concept long central to Google's quality guidelines. This means clearly identifying the author (with a demonstrable background in the field), citing credible external sources, and linking to your own deep-dive research. Subject-matter expertise is now the ultimate ranking factor. - **Up-to-Date and Evergreen Information:** AI Overviews favour fresh, recent data. Ensure your content is continually updated to reflect the latest statistics, insights, regulatory changes, or technological advancements. Furthermore, establishing a strong base of evergreen content-foundational articles that remain relevant over time-will solidify your site's long-term value to AI models. - **Comprehensive and Unique Coverage:** The AI-driven web values depth. Simply rewriting existing content offers no new value. You must add unique value by covering a topic in exhaustive detail, bringing a new perspective, sharing proprietary research, or providing actionable insights that cannot be found elsewhere. This depth is what distinguishes a mere publisher from a proper authority. ## **A New Action Plan for SEO** Instead of viewing AI as a competitor or a threat, forward-thinking SEOs should embrace it as a powerful partner and a new distribution channel. The focus shifts from tricking an algorithm to serving it with the highest quality, most digestible information. Here's a new, more detailed action plan to align your content strategy with the preferences of generative AI systems: - **Optimise for Retrieval, Not Just Keywords:** Content must be structured for easy parsing and direct answer extraction by AI models. Use clear, descriptive subheadings (e.g., 'What are the main causes of climate change?') that mirror common user questions or search intents. Format key information with bullet points, numbered lists, tables, and short, conciseparagraphs to create 'information blocks' that AI can easily isolate and cite in its generated summaries. - **Ensure AI Bot Accessibility and Crawlability:** It's counterproductive to hide your most valuable content. Ensure your website is fully accessible to a variety of AI crawlers, including specific bots like GPTBot, ClaudeBot, and Google-Extended (the crawler for SGE). Regularly review your robots.txt file and actively avoid using 'noindex' or 'nosnippet' tags on any high-value, authoritative content you want AI to reference. - **Build Topic Clusters and Semantic Fields:** Move beyond individual keyword targeting. Create interconnected topic clusters-a pillar page that comprehensively covers a broad subject, supported by numerous cluster pages that delve into specific sub-topics. This structure clearly demonstrates to both search engines and AI models that your site possesses deep, systematic expertise on a subject, establishing you as a go-to authority. - **Monitor AI Mentions and Citation:** Traditional SEO tracking involved keyword ranking. The new frontier involves actively monitoring AI platforms for mentions of your brand, proprietary data, or unique insights. This consists in checking AI Overviews and interacting with LLMs, such as ChatGPT, to observe how they cite and refer to your content compared to your competitors. This feedback loop is crucial for understanding how you are being positioned in the AI-generated information space. - **Leverage AI for Content Ideation and Augmentation:** Use AI tools not to write your content, but to enhance it. Utilise AI to identify content gaps, map out comprehensive topic structures, generate related questions a user might ask, and summarise complex academic papers for simpler consumption. This makes your content more exhaustive and valuable. ## **Ethical Content and Brand Integrity in the AI Era** As generative AI models increasingly summarise and synthesise information, content quality becomes inextricably linked to brand trust and ethical practice. The risk of being misinterpreted, decontextualised, or cited alongside misinformation is higher than ever, making proactive ethical SEO a necessity. - **Transparency in Source Attribution:** While AI models may cite you, the user sees the summary first. It is paramount that your content clearly signals its source, authorship, and data provenance. For high-stakes content (e.g., medical, financial, legal), ensure authors are readily identifiable and qualifications are clear-this is a trust signal for both humans and AI. - **Mitigating Hallucination Risk:** Generative AI is prone to 'hallucinations' (generating false information). SEOs must focus on eliminating ambiguity and using precise language and data points to ensure clarity and effectiveness. If your content is vague, the AI may fill in the blanks incorrectly and attribute the error to your site, damaging your brand integrity. - **Protecting Copyright and Originality:** The rise of AI scraping means your unique, proprietary content is at risk of being ingested and regurgitated without appropriate credit. While optimising for crawlability is key, also be prepared to assert your digital rights. Future SEO strategies may involve employing technical measures to help AI understand the source and value of your content. - **Brand Sentiment Monitoring in AI Outputs:** Beyond simple brand mentions, SEOs must monitor the _context_ in which their brand is cited in AI summaries. A neutral mention is fine, but a citation in a negative context or one linked to factual errors requires swift, remedial action on the source content to protect the brand's reputation as a reliable authority. The role of the SEO professional has evolved into that of a Digital Authority Architect, balancing technical visibility with fundamental ethical responsibility. By adapting your strategy to work _with_ AI systems, focusing on unparalleled authority and structured clarity, you can ensure your content not only survives but thrives in this dynamic new digital landscape. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who possess the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, enabling you to increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Unique Image Landing Pages Can Boost Your Search Visibility URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/08/how-unique-image-landing-pages-can-boost-your-search-visibility/ **Date:** 2025-08-07 **Category:** Image | **Tags:** advice, digital marketing, digital tips, image Google has confirmed that giving each significant image on your website its unique landing page can be a powerful strategy for improving its visibility in image search. This advice comes directly from Google's Search Advocates, John Mueller and Martin Splitt, during their "Search Off the Record" podcast, where they delved into common SEO challenges faced by photography and visual content websites. ## **The Problem with Standard Gallery Setups** Many website gallery plugins use JavaScript lightboxes or URL fragments-parts of a web address starting with a '#'-to display images more interactively. While these methods greatly enhance user experience by allowing visitors to view images without leaving the page, Mueller pointed out that they can pose a challenge for search engines. Specifically, these techniques can prevent Google from recognising each image as a separate, indexable page. Imagine you have a single gallery page showcasing dozens of photos. From a search engine's perspective, this might be seen as just one page with many images, rather than multiple pages of unique content. As a result, Google may not rank that page highly for searches related to specific photos within the gallery. It's similar to trying to find a single book in a library by searching for the entire library itself-relatively imprecise and inefficient. To improve visibility, website developers can consider implementing strategies such as adding proper alt text, creating separate image pages, or utilising structured data markup. These methods help ensure that each image has a better chance of being recognised and ranked appropriately by search engines. ## **What to Do to Improve Your Rankings** If attracting traffic from image search is essential for your website, you should consider these key steps: - **Create Unique URLs:** Ensure every important image has its own unique, crawlable URL that loads without depending on JavaScript. This makes it clear to Google that each image is its piece of content. - **Add Original Text:** On each image's landing page, include original, descriptive text. This could be anything from the subject and location details to technical information about how the photo was taken. This information assists Google in understanding the image's content and can enhance its ranking. - **Use Galleries Wisely:** You can still use gallery pages for broader topics or collections. However, please don't rely on them to get individual images to rank well in search. ## **A Note on Image Formats and Responsiveness** Mueller also touched on responsive images and modern file formats, such as WEBP and AVIF. While these are excellent for improving your site's performance and user experience-making pages load faster-he clarified that they are not direct ranking factors on their own. As he put it, simply using a good practice doesn't automatically make you rank for a competitive term. Furthermore, Mueller emphasised that optimising other aspects of website SEO, such as high-quality content, proper site structure, and mobile-friendliness, remains critical for achieving higher search engine rankings. Incorporating responsive images and modern formats should be viewed as part of a comprehensive SEO strategy rather than a standalone solution. He also recommended staying updated with the latest web development trends and continuously testing different formats to find what works best for your specific audience and website goals. ## **Why This Is Crucial** If your site features a lot of visual content, it's worth checking how your images are handled. Default gallery settings on many website builders, e-commerce platforms, and portfolio sites might be preventing your images from being indexed correctly. By auditing your setup and assigning dedicated pages to key images, you can uncover a new source of search visibility and organic traffic that you may have been missing. Additionally, optimising your image files by compressing them for faster load times and adding descriptive alt text can further enhance your SEO efforts. Consider implementing structured data markup for images to increase their discoverability in search results. Regularly updating and managing your visual content ensures it remains relevant and engaging, which can positively influence your site's overall search performance and user experience. ## **Capitalising on High-Intent Image Traffic** **Contextual Traffic:** Image search users often have a very high purchase or information intent. Someone searching for "red leather designer handbag" in Google Images and clicking through to your dedicated product page is typically much closer to a conversion than someone browsing a general category page. The dedicated landing page allows you to satisfy this specific, focused need immediately. **Conversion Optimisation:** The unique image page is an ideal spot for conversion rate optimisation (CRO) elements that a simple gallery overlay can't offer: - **Clear Calls-to-Action (CTAs):** A prominent "Buy Now," "Enquire About This Artwork," or "Download High-Res" button can be placed directly alongside the image. - **Social Proof and Reviews:** Adding customer ratings, social media share buttons, or brief testimonials directly below the image helps build trust and encourages the next step. - **Related Content/Upsells:** Use the surrounding text area to suggest complementary products, accessories, or other relevant images, increasing the user's time on site and the average order value. **Measuring True Performance:** With a unique URL for each image, you gain the ability to track performance accurately using tools like Google Analytics. You can precisely measure: - Which specific images are driving the most traffic - The bounce rate, time on page, and conversion rate for image-driven visitors. - This data provides actionable insights, allowing you to focus future content creation on the types of images and subjects that are proven to generate the best results. In essence, a dedicated image landing page transforms a passive visual element into an active, measurable, and highly convertible entry point to your website. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who possess the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, enabling you to increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google's New Reporting On Search Partner Network URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/08/googles-new-reporting-on-search-partner-network/ **Date:** 2025-08-01 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** digital tips, google, search Google has finally given advertisers what they have been asking for years: visibility into the performance of the Search Partner Network. This quiet but monumental change, which rolled out in August 2025, allows businesses to see exactly where their ads are appearing outside of Google's search results. Previously, advertisers had to choose between being included in the Search Partner Network or not, without access to data on where their ads were being shown. The new update changes this, providing site-level reporting for Search, Shopping, and App campaigns. Advertisers can now view which partner websites served their ads and how many impressions each site received. This move follows Google's other efforts to address advertiser concerns about the quality of partner sites, such as introducing brand safety screening and automatically opting out parked domains. ## **About The Update** The update was first noticed by Anthony Higman, who shared his excitement on X (formerly Twitter), calling the change "unprecedented". Other industry experts have had mixed reactions, with some praising the increased transparency while others remain cautious, noting that the reporting currently only includes impression data. This new reporting is a significant development because it allows advertisers to make more informed decisions about their ad spend. With this data, you can: - **Conduct a placement audit:** Review and exclude any sites that do not align with your brand's standards. - **Analyse beyond impressions:** Use your conversion data to identify which partners are driving valuable traffic and a good return on investment. - **Reconsider opted-in campaigns:** The days of the "black box" are over. You can now re-evaluate and potentially re-test Search Partners with clear guidelines in place. - **Scrutinise Smart Bidding:** Keep an eye on the quality of conversions and how Google's Smart Bidding performs, as the algorithm may not be flawless. ## **Conclusion** In conclusion, for those who have been wary of the Search Partner Network, this update provides a data-driven opportunity to re-evaluate its potential. For those already using it, this change gives you the necessary information to prove which placements are working well and to optimise your campaigns for better results. The increased visibility puts more control back into the hands of the advertisers, allowing for more innovative and more effective decision-making regarding their campaign budgets. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who possess the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, enabling you to increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Web Strategies For Voice Search Readiness URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/07/web-strategies-for-voice-search-readiness/ **Date:** 2025-07-14 **Category:** Guides | **Tags:** digital marketing, digital tips, seo The way people interact with the internet is constantly evolving, and one of the most significant shifts in recent years has been the rise of voice search. From asking smart speakers for recipes to using voice assistants on smartphones for directions, conversational queries are becoming an integral part of our daily lives. For businesses, this means that optimising your web presence for voice search is no longer a niche concern but a crucial component of a robust digital marketing strategy. So, how can you ensure your website is ready for the conversational web? ## **Understand the Nuances of Conversational Language** Voice search queries differ significantly from traditional text-based searches. People tend to speak in complete sentences, ask questions, and use more natural, conversational language. - **Long-Tail Keywords:** Voice queries are often longer and more specific. Instead of "best coffee Seattle," a voice search might be "What are the best coffee shops near me that are open now?" Focus on optimising for these longer, more natural phrases. - **Question-Based Queries:** Many voice searches are in the form of questions (who, what, where, when, why, how). Create content that directly answers these questions. Think about the common questions your target audience might ask related to your products or services. - **Local SEO:** A significant portion of voice searches have local intent. Ensure your Google My Business profile is fully optimised and consistent across all online directories. Include local keywords in your content. ## **Optimise for Featured Snippets and Position Zero** When a user asks a question via voice search, the assistant often provides a single, concise answer, usually pulled from a Google Featured Snippet (also known as "Position Zero"). To appear in these coveted spots: - **Direct Answers:** Provide clear, concise answers to common questions within your content. - **Structured Data (Schema Markup):** Implement schema markup to help search engines understand the context and content of your pages. This makes it easier for them to identify relevant information for voice queries. - **High-Quality Content:** Google prioritises authoritative and well-structured content. Ensure your website offers valuable, accurate, and easy-to-read information. ## **Focus On Website Speed and Mobile-Friendliness** Voice search users often expect immediate answers. A slow-loading website can lead to a poor user experience and lower rankings. - **Page Load Speed:** Optimise images, leverage browser caching, and minimise code to ensure your pages load quickly. - **Mobile Responsiveness:** Most voice searches are conducted on mobile devices. A mobile-friendly website with a responsive design is essential for both user experience and search engine ranking. ## **Prioritise User Experience (UX)** Beyond technical optimisations, the overall user experience of your website plays a vital role in voice search readiness. - **Clear Navigation:** Make it easy for users and search engine crawlers to find information on your site. - **Natural Language Processing (NLP):** While you don't directly "optimise" for NLP, understanding how search engines process natural language can inform your content strategy. Write naturally and avoid keyword stuffing. - **Accessibility:** Ensure your website is accessible to all users, including those who might be using assistive technologies or voice commands. ## **The Future is Conversational** As AI and machine learning continue to advance, voice search will become even more sophisticated. The integration of voice assistants into more devices and daily routines means that the "conversational web" is here to stay and will only grow in importance. By implementing these strategies now, you'll not only improve your visibility in voice search results but also enhance the overall user experience for all your visitors, positioning your brand for future success in the evolving digital landscape. ### **Contact Us for Professional SEO Assistance** Recovering from a Core Update can be time-intensive and frustrating. If you're feeling overwhelmed, our team of [**SEO specialists**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/) is here to help. From content audits to strategy optimisation, we work to improve your webpage performance so that you maintain an edge in the competitive digital landscape. For more information about how we can help you, please [**contact us here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/).S --- ## The Importance Of A Strong Brand Identity In Digital Marketing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/07/the-importance-of-a-strong-brand-identity-in-digital-marketing/ **Date:** 2025-07-08 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** brand, brand identity, digital marketing In today's hyper-connected world, digital marketing is no longer just an option - it's a necessity. But simply having a website and social media profiles isn't enough. To truly cut through the noise and capture your audience's attention, you need something more profound: a strong brand identity. Think about it. Every day, consumers are bombarded with countless ads, posts, and emails. What makes one stand out from the rest? Often, it's a recognisable, consistent, and memorable brand. So, why is a strong brand identity so crucial in the digital marketing landscape? Let's dive in. ## **It Builds Recognition And Recall** Imagine a sea of similar products or services. How do you distinguish yourself? Through your brand identity. This encompasses your logo, colour palette, typography, tone of voice, and overall visual and verbal style. When these elements are consistently applied across all your digital channels - your website, social media, email campaigns, and online ads - you start to build familiarity. People begin to recognise your brand instantly, even with just a fleeting glimpse. This recognition is the first step towards recall, meaning when they need a product or service you offer, your brand is one of the first that comes to mind. ## **It Fosters Trust And Credibility** In the digital realm, trust is currency. Consumers are wary of scams and unreliable sources. A well-defined and consistently presented brand identity signals professionalism and reliability. It tells your audience that you've invested time and effort into your business, suggesting you're serious about what you do. Inconsistent branding, on the other hand, can appear haphazard and unprofessional, eroding trust before you even have a chance to make your case. ## **It Differentiates You From The Competition** The digital marketplace is crowded. Whatever your niche, you're likely facing numerous competitors. A strong brand identity gives you a unique personality and helps you stand out. It communicates what makes you different, what your values are, and what unique benefits you offer. Are you playful and innovative? Serious and authoritative? Your brand identity should communicate these attributes, attract the right audience and distinguish you from competitors who might offer similar products or services. ## **It Creates Emotional Connections** People don't just buy products; they buy into stories, values, and emotions. A strong brand identity allows you to forge these deeper connections. Through your messaging, visuals, and overall brand personality, you can evoke feelings that resonate with your target audience. Think of iconic brands that have successfully built strong emotional ties with their customers. This isn't just about clever marketing; it's about a consistent brand identity that evokes specific emotions and builds loyalty over time. ## **It Improves Marketing Efficiency** When you have a clear brand identity, your digital marketing efforts become far more efficient. You know exactly what your message is, who you're speaking to, and how to present yourself visually and verbally. This eliminates guesswork and ensures all your marketing activities are aligned and working towards the same goal. From designing social media graphics to writing website copy, a strong brand identity provides a clear roadmap, saving you time, resources, and ultimately, improving your return on investment. ## **It Drives Customer Loyalty** Ultimately, a strong brand identity is a powerful driver of customer loyalty. When customers feel a connection to your brand, trust your offerings, and recognise your unique value, they are more likely to return for repeat purchases and become advocates for your business. In the digital age, where reviews and recommendations play a massive role, loyal customers are your most valuable asset. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who possess the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, enabling you to increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## June 2025 Google Core Update - Explained URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/07/june-2025-google-core-update-explained/ **Date:** 2025-07-03 **Category:** Google Algorithm Updates | **Tags:** google core update Google has recently launched its second Core Update of the year. On June 30th, the company announced that the update would take about 3 weeks to be fully implemented. However, the timeline may extend further depending on the complexity of the changes made during the update. ## **What Is the June 2025 Core Update About?** Google's Core Updates aim to improve the way the search engine evaluates and ranks content, ensuring users find reliable, relevant, and accurate information. The June 2025 Core Update maintains this focus while introducing key enhancements in two areas: - **Refined Content Assessment** This update continues Google's trend of rewarding high-quality, useful content. Improved algorithms now assess website content more effectively, prioritising pages that best match user intent and provide in-depth, well-structured information. - **AI Integration Enhancements** Another major feature of the June 2025 Core Update is its focus on improving AI-driven answers. With Google's AI Overviews gaining prominence, the update ensures that automated summaries and AI-cited content provide accurate, meaningful responses to user queries. ## **How Might the Update Affect Your Website?** **Ranking Volatility** During updates like this, websites across various industries often experience fluctuations in their search rankings. These changes are due to Google's algorithm reassessing which pages best satisfy specific search intents. Some sites may enjoy improved rankings, while others may experience significant drops in visibility. **Performance of Key Pages** If your site's most important pages lose visibility, it could influence the amount of organic traffic, lead generation, or e-commerce sales you receive. For example, pages optimised for competitive keywords or those appearing in valuable search features (like featured snippets or local packs) may experience noticeable changes. **Industry-Specific Impacts** Certain sectors-such as finance, health, and e-commerce-may notice even more pronounced volatility. This is because these industries require higher standards of content quality and reliability, falling under Google's E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) guidelines. ## **What To Do If Your Website Was Negatively Impacted** If your website has taken a hit following the June 2025 Core Update, there's no need to panic. Recovering from a [**Core Update**](https://developers.google.com/search/updates/core-updates) takes an informed, step-by-step approach. Here's how you can get your website back on track: **1. Evaluate Your Content Quality** Improving the relevance and usefulness of your content is key. Here's what to focus on: - **User Intent**: Ensure your content directly answers user queries. Avoid overloading pages with irrelevant or overly generic information. - **Depth and Structure**: Provide detailed explanations, actionable insights, and organised formatting to make content scannable and accessible. - **Originality**: Avoid duplicating content. Offer unique perspectives, analysis, or solutions to help your content stand out. **2. Optimise for E-E-A-T** Google places tremendous value on content that demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. To enhance your E-E-A-T signals: - Display author credentials or expertise for your content. - Include informational pages such as About Us, Contact Us, and Privacy Policies. - Use and cite reputable sources within your posts, linking to them where relevant. **3. Update Older Content** Refreshing outdated content can significantly improve its relevance. Start with your top-performing blogs or pages and assess: - Are statistics, data, and examples current? - Can new FAQs, visuals, or related tips be added? This small step can boost content visibility while reducing keyword cannibalisation. **4. Strengthen Internal Links** A thoughtful internal linking strategy not only aids user navigation but also helps search engines crawl your site efficiently. Link similar pieces of content together and use descriptive anchor text to reinforce thematic relevance. **5. Monitor Website Performance** Use analytical and SEO tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, Semrush, or Ahrefs to track: - Fluctuations in rankings and impressions. - Changes in site visibility scores. - Bounce rates, engagement levels, and conversion metrics. Monitoring these can give you insights into which areas of your site need immediate attention. ### **Contact Us for Professional SEO Assistance** Recovering from a Core Update can be time-intensive and frustrating. If you're feeling overwhelmed, our team of [**SEO specialists**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/) is here to help. From content audits to strategy optimisation, we work to improve your webpage performance so that you maintain an edge in the competitive digital landscape. For more information about how we can help you, please [**contact us here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Bespoke SEO Services Why SEO Is Not One-Size Fits All URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/06/bespoke-seo-services-why-seo-is-not-one-size-fits-all/ **Date:** 2025-06-20 **Category:** SEO, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** advice, digital marketing, digital tips, seo SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is a crucial tool for enhancing website visibility, driving organic traffic, and helping businesses thrive in an increasingly digital world. For many companies, SEO represents the gateway to reaching the right customers at the right time. However, a common misconception exists that one generic SEO strategy will work for every business. The truth? SEO is far from one-size-fits-all. Every business is unique, and tailoring SEO strategies to match specific goals, audiences, and industries is essential for success. This is where bespoke SEO services come in. But why are customised SEO strategies so important? And what benefits do they offer over a cookie-cutter approach? Let's break down everything you need to know. ## **Common SEO Misconceptions** One of the biggest myths in the world of digital marketing is the assumption that SEO is a static discipline with a one-size-fits-all recipe. The reality, however, is much more nuanced. Here are some common misconceptions surrounding SEO: - **"SEO is just about keywords":** While keywords are a critical component of effective SEO, many factors influence search rankings, such as content quality, user experience, backlinks, and technical optimisations. - **"If it works for them, it'll work for us":** Copying another company's SEO tactics often leads to disappointment. Different businesses have distinct goals, target audiences, and target markets. - **"You can 'set and forget' SEO":** SEO requires continuous monitoring and updates. Algorithms evolve, trends shift, and competitors react, making a customised long-term strategy essential. These misconceptions underscore why blindly following generic SEO practices often fail to deliver meaningful results. Instead, businesses need tailored solutions designed for their specific circumstances. ## **Why Bespoke SEO Is Essential** Not every business is trying to rank for the exact keywords or attract the same type of user. A bespoke SEO strategy takes these nuances into account, providing targeted solutions to ensure businesses achieve their unique goals. Here's why bespoke services are necessary: **Understanding Different Business Needs** A local bakery targeting nearby customers has vastly different SEO needs compared to an international e-commerce store looking to expand into new countries. Bespoke SEO ensures the strategy aligns perfectly with each business's objectives. **Catering to Specific Industries** Industries vary widely in terms of competition, audience behaviour, and online presence. For example, an SEO campaign for a legal services firm will differ vastly from one for a fast-fashion retailer. Bespoke strategies consider these industry-specific variables. **Adapting to Various Target Audiences** Different businesses serve different demographics, each with unique online behaviours, preferences, and search habits. Tailored SEO ensures the right tactics are used to engage the precise type of audience a business wants to attract. ## **Key Elements Of A Bespoke SEO Strategy** Creating a custom SEO solution involves identifying and addressing the specific challenges and opportunities unique to a business. A successful bespoke SEO strategy typically involves the following key elements: **Comprehensive Website Audit** A thorough analysis of the website is the foundation of any tailored SEO plan. This audit identifies technical issues, user experience flaws, and content gaps that may hinder performance. **In-Depth Keyword Research** Bespoke SEO dives deeper into understanding not only high-traffic keywords but also less competitive, long-tail keywords that reflect a business's unique offerings. This approach targets users with high purchasing intent. **Tailored Content Creation** Effective SEO starts with exceptional content. Bespoke SEO strategies prioritise crafting content that resonates with the target audience, aligns with search intent, and reflects a brand's tone. **Custom Link Building Strategies** Link-building isn't just about quantity; it's about quality. Bespoke strategies focus on building relationships and garnering backlinks from credible, relevant websites in the business's specific niche. **Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustments** SEO isn't static. Bespoke services include continuous tracking of results, fine-tuning strategies, and adapting to changes in search engine algorithms to maintain and improve performance. ## **The Benefits Of Choosing Bespoke SEO Services** Opting for a tailored SEO approach offers several tangible benefits that generic plans cannot compete with: **Higher ROI** Personalised SEO focuses on what works best for your business, ensuring you're investing resources in areas that directly impact results. **Improved Search Engine Rankings** Custom strategies provide a competitive edge by targeting high-competition keywords while also identifying unique opportunities that others may overlook. **Increased Relevant Traffic** Since bespoke SEO aligns strategies with your audience's expectations, it drives not just any traffic, but the _right_ traffic. **Better User Experience** Tailored SEO often extends beyond search rankings, enhancing website design, loading speed, and navigation to create a seamless user experience. ## **Tailored SEO Unlocks Your Potential** While generic SEO solutions might seem tempting, they rarely account for the unique needs of your business. Bespoke SEO services, on the other hand, deliver a strategy built entirely around your goals, audience, and industry. A personalised approach ensures your business stays adaptable in a complex and ever-changing digital landscape, driving actual results rather than wasting effort on ineffective tactics. By investing in customised SEO, you're positioning your business for sustainable growth and long-term success. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who possess the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, enabling you to increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Meta To Introduce Ads On WhatsApp URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/06/meta-to-introduce-ads-on-whatsapp/ **Date:** 2025-06-12 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** digital marketing, seo, social media After more than a decade of remaining an ad-free haven, WhatsApp is about to change. On Monday, during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Meta announced it will begin introducing ads within WhatsApp's "Updates" tab-the section of the app that hosts Status and Channels and sees daily engagement from over 1.5 billion users. This marks a significant shift for the platform. Since Facebook's $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp in 2014, the messaging service has resisted the ad-driven business model that defines much of Meta's portfolio. WhatsApp's founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, famously championed a "No ads, no games, no gimmicks" philosophy-one that now appears to be officially sunsetted. ## **Where Will Ads Appear?** According to Meta, ads will initially be limited to the Status feature, allowing users to connect directly with businesses for conversations about advertised products or services. The company emphasised that these ads will appear in a separate space and won't interrupt private discussions. Additionally, WhatsApp is launching several monetisation tools for Channels, including: - **Paid Subscriptions**: Allowing creators and businesses to offer exclusive updates for a recurring fee. - **Promoted Channels**: A feature that surfaces recommended Channels to users within the app's directory. ## **Maintaining The Privacy Pitch** The update has already sparked questions around user privacy-a sensitive topic for WhatsApp, especially in light of its past controversies. To pre-empt backlash, Meta's Global Business Group head Nicola Mendelsohn posted on LinkedIn, assuring users that private chats will remain untouched and that ad integration "won't disrupt people's messaging or change the privacy of messages with friends and family." This reassurance aligns with the app's current global ad campaign, "Not Even WhatsApp," launched in May, which underscores its commitment to end-to-end encryption. As part of that campaign, Meta installed interactive "privacy mirrors" in public spaces across cities like New York, Delhi, London, and São Paulo. ## **A Platform With A History Of Privacy Scrutiny** Despite ongoing pledges to protect user data, WhatsApp has faced repeated criticism over its privacy practices. From the backlash to its 2021 privacy policy update, which many interpreted as a means to share personal data with Facebook, to the recent unease surrounding Meta AI integrations and data usage, trust has been an ongoing challenge. In response to these concerns, WhatsApp has recently introduced stronger privacy controls, including an Advanced Chat Privacy mode that limits how chat data can be accessed or used, particularly by AI tools. ## **Minimal Data for Targeting, Meta Says** In its announcement, Meta reiterated that personal messages, calls, and Status updates will remain encrypted and inaccessible to the company. It clarified that ad targeting will rely on "limited information," such as users' general location (city or country), language settings, followed Channels, and their interaction history with ads, rather than specific message content or personal metadata. Back in 2014, when Facebook acquired WhatsApp, co-founder Jan Koum wrote a blog post assuring users that their values would not be compromised: "If partnering with Facebook meant that we had to change our values, we wouldn't have done it." A decade later, that line resonates differently. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists, who possess the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, enabling you to increase the number of leads and conversions your business generates. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## A Guide To LinkedIn Advertising URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/06/a-guide-to-linkedin-advertising/ **Date:** 2025-06-01 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** digital marketing, seo, social media LinkedIn advertising is a powerful platform for B2B (business-to-business) marketers, enabling precise targeting of professional audiences through LinkedIn's global network of over 900 million users. Whether your goal is lead generation, brand awareness, recruitment, or website traffic, LinkedIn offers unique tools and ad formats tailored to drive business results. ## **What Is LinkedIn Advertising?** LinkedIn advertising is a robust platform that involves various paid promotional strategies tailored specifically for LinkedIn's extensive professional network. These advertisements are crafted to reach targeted audiences, allowing businesses to effectively connect with professionals across various industries. Companies utilise LinkedIn advertising to promote a wide range of offerings, including products, services, and job openings, as well as to share valuable content that can engage users. This advertising approach enables businesses to not only enhance their brand visibility but also to foster professional relationships and drive meaningful interactions within the professional community. **Key Components:** - **Campaign Manager:** LinkedIn's ad platform to create, track, and optimise campaigns. - **Sponsored Content:** Promoted posts that appear in the feed. - **Text Ads:** Clickable ads shown in desktop sidebars. - **Sponsored Messaging (InMail):** Direct messages sent to LinkedIn inboxes. - **Dynamic Ads:** Automatically personalised ads using profile data (name, photo, company). ## **Benefits Of LinkedIn Advertising** **1. Precise Targeting** Reach professionals based on: - Job title, company, industry - Location, seniority, skills - Education, interests, group memberships **2. B2B Focus** Ideal for reaching decision-makers, promoting high-value services, and nurturing leads. **3. Lead Generation** Use **Lead Gen Forms** to collect user data within the platform-no landing page required. **4. Content Distribution** Promote whitepapers, case studies, or videos through Sponsored Content to extend reach and thought leadership. ## **LinkedIn Ad Formats** **1. Sponsored Content** Promoted posts that appear in users' feeds. **Types:** - **Single Image Ads:** A static image with a headline and link. - **Video Ads:** Auto-playing videos for storytelling or education. - **Carousel Ads:** Multiple swipeable images or slides. - **Event Ads:** Drive event registrations directly in LinkedIn. **2. Sponsored Messaging** Send promotional messages to inboxes. **Types:** - **Message Ads (InMail):** One-time direct messages with a clear call-to-action (CTA). - **Conversation Ads:** Interactive messages with multiple response paths. **3. Text Ads** Simple, sidebar ads with a short message and image. **Best for:** - Website traffic - Budget-conscious advertisers (lower CPC/CPM) **4. Dynamic Ads** Automatically customised ads using user data. **Types:** - **Follower Ads:** Grow your company page audience. - **Spotlight Ads:** Promote offers or landing pages. - **Content Ads:** Promote downloads like whitepapers. **5. Lead Gen Forms** Collect contact details from users directly within LinkedIn. **Use cases:** - Webinars, newsletters, event sign-ups - Content downloads - Sales lead capture **6. Video Ads** Auto-play in the feed and used for: - Brand storytelling - Product demos - Testimonials ## **LinkedIn Ad Targeting Options** LinkedIn provides granular targeting based on a wide range of factors including: **Demographics:** - Location (region, city, country) - Age, gender **Company Details:** - Company name, industry - Company size **Job Details:** - Title, function, seniority **Education:** - Degree, field of study, schools attended **Interests & Groups:** - Groups joined - Profile-listed skills - Areas of professional interest ## **LinkedIn Ad Pricing Models** LinkedIn operates on a bidding system, where advertisers compete for ad placements. While this approach tends to be more expensive compared to other advertising platforms, many businesses find that it often results in higher-quality leads that can be more effectively converted into customers. As a professional networking site, LinkedIn attracts a more targeted audience, making the increased investment worthwhile for those seeking serious business connections and potential clients. **Pricing Models:** - **CPC (Cost Per Click):** Pay per ad click. - **CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions):** Pay per 1,000 views. - **CPS (Cost Per Send):** Pay per message sent (Sponsored Messaging). - **CPV (Cost Per View):** Pay-per-video-view. ## **Campaign Objectives** Choose your goal when creating a campaign-LinkedIn will optimise delivery accordingly. **Awareness** - **Brand Awareness:** Increase visibility. **Consideration** - **Website Visits** - **Engagement:** Likes, shares, comments - **Video Views** **Conversion** - **Lead Generation:** Use Lead Gen Forms. - **Website Conversions:** Actions on landing pages. - **Job Applicants:** Promote open roles. ## **Best Practices For LinkedIn Advertising** **Know Your Audience** Tailor your targeting and message to specific professional needs and pain points. **Focus on Value** Offer something useful-like a free guide, webinar, or report. **Test and Optimise** A/B test ad creatives, targeting options, and formats to find top performers. **Clear Call to Action (CTA)** Instruct users on the next steps, such as downloading, signing up, or learning more. **Use LinkedIn Insights** Implement the LinkedIn Insight Tag and review analytics to track performance and optimise over time. ### **Contact Our Experts For Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Meta AI Monetisation: What Advertisers Need to Know URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/05/meta-ai-monetisation-what-advertisers-need-to-know/ **Date:** 2025-05-09 **Category:** Artificial Intelligence, Facebook | **Tags:** Meta AI Monetisation ## **Meta AI's Monetisation Strategy: An Overview** During Meta's Q1 2025 earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled plans to monetise the company's AI assistant through both advertising and a premium subscription tier. The standalone Meta AI app, launched recently, allows users to interact with the chatbot and generate images directly within the app, expanding access beyond integration within Meta's existing platforms like Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp. With nearly 1 billion users, Meta AI is part of the company's broader strategy to compete with other AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot. ## **Implications for Advertisers and Marketers** **1. Enhanced Targeting Capabilities** The integration of ads within Meta AI presents an opportunity for advertisers to reach users in a more personalised and contextually relevant manner. By leveraging user interactions with the AI assistant, marketers can deliver tailored content that aligns with individual preferences and behaviours. **2. Access to Premium Features** The forthcoming premium tier is expected to offer advanced functionalities, potentially including faster response times and access to more sophisticated AI tools. Marketers subscribing to this tier could benefit from enhanced capabilities, enabling the creation of more dynamic and engaging campaigns. **3. Integration with Existing Platforms** Given Meta AI's presence across platforms like Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp, advertisers can anticipate a seamless integration of AI-driven advertising strategies within their current marketing efforts. This unified approach facilitates consistent messaging and broader audience reach. ## **Strategic Considerations** While the monetisation of Meta AI offers new avenues for engagement, advertisers should remain cognizant of potential challenges: - **Data Privacy Concerns**: As Meta AI utilises user data to personalise experiences, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations is paramount. - **Content Moderation**: Maintaining brand safety requires vigilance, especially as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent. - **Performance Metrics**: Establishing clear KPIs will be essential to measure the effectiveness of AI-integrated advertising campaigns. ## **How will this Benefit Advertisers** Meta AI's monetisation strategy offers advertisers a groundbreaking opportunity to elevate their campaigns through advanced AI integration. By embedding ads within the Meta AI assistant, brands can deliver hyper-personalised and contextually relevant content, leveraging user interactions to align with individual preferences. The premium subscription tier promises access to enhanced tools and faster response times, empowering marketers to craft dynamic, engaging campaigns with greater precision. Additionally, Meta AI's seamless integration across platforms like Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp ensures consistent messaging and expanded audience reach. ## **Conclusion** Meta's initiative to introduce a premium tier and advertising within its AI assistant signifies a transformative moment for digital marketing. By embracing these changes, advertisers and marketers can harness the power of AI to deliver more personalised and impactful campaigns. However, success will depend on strategic implementation, adherence to ethical standards, and continuous evaluation of performance outcomes. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Is Your Website Costing You Customers? Nearly Half of UK Businesses Think So URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/04/is-your-website-costing-you-customers-nearly-half-of-uk-businesses-think-so/ **Date:** 2025-04-29 **Category:** Advertising, Web Design | **Tags:** digital marketing, web design Imagine pouring thousands into your website and digital marketing efforts and still feeling embarrassed by your website. Sounds familiar? You're not alone - and it could be costing you far more than you think. A [recent report from HubSpot (2025)](https://www.hubspot.com/state-of-marketing) shows that **48% of UK businesses admit they're unhappy with their website's performance**, despite increasing their marketing technology spend year-on-year. On average, businesses are now investing over **GBP 500,000 into MarTech** - and yet, poor website experiences continue to drive potential customers away. ## **The Hidden Costs of a Bad Website** It's not just about bruised egos. Poor user experience on your website can lead to serious financial losses. According to [Adobe's 2024 Digital Trends report](https://business.adobe.com/uk/resources/reports/2024-digital-trends.html), companies lose an estimated **GBP 75,000 annually** due to slow-loading, confusing, or outdated websites - a sharp rise compared to figures just two years ago. Maintenance headaches are another growing burden. Business owners now spend **over 4 hours a week** on website upkeep - time that could be far better spent growing the business. Worse yet, around **10% of companies** are sinking **10+ hours weekly** into fixing site issues instead of focusing on strategy, service delivery, or sales. ## **Spending More, Getting Less?** It seems counterintuitive: businesses are throwing more money at marketing and technology than ever, but results aren't improving. In fact, over **15% of companies** report losing **GBP 100,000+ each year** directly from poor site performance. Why? Because investing in technology without a clear strategy is like buying a race car and never learning how to drive it. Many companies stick to outdated platforms that are clunky, hard to maintain, and don't meet modern customer expectations. And if you think your audience is forgiving, think again: a [Google study](https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/_qs/documents/2340/bc22e_The_Need_for_Mobile_Speed_-_FINAL_1.pdf) found that **53% of visitors will abandon a website** if it takes longer than three seconds to load. ## **Accessibility Isn't Optional Anymore** Another major blind spot is website accessibility. Only about **45% of business websites** today meet basic accessibility standards ([from AbilityNet's Attitudes Report, 2025](https://abilitynet.org.uk/sites/abilitynet.org.uk/files/Attitudes-report-2024-FINAL-v2.pdf)). With the **European Accessibility Act** coming into force this June, companies selling to the EU must make sure their websites are usable by people with disabilities - or face potential fines and lawsuits. Ignoring accessibility is not just risky from a compliance standpoint - it's also bad business. An accessible website opens the door to millions more potential customers and improves SEO performance. ## **Expect More from Your Website** Here's the bottom line: Your website isn't just your online brochure anymore. It's your **primary sales tool**, **customer service agent**, and **brand ambassador** - all rolled into one. Modern solutions like WordPress and Shopify are designed to **reduce maintenance**, **improve user experience**, and **increase revenue** - all without the headaches of clunky old systems. If your current site feels more like a burden than a business booster, it's time to rethink your approach. **In Summary: **You deserve a website that boosts your brand's reputation and drives sales, not one that puts scares customers away. ### **How To Get a Website You're Proud that Works For You** We help business owners like you transform embarrassing websites into high-converting digital experiences. Whether you're running an e-commerce store or a service-based business, you need [**experienced website design and development**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/website-design/) so you can get a website that actually works for you - not against you. 👉 To discuss your website design and development requirements contact our expert team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); or alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Why Google Is Poised to Dominate AI-Driven Local Search URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/04/why-google-is-poised-to-dominate-ai-driven-local-search/ **Date:** 2025-04-28 **Category:** Google, Local SEO, SEO | **Tags:** google, local search, local seo There's been plenty of buzz lately about Google losing ground to ChatGPT and other emerging AI platforms. But when it comes to local search, I'm betting on Google to stay firmly ahead of the pack. Local search is heading toward an AI-powered future - and no one is better positioned than Google. There are millions of Google Business Profiles across the globe which mean that Google has up-to-date knowledge of a wide range of reliable, fresh and richer content than any of its other local search and AI competitors. By contrast, other large language models (LLMs) are forced to scrape together results from less reliable sources like Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor. Let's be honest: when was the last time you updated a Yelp review or even used it to find a place to eat? These platforms simply don't have the same depth or freshness of information that Google commands. Google already dominates global search traffic, and now they're doubling down by weaving their Gemini AI directly into search results. As of March 2025, according to [StatsCounter.com](https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share) Google holds an 89.74% share of the global search engine market, far surpassing competitors like Bing (4%) and Yandex (2.49%) .​ In 2024, according to [Investor's Business Daily](https://www.investors.com/news/technology/google-stock-google-earnings-ai-overviews-search-growth/), Google Search experienced over 20% growth and handled approximately 373 times more searches than ChatGPT . Additionally, Google's AI Overviews, powered by Gemini, have been rolled out to 1.5 billion monthly users across more than 15 languages in 140 countries. As search evolves, we're seeing a blend of traditional keyword searches with conversational AI experiences. That means keeping your Google Business Profile optimized and up-to-date is more critical than ever if you want to stay visible - and competitive - in an AI-driven local landscape. In summary: the future of Local SEO on Google is looking very bright. 😎 ### **Contact Our Experts for Local SEO** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your Google Business Profile and enhance your [local SEO](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/service/local-seo/) so you get more local leads and sales. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google Maps Is Fighting Back Against Fake Reviews With Google Gemini URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/04/google-maps-is-fighting-back-against-fake-reviews-with-google-gemini/ **Date:** 2025-04-17 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google, Google update, seo Fake reviews have plagued online platforms for years, undermining trust and tarnishing the credibility of legitimate businesses. On Google Maps, false five-star ratings from bots or paid reviews have painted misleading pictures of businesses, while malicious one-star reviews have unfairly damaged reputations. But that's about to change. With the release of Google Gemini, Google is stepping up its efforts to tackle fake reviews, offering a solution to benefit businesses and consumers. This post dives into how Google Gemini works, its current availability, and its potential impact on businesses and consumers. ## **The Problem with Fake Reviews** Fake reviews harm everyone. For businesses, they can unjustly inflate a competitor's ratings or decimate the trust in a legitimate brand. For consumers, they lead to misplaced expectations and poorly informed choices. Whether a shady competitor posts glowing reviews for themselves or a disgruntled individual leaves unfair one-star ratings, the result is the same: a distorted reality. Google Maps, a widely used tool for discovering businesses, restaurants, and attractions, has been particularly susceptible to this problem. With 9 out of 10 consumers checking online reviews before making purchase decisions, ensuring reliability is critical. Google Gemini is designed to address this issue head-on. ## **What Is Google Gemini?** Google Gemini is an advanced AI-driven tool developed to combat fake reviews on Google Maps. Leveraging breakthrough advancements in machine learning, Gemini operates as a gatekeeper, analysing reviews for signs of fraudulent activity before it can influence a business's overall rating. The tool is part of Google's broader push towards improving the integrity of its platforms. It works in real time to identify abusive patterns, suspicious content, and probable fake reviews while also flagging certain behaviours for manual review if necessary. ## **Geographic Availability** Currently, Google Gemini is being rolled out in three key regions where Google Maps enjoys widespread adoption - the **US**, **UK**, and **India**. These territories represent significant markets for Google, where businesses and consumers rely heavily on online reviews for recommendations. While Google hasn't officially announced plans to introduce Gemini globally, the initial rollout in these regions is the first step in addressing a worldwide issue. ## **How Gemini Spots Fake Reviews** Training an AI to distinguish between legitimate and fake reviews isn't easy. To develop Gemini, Google fed it a mountain of data, including review patterns, behaviours associated with misuse, and even linguistic markers typical in fake content. The AI has been fine-tuned to identify issues without harming legitimate reviews. Here's how it works: - **Behavioural Analysis** - Gemini analyses the reviewer's behaviour, identifying patterns that suggest fraudulent activity. For instance, leaving dozens of reviews quickly or submitting reviews for businesses miles apart may trigger the system. - **Content Scrutiny** - The tool evaluates the language used in the review. Suspiciously generic phrases like "best service ever" or over-the-top praise without specifics can signal abuse, as can overly critical feedback that appears intentionally destructive. - **Cross-Referencing Accounts** - Google Gemini cross-checks reviewer profiles for inconsistencies. Accounts set up recently with no significant activity except mass review submissions are blacklisted more quickly. - **Machine Learning Insights** - Using millions of past flagged cases and known examples of abuse, Gemini continues to learn and adapt, refining its ability to spot fake reviews that evade simpler detection methods. ## **How This Helps Businesses** For businesses, Google Gemini has arrived with tremendous benefits. Here's how it makes an impact for entrepreneurs and owners managing their hard-earned reputations on Google Maps: - **Fair and Trustworthy Ratings:** Fake positive or negative ratings distort rankings, making it challenging for legitimately excellent businesses to stand out. Gemini ensures ratings accurately reflect genuine feedback. - **Improved Consumer Confidence:** A cleaner review space reassures potential customers, increasing foot traffic and conversions for genuine businesses. - **Level Playing Field:** Small businesses often suffer when competitors resort to fake reviews out of desperation. Gemini levels the playing field by removing deceitful practices and promoting organic growth. ## **Benefits for Consumers** Just as businesses gain, consumers also stand to benefit from Google Gemini's review-cleaning capabilities: - **More Reliable Decisions:** Genuine reviews make it easier for consumers to trust businesses they've never visited before, leading to better dining, shopping, and service experiences. - **Time Saved:** Consumers no longer have to sift through suspicious reviews to identify honest feedback. - **Enhanced Online Trust:** Online platforms become safer for recommendations, which builds overall trust in digital platforms. ## **Future Implications and Potential Expansion** We're only at the beginning of better monitoring for online reviews. Google Gemini signals a shift towards greater accountability and transparency. But its implications may widen further in the future: - **Global Rollout:** While Gemini is limited to select regions, its success will likely lead to a worldwide release. - **Integration with Other Platforms:** Google could extend Gemini's technology to other services like Google Shopping or third-party review platforms. - **Cross-Business Collaboration:** Imagine if businesses like Yelp or TripAdvisor used similar technology to verify the authenticity of user feedback. We might see the industry adopt better, more consistent approaches for review monitoring. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Meta's Ad-Free Subscriptions and the Impact on Social Media Marketing in Europe URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/04/metas-ad-free-subscriptions-and-the-impact-on-social-media-marketing-in-europe/ **Date:** 2025-04-04 **Category:** Facebook, Industry News, Instagram, Social Media In a significant shift for the social media landscape, [last November Meta announced](https://about.fb.com/news/2024/11/facebook-and-instagram-to-offer-subscription-for-no-ads-in-europe/) that they were introducing a paid subscription model for Facebook and Instagram users in Europe. This new offering allows users to enjoy an ad-free experience across both platforms, marking a pivotal moment that could influence the future of social media marketing. The subscription, priced at approximately EUR 5.99 per month for web users and EUR 7.99 for mobile device users is Meta's response to evolving European data privacy regulations. By giving users the choice to opt out of personalised advertising, Meta aims to comply with regulatory demands while continuing to monetise its platforms. ## **What This Means for Social Media Marketing** For digital marketers, particularly those focused on social media marketing, this development introduces both challenges and opportunities. With a potential reduction in ad impressions and audience targeting capabilities, brands may need to rethink how they engage with users on these platforms. **Key Impacts on Marketers:** - **Reduced Ad Reach**: Fewer users exposed to ads could impact campaign performance metrics. - **Greater Emphasis on Organic Content**: Content that engages without paid reach becomes even more essential. - **Increased Use of Influencers**: Influencer marketing might become a more effective route to reach audiences who opt out of ads. - **Community-Building**: Brands may invest more in building loyal online communities. ## **Adaptation is Key** However, the move doesn't spell the end for advertising on Facebook and Instagram. The majority of users are still expected to stick with the free, ad-supported versions. This means that while ad-free experiences will exist, the core framework of social media marketing remains intact-but perhaps with a more segmented approach. Marketers will need to pay closer attention to audience behaviour and tailor their strategies accordingly. Additionally, this change highlights the growing importance of data privacy and user control in shaping the future of digital platforms. As privacy regulations evolve, so too must marketing strategies, with an increased focus on transparency and value-driven content. ## **Looking Ahead** Ultimately, Meta's subscription model is a response to both regulatory pressure and user demand. As social media evolves, so too must the strategies marketers employ. Staying agile and adapting to these changes will be essential for businesses aiming to thrive in this new era of digital engagement. **Conclusion:** Social media marketing is far from obsolete-but it is changing. Marketers who embrace new tools, focus on authentic connections, and prioritise user preferences will be the ones who continue to succeed. ### **Contact Our Experts for help with your Social Media** Get in touch with our team if you need [**social media management services**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media-management/) or training so you can take advantage of Meta and other social media platforms for your business; allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Meta Launches Testing for Community Notes on their Facebook, Instagram and Threads Platforms URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/03/meta-launches-testing-for-community-notes-on-their-facebook-instagram-and-threads-platforms/ **Date:** 2025-03-26 **Category:** Facebook, Instagram, Social Media | **Tags:** meta, social media Meta has officially started testing its new Community Notes feature across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads in the United States, marking a shift away from their previous third-party fact-checking program. This initiative, inspired by the Community Notes system on X (formerly Twitter), aims to create a more scalable, inclusive, and unbiased approach to providing context to posts on these platforms. **What Are Community Notes?** **[Community Notes](https://transparency.meta.com/en-gb/features/community-notes/) **are concise, 500-character insights contributed by users to add context to posts. Unlike traditional fact-checking methods led by professional organisations, this crowd-sourced approach allows a wider range of perspectives to weigh in, creating a more balanced system. A standout feature is that notes will only be published if contributors from varying viewpoints agree on their accuracy and relevance. Key attributes of the Community Notes system include: - **Collaborative Insight**: Contributors provide context to posts rather than outright labelling content as "true" or "false." - **Bias Safeguards**: Agreement between contributors with differing opinions is mandatory for a note to be published. - **Transparency**: Notes do not penalise or limit the reach of posts-they simply provide additional context. - **Verification Criteria**: Contributors must meet specific requirements, including being over 18, having an account in good standing, and using two-factor authentication or providing a verified phone number. - **Language Options**: Community Notes will initially support six widely spoken languages, including English, Spanish, and Chinese, with plans to expand further. ## **Gradual Implementation** Meta has emphasised that the rollout process will be both cautious and iterative. With approximately 200,000 potential contributors signing up thus far, new participants will be invited gradually to test the system. Notes won't appear publicly in the early stages, allowing Meta to refine the writing and rating process further. Interestingly, the feature will start by focusing solely on organic content, meaning advertisements will not be eligible for notes during this initial phase. ## **Why Community Notes?** Meta's third-party fact-checking program, launched in 2016, faced criticism for potential political biases. Experts, like all individuals, bring their own perspectives to fact-checking decisions. The Community Notes approach seeks to overcome this by leveraging multiple viewpoints from a larger, more diverse pool of contributors. Nicola Mendelsohn, Meta's head of the Global Business Group, explained that empowering contributors across communities will make the system more scalable and equitable. ## **Building on X's Algorithm** Meta is building this solution using [X's open-source algorithm](https://github.com/twitter/the-algorithm) as a starting point. By leveraging X's research, Meta plans to adapt and optimise the system to meet the specific needs of its platforms. The company has committed to implementing this feature transparently, acknowledging that there will likely be challenges but remaining focused on continuous improvement. ## **Future Plans** Once testing proves successful, Community Notes will gradually replace the fact-checking program completely in the U.S. Meta also plans to roll out this capability globally over time. Until then, traditional fact-checking methods will remain in place for users outside the United States. ## **What This Means for Marketers and Social Media Professionals** For marketers and professionals in the digital space, the rollout of Community Notes brings several implications, including enhanced transparency and the ability for posts to be contextualised by diverse contributors. This initiative also reflects a broader trend among platforms to incorporate community-driven moderation systems, which marketers should be mindful of when crafting content strategies. Meta's adoption of Community Notes indicates a significant step forward in addressing misinformation without affecting content reach, creating an environment where context, not censorship, takes centre stage. Keep an eye on this evolving feature, as it's likely to impact how brands, agencies, and content creators approach their messaging across Meta platforms. ### **Contact Our Experts for help with your Social Media** Get in touch with our team if you need** [social media management services](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media-management/)** or training so you can take advantage of Meta and other social media platforms for your business; allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google Tag Manager Update: What You Need to Know About the Upcoming Data Processing Change URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/03/google-tag-manager-update-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-upcoming-data-processing-change/ **Date:** 2025-03-18 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** advice, google A vital update could impact your data flow to Google Ads if you use Google Tag Manager (GTM) to manage your website tags. Starting April 10, 2025, Google is changing the order in which GTM sends data to Google Ads to improve data tracking reliability and centralise settings for features like enhanced conversions. Let's break down what's changing and why it matters. ## **Current Process** Right now, when your website sends data (events) to Google Ads via GTM, these events are sent before the main Google tag loads. While this process works, it's not as efficient or reliable as possible. ## **What's Changing On April 10, 2025?** With the new update, GTM will first load the main Google tag, and only after that will it send data to Google Ads. Here's what this change means for you: - **Improved Data Tracking: **The new order makes data processing more reliable, reducing the risk of missed or incomplete data. - **More Data for Google Ads:** This update could increase the amount of usable data Google Ads receives by optimising how data is sent, which could improve ad performance and targeting. - **Easier Feature Management:** Centralised settings simplify the process of enabling powerful tools like enhanced conversions. - **Automatic User Data Collection:** If you've already agreed to the relevant terms with Google, user data collection will be enabled automatically, streamlining the setup process. ## **Why This Matters** These changes are a big deal for businesses relying on accurate tracking and reporting to optimise ad campaigns. By improving how data is handled, the update ensures better insights and potentially boosts the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns. Plus, the simplified setup makes taking advantage of advanced features easier without additional manual configuration. ## **What You Should Do** To prepare for this update, review your current GTM setup and ensure your website tags are correctly configured. If you haven't already enabled enhanced conversions or agreed to the user data collection terms, now is a good time to review these options to maximise the benefits of the upcoming changes. This update is part of Google's ongoing efforts to refine data tracking and improve the tools available to advertisers. Understand how these changes can benefit your campaigns to stay ahead of the curve. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google Brings Circle To Search Alternative To iPhone URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/03/google-brings-circle-to-search-alternative-to-iphone/ **Date:** 2025-03-12 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** digital tips, google When Google rolls out a new feature, the world pays attention. Their latest innovation, Circle to Search, could redefine how we interact with search functionality on mobile devices. Positioned as a clever alternative to Apple's current search features, this tool carries the potential to reshape user experiences, bridge usability gaps, and challenge the iPhone's long-standing dominance in the search game. But what exactly is Circle to Search, and how does it work? More importantly, how does it stack up against Apple's best? Here, we break down the mechanics, advantages, and impacts of Google's Circle to Search feature and what it could mean for the future of mobile search. ## **How Circle To Search Works** Circle to Search is Google's attempt to streamline how users search for information. Unlike traditional methods, where users type or speak queries, Circle to Search invites users to interact visually with their screens. Here's how it works: - When users activate Circle to Search, they can draw a circle (or selection shape) on an image, webpage, or map they view on their phone. - Google then identifies the content within that circle and delivers relevant search results. For example, if you were looking at a picture of a handbag in a magazine, you could circle it to find the same or similar products online. - Results are powered by Google's sophisticated AI, which understands shapes, objects, and contexts. This goes beyond text-based searches into a realm where visuals take the lead. The user experience is seamless and intuitive, aiming to reduce reliance on manual typing or verbal queries. Google's execution, leveraging years of AI and image-detection technology, ensures that results are fast and contextually relevant. ## **Comparison With iPhone's Search** How does Circle to Search measure up against Apple's search features? The main competitor here is the iPhone's "spotlight search" or the Visual Look Up functionality in iOS. While Spotlight searches for files, apps, and online queries when you enter keywords, Visual Look Up uses images and media to extract contextual information. Here are the key distinctions: - **Interactivity**: - Circle to Search centres on interactive, gesture-based search, where users physically outline objects of interest. - By contrast, the iPhone's Visual Look-Up focuses on identifying objects automatically when prompted by the OS. - **Contexts**: - Google's Circle to Search allows for broad use cases like directly searching on maps, product images, or web content. - iPhone's Visual Look Up is object-specific, often centring around recognisable categories like plants, animals, or landmarks. - **AI Integration**: - Both technologies rely heavily on artificial intelligence, but Google's Circle to Search appears more refined in blending visual recognition with user-defined inputs, giving users more control. With Circle to Search, Google targets a unique space Apple hasn't fully claimed yet-a middle ground offering search personalisation, AI power, and usability options tailored to visual thinkers. ## **Benefits And Advantages Of Circle To Search** When considering Circle to Search, several notable advantages emerge, especially for mobile users and brands eager to capitalise on this interactive search experience: **A More Intuitive Search Process** Typing isn't always the easiest option (especially on mobile), and speaking out loud to a voice assistant might not always be appropriate. For these scenarios, Circle to Search provides an intuitive alternative where actions speak louder than words. **Fast and Precise Context Recognition** What makes Circle to Search such a standout is its precision. When you draw a circle around something, Google immediately hones in on exactly what you want to learn more about. It cuts out guesswork and unnecessary steps. **Richer Shopping Experiences** For e-commerce enthusiasts, Circle to Search is a dream. Spot a chair you adore in a lifestyle blog? Circle it, and you'll instantly see where to buy it. This feature bridges content, discovery, and commerce by offering tailored links to products, reviews, and comparisons. **Democratisation of Search** Circle to Search levels the playing field for users struggling with typical text entry. This includes users from non-English-speaking backgrounds or those looking for accessibility-focused tools. **Endless Use Cases** Circle to Search opens countless possibilities, from identifying a building's history to finding where a meal is served. Education, art, shopping, and quick-scroll searches become a cohesive experience. ## **The Potential Impact Of Circle To Search** Like any groundbreaking feature, the question extends beyond usability and its impact on broader user behaviour and the competitive tech landscape. **Changes in User Behaviour** Circle to Search could redefine how people interact with mobile search altogether. Visual and gesture-driven tech encourages users to treat their phones more like physical tools, inviting exploration with taps, slides, and circles to enhance sensory interaction. **Competitive Pressure for Apple** Apple's Visual Look Up is undoubtedly innovative, but Circle to Search feels a step ahead in its flexibility and interactivity. Google's new feature might push Apple to refine and expand its search functionalities, especially in product discovery or user-input inclusion areas. **Shifts in E-commerce and Advertising** If Circle to Search gains traction, brands want to optimise their products for visual searches. This could mean a heavier reliance on image-based SEO or even dedicated ad campaigns prompted by visual recognition trends. Google will likely use its search ads and analytics to monetise Circle to Search further. **Advancement in AI Models** At its core, Circle to Search relies on advanced artificial intelligence for object recognition. With every use, the system learns and improves. This could prompt faster advancements in AI-driven customer experiences, raising the stakes in the tech world. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How TikTok Can Enhance Your Digital Strategy URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/03/how-tiktok-can-enhance-your-digital-strategy/ **Date:** 2025-03-06 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** digital tips, social media, tiktok In today's fast-paced digital landscape, businesses must adapt to new platforms and trends to stay relevant and engage their audiences effectively. One of the most dynamic platforms to emerge in recent years is TikTok. With its short-form video content and an algorithm that promotes creativity, TikTok offers unique opportunities for brands to connect with users authentically. Here's how incorporating TikTok into your digital strategy can enhance your marketing efforts. ## **Wider Reach and Audience Engagement** TikTok boasts over a billion active users worldwide, offering a vast audience that spans various demographics, including Gen Z, millennials, and beyond. Brands can tap into this extensive user base by creating engaging, entertaining content. The platform encourages user interaction through likes, comments, shares, and duets, fostering a sense of community that can enhance brand loyalty. ## **Authentic Brand Storytelling** Unlike traditional advertising methods, TikTok thrives on authenticity and creativity. Users prefer genuine content over polished, brand-heavy messaging. Brands can leverage this by showcasing their personality, values, and behind-the-scenes moments. This authentic storytelling humanises your brand and builds trust and relatability among your target audience. ## **Viral Potential** The unique algorithm of TikTok allows content to go viral quickly. By participating in trends or challenges, brands can gain significant visibility overnight. Creative and entertaining videos can generate substantial organic reach, making it easier for smaller brands to compete with established players. Harnessing trending audio and hashtags can amplify this potential, helping your content reach beyond your immediate followers. ## **Innovative Advertising Options** TikTok offers various advertising formats, including In-Feed Ads, Branded Hashtag Challenges, and TopView Ads, all designed to integrate seamlessly with user-generated content. These innovative ad formats allow brands to engage users more interactively. For instance, a well-crafted Branded Hashtag Challenge can encourage users to create content around your product, driving engagement and buzz. ## **Data-Driven Insights** Like any digital platform, TikTok provides robust analytics that allows you to measure your performance. You can gain insights into user behaviour, engagement rates, and content performance. These insights can inform your strategy, helping you understand what resonates with your audience and allowing continuous improvement. ## **Collaborations with Influencers** TikTok is home to various influencers who can amplify your brand's message. Collaborating with creators who align with your brand values can enhance your credibility and reach. Influencers have established trust with their followers, and their endorsement can effectively influence purchasing decisions, opening new avenues for consumer engagement. ## **Stay Ahead of Trends** TikTok is often at the forefront of emerging trends and cultural movements. By being active on the platform, brands can stay attuned to changing consumer preferences and societal trends. This awareness can inform your broader marketing strategy, allowing your brand to be proactive rather than reactive. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google Rolls Out New Performance Max Updates After Successful Beta Testing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/02/google-rolls-out-new-performance-max-updates-after-successful-beta-testing/ **Date:** 2025-02-11 **Category:** Google, Google AdWords, PPC | **Tags:** google, seo After successful beta testing, Google has recently unveiled a set of updates to its popular Performance Max (PMax) campaigns. These enhancements give advertisers greater control, insights, and tools to maximise campaign performance. With these changes, marketers are poised to unlock new levels of efficiency and growth across their marketing strategies. Here's a breakdown of the key updates and how they benefit advertisers: ## **1. New Customer Acquisition Goals** One of the standout updates is the expanded customer acquisition functionality. Advertisers can now prioritise reaching new customers over existing ones by leveraging first-party data and Google's machine learning. This feature allows businesses to tailor their outreach strategies, ensuring they drive incremental growth while maximising return on ad spend (ROAS). **Why it matters:** For companies aiming to grow their customer base, this tool provides a focused approach to finding new audiences without cannibalising their existing clientele. During the beta, businesses reported significant success in generating fresh leads and conversions. ## **2. Page Feeds for URL Targeting** Performance Max now supports page feeds, enabling advertisers to specify which URLs they want Google to prioritise in search, YouTube, and display campaigns. By uploading a list of URLs, businesses can guide Google's AI to direct customers to high-performing or promotional pages. **Benefit to advertisers:** More precise URL targeting enhances user experience by ensuring shoppers land on the most relevant pages. Page feeds also simplify campaign setup and execution for brands running large-scale promotions. ## **3. Asset Group-Level Reporting** With the new asset group-level reporting, advertisers gain detailed insights into performance metrics based on their creative assets. Metrics like conversion rate, impressions, and engagement can now be analysed at a granular level, helping marketers understand which combinations of headlines, images, and videos drive the best results. **Impact on campaigns:** This added visibility enables advertisers to optimise their creatives efficiently, leading to better campaign outcomes. Beta testers applauded this feature for cutting the guesswork and providing actionable data. ## **4. Brand Exclusions** Another highly anticipated addition is the option to exclude brand-specific queries. By flagging specific brand keywords, advertisers can ensure that Performance Max campaigns only target non-branded traffic, improving efficiency and reducing overlap with other campaign types. **Audience feedback:** Brands that tested this feature found it especially useful for managing budgets and diversifying traffic sources. For advertisers focusing on prospecting campaigns, this eliminates unnecessary spending on branded search terms. ## **5. Geo-Targeting Enhancements** Google has also refined its geo-targeting capabilities within PMax. Advertisers can now set exclusions for specific regions or refine targeting within multi-location campaigns, offering more control over budget allocation based on geography. **Practical impact:** This feature supports strategic targeting and resource optimisation for nationwide campaigns or those that span different regions. Businesses can now align ad spending more closely with areas of higher ROI. ## **Positive Feedback From Beta Participants** The beta phase for these updates generated widespread praise among early testers. Businesses across industries reported improved campaign alignment with their goals, reduced wasted ad spend, and easier management of diverse objectives. Many marketers highlighted how these features empowered them to refine strategies in ways that were previously unavailable in Performance Max. ## **What This Means for Advertisers** These new updates present a significant opportunity for marketers looking to scale their campaigns. Google's emphasis on combining automation with granular controls showcases its commitment to evolving Performance Max into a powerful all-in-one solution. Whether you're focusing on acquiring new customers, running creative-rich campaigns, or refining audience targeting, these tools help you make smarter decisions with less effort. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Understanding Google's December 2024 Core & Spam Updates URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2025/02/understanding-googles-december-2024-core-spam-updates/ **Date:** 2025-02-11 **Category:** Google Algorithm Updates | **Tags:** google 2024 update Search engine algorithms change frequently, but not all updates carry the same weight. In particular, Google's December 2024 Core and Spam updates have sent ripples throughout the SEO world. If you noticed shifts in your website's rankings this month, you're not alone. These updates refine how Google interprets and ranks content, making it more critical than ever for website owners and SEO professionals to adapt. This post dives into what these updates mean, their impact on search rankings, and how to optimise your website to remain competitive. ## **What Are The December 2024 Core And Spam Updates?** **Core Algorithm Update ** Core algorithm updates focus on improving Google's ability to deliver more relevant and high-quality search results. Unlike minor updates targeting a specific category, core updates impact almost all websites, evaluating content quality, expertise, and usability. With the December 2024 Core Update, Google emphasises "helpful content." The update sharpens Google's focus on understanding the intent behind search queries and elevating websites that provide clear, authoritative answers. **Key reasons for the update: ** - To reduce the prominence of generic, low-value content. - To reward websites with original, detailed, and user-centric content. - To factor in user experience on mobile and desktop devices when ranking content. **Spam Detection Update** The Spam Update is designed to tackle malicious tactics like keyword stuffing, link manipulation, and thin, irrelevant content intended only to game the system. Google has used AI tools, including its SpamBrain system, to root out such practices. The December 2024 Spam Update builds on these efforts, refining spam detection and penalising websites that violate Google's guidelines. Sites relying on outdated or exploitative strategies may find their rankings significantly reduced-or eliminated from results pages. **Highlights of this update: ** - Improved AI-powered detection of unnatural or manipulative link-building practices. - Greater focus on preventing harmful or deceptive content from appearing in search. - Reinforcement of "E-E-A-T" (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). ## **How These Updates Impact Search Rankings** Understanding the potential effects of these updates is key to adapting your SEO strategy. **Winners and Losers ** **Winners:** Websites prioritising in-depth, helpful content and playing by Google's rules are seeing positive outcomes. Sites with apparent authority in a niche, comprehensive content that matches searcher intent, and an exceptional user experience are rewarded with higher visibility. **Losers:** Content farms, generic SEO blogs, and sites reliant on manipulative tactics like low-quality guest posting or AI-generated copy without refinement have experienced steep declines. Spam websites have mainly borne the brunt of this update. **Ranking Volatility ** Many industries reported significant ranking fluctuations once the updates rolled out. YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) niches like healthcare, personal finance, and legal advice were among the most affected. These sectors demand higher levels of trust and expertise, putting extra scrutiny on their content. ## **Strategies For Optimising Your Website** Are you wondering how to secure your website's place amidst these changes? Here's how to align with Google's expectations. **Focus on Quality Content ** Make content your priority. Google favours original, user-centred content that provides value. Here's what to do: - Understand Search Intent: Align your content with what users seek (informational, transactional, or navigational queries). - Be Comprehensive: Cover topics in-depth, including multiple angles and user questions. - Utilise E-E-A-T principles: Include sources, cite evidence, and highlight your expertise to build trust. Use tools like Google Analytics or SEMrush to identify poorly performing content and rewrite or expand it for better results. **Clean Up Technical Errors ** A good website isn't just about words but structure and usability. Run a technical audit to ensure your site is primed for SEO success. Some basics to check: - Fix broken links and 404 errors. - Ensure mobile responsiveness. - Optimise loading speeds for all devices. - Update outdated content with current data and statistics. **Avoid Over-Reliance on AI** AI tools can generate content but are no substitute for human touch. Websites using AI to churn out generic posts risk losing rankings. Instead, make AI an assistant in your content efforts-use it for research, editing, or supplementary information. ## **Best Practices For Future-Proofing Your Website** The algorithms will continue to evolve, but these best practices will stay relevant long term. **Build Trust with Readers** Trust is non-negotiable when it comes to ranking. YMYL industries, in particular, need to focus on presenting expert opinions and accurate information. Consider showcasing authorship, adding professional credentials to your bios, and linking to reliable sources. **Stay Mobile-Friendly** With the emphasis on mobile usability, ensuring your website provides a seamless mobile experience is no longer optional. - Use responsive design. - Test your mobile page speed. - Simplify site navigation for smaller screens. **Consistently Monitor Rankings and Metrics** SEO is not set-it-and-forget-it. Regularly monitor your Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your performance. To identify potential improvements, look for key indicators such as bounce rate, dwell time, and organic traffic. **Stay Updated on Google Guidelines** Google often updates its Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines, which serve as a playbook for ensuring compliance with its ranking standards. For official updates, subscribe to Google's Search Central Blog. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Mastering Black Friday For E-Commerce Success URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/11/mastering-black-friday-for-e-commerce-success/ **Date:** 2024-11-19 **Category:** Guides | **Tags:** advice, digital tips Every November, the retail world braces itself for a shopping frenzy like no other-Black Friday. For e-commerce businesses, this is a golden opportunity to boost sales and reach new customers. But capitalising on Black Friday requires more than slashing prices; it demands a strategic approach. In this guide, we'll explore everything you need to know to craft a successful Black Friday e-commerce strategy that maximises profits and enhances customer satisfaction. ## **Unpacking The Black Friday Phenomenon** Black Friday has become a global shopping event that kicks off the holiday season. Originating in the United States, the event has grown beyond brick-and-mortar stores, becoming a crucial date for e-commerce. For online retailers, Black Friday represents a chance to attract shoppers eager for deals, generate substantial revenue, and clear out old inventory. It's a day when consumer attention peaks, providing a prime opportunity for brands to make an impact. In recent years, the significance of Black Friday has only amplified, with online sales breaking records year after year. It's not just an American tradition anymore; countries worldwide have embraced the concept, expanding its reach and potential. Understanding this phenomenon involves recognising the psychological allure of deals and the urgency created by time-limited offers. This drives the massive influx of traffic to e-commerce sites during this period. For e-commerce businesses, Black Friday is not just about discounts but engagement, brand exposure, and long-term customer acquisition. By preparing strategically, brands can leverage this event to enhance their market presence and drive revenue growth. ## **Decoding Black Friday Trends** To effectively plan for Black Friday, analysing past trends and predicting future behaviours is essential. Reviewing historical data allows businesses to identify patterns in consumer behaviour, preferred products, and peak shopping times. Understanding these trends can help tailor your strategy to meet customer expectations and stand out among competitors. Recent Black Friday data indicates a continued shift towards online shopping, driven by convenience and the increasing comfort of digital transactions. Mobile commerce, or m-commerce, has also seen a significant surge, with more consumers using smartphones to shop online. This trend underscores the importance of mobile-optimised websites and responsive designs in capturing this growing audience. Additionally, social media has become a powerful tool for generating buzz and driving traffic. Analysing engagement rates and content performance can provide insights into which platforms and strategies resonate most with your audience. By focusing on emerging trends, businesses can adapt their Black Friday strategies to remain relevant and competitive. ## **Crafting Your Black Friday E-commerce Strategy** To make the most of Black Friday, a well-thought-out e-commerce strategy is crucial. Start by setting realistic sales goals that align with your business objectives. Consider past performance, market conditions, and capacity when determining targets. These goals will guide your promotional efforts and help measure success. Next, choose the right products for promotion. Focus on items with high demand, ample stock, and attractive margins. Highlighting bestsellers, exclusive products, or limited-time bundles can create urgency and entice shoppers. To appeal to a broad audience, it's also wise to offer a mix of discounts, such as percentage off, buy-one-get-one-free, or tiered pricing. Social media and email marketing are your allies in maximising reach. Crafting compelling content and personalised messages can engage your audience and drive traffic to your site. Leverage platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to showcase deals, share countdowns, and run interactive campaigns. With targeted segmentation and automation, email marketing can nurture leads and encourage repeat purchases. Finally, ensure your website is optimised for increased traffic and conversions. A smooth user experience, fast load times, and a seamless checkout process are essential to prevent cart abandonment. Regularly test your site for performance issues and fix bugs to ensure a frictionless shopping experience for your customers. ## **Executing Winning Marketing Campaigns** Effective marketing campaigns are the backbone of a successful Black Friday strategy. Begin by creating compelling ads and promotions that capture attention and convey value. Use eye-catching visuals, persuasive copy, and clear calls to action to entice potential customers. Highlight the exclusivity and time-sensitivity of your offers to create a sense of urgency. Influencer marketing can extend your reach and credibility. Partnering with influencers who align with your brand can introduce your products to new audiences. Encourage influencers to create authentic content showcasing your deals and encouraging followers to take action. Running targeted PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns can boost visibility and drive traffic. Use platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads to reach specific demographics and interests. Optimise your ad placements and budgets to maximise ROI and ensure your offerings reach the right audience at the right time. ## **Enhancing The User Experience** User experience is pivotal in converting visitors into customers and ensuring a successful Black Friday. Optimising website navigation, load times, and the checkout process can significantly reduce cart abandonment rates. A user-friendly design with intuitive menus and search functions helps shoppers find what they need quickly. Ensure your site is mobile-responsive, as more consumers shop via smartphones. A mobile-friendly interface, easy-to-read fonts, and touch-friendly buttons enhance the mobile user experience. Streamlining the checkout process is equally important. Minimise the steps required to purchase and offer guest checkout options to remove barriers. Display trust badges and secure payment options to build confidence and encourage transactions. ## **Reflecting On Post-Black Friday Success** After the Black Friday rush, it's time to evaluate the effectiveness of your strategy. Analyse key metrics such as sales volume, conversion rates, and customer acquisition costs to assess performance. Identify areas of strength and areas for improvement to refine future strategies. Collecting customer feedback is invaluable for gaining insights into their experience. Use surveys or follow-up emails to gather opinions on product quality, service, and overall satisfaction. This feedback can inform adjustments to your offerings and service, enhancing customer loyalty and retention. Use the data collected to plan for future improvements. Consider what worked well and what didn't, and apply these learnings to upcoming campaigns. Staying agile and responsive to evolving consumer preferences will keep your brand competitive and relevant. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google Brings Store Rating To Search Results In 4 New Countries URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/11/google-brings-store-rating-to-search-results-in-4-new-countries/ **Date:** 2024-11-15 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google, Google update On October 9th, Google made an exciting announcement regarding its store ratings feature, revealing plans to expand its availability to four additional English-speaking countries: Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. Until this update, this valuable tool had been exclusively accessible to users in the United States. The expansion aims to enhance the shopping experience in these new markets by providing consumers with insights into store reputations and helping them make more informed purchasing decisions. ## **The Power Of Google Store Ratings** Google's store rating feature is a game-changer in the digital shopping landscape. By providing star ratings and reviews directly within search results, Google offers an immediate snapshot of a store's credibility and customer satisfaction. For businesses, this means an opportunity to gain visibility and build trust with potential customers. For consumers, it's a tool to make more informed choices. The introduction of store ratings aligns with a growing trend towards transparency and accountability in online shopping. Customers want to know they're making the right choice, and businesses that can showcase positive feedback are more likely to attract new buyers. This feature not only enhances the shopping experience but also encourages businesses to maintain high standards. ## **Behind The Ratings** Understanding how Google creates and updates store ratings is crucial for businesses looking to harness this tool effectively. Google's algorithm considers several factors, including the number of reviews, average rating scores, recency of reviews, and the credibility of reviewers. This comprehensive approach ensures that the ratings reflect a well-rounded picture of a store's performance. Google continuously updates these ratings to reflect the most current data, which means businesses must consistently deliver excellent service to maintain high scores. Encouraging satisfied customers to leave positive reviews can significantly boost a store's rating, while addressing negative feedback promptly can mitigate damage. ## **Boosting Business With Ratings** For businesses, store ratings are more than just a number; they're a strategic asset. High ratings can increase a store's visibility in search results, attracting more potential customers. They also serve as a testament to a business's quality and reliability, building trust with shoppers who may be unfamiliar with the brand. To improve their ratings, businesses should focus on delivering exceptional customer service, ensuring product quality, and actively engaging with customer feedback. By addressing issues raised by reviewers and showcasing positive experiences, businesses can enhance their reputation and drive more traffic to their stores. ## **Empowering Consumers** For consumers, Google's store ratings offer a vital resource in the decision-making process. With the ability to quickly assess a store's reputation, shoppers can make more confident choices, reducing the risk of disappointment or fraud. This feature democratizes the shopping experience, putting power back into the hands of the consumer. Customers can use these ratings to compare similar stores, choosing those with the best track record for quality and service. Additionally, detailed reviews provide insights into product performance and customer service, enabling buyers to make purchases that align with their expectations. ## **Google's Strategic Positioning** The introduction of store ratings in new countries positions Google strategically within the online retail market. By integrating this feature into its search engine, Google strengthens its role as a facilitator of informed consumer decisions, challenging other platforms that offer similar services. This move underscores Google's commitment to enhancing user experience and supporting businesses in reaching their target audiences. It also highlights the competitive nature of the digital marketplace, where features that offer convenience and value can significantly sway user preferences. ## **The Road Ahead** Looking to the future, Google is likely to continue expanding its store rating feature to additional countries and industries. This could include specialised sectors like healthcare or hospitality, where reviews and ratings are equally important. We can also anticipate further enhancements to the feature itself, such as integrating more detailed analytics for businesses or personalised recommendations for consumers based on their past behaviour and preferences. Such advancements would further solidify Google's position as a leader in the digital marketplace. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Odyssey New Media Named Among Top 3 Marketing Agencies in Birmingham URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/10/odyssey-new-media-named-among-top-3-marketing-agencies-in-birmingham/ **Date:** 2024-10-10 **Category:** Odyssey New Media News | **Tags:** award We are absolutely thrilled to share that Odyssey New Media has been named one of the top 3 marketing agencies in Birmingham! This recognition comes from the esteemed platform ThreeBestRated, which has rated us as **excellent **in our field. Established in 2014, ThreeBestRated carefully selects the top 3 local businesses in each sector based on various factors such as reviews, reputation, history, complaints, ratings, satisfaction, proximity, trust, cost, and overall excellence. They conduct a 50-point inspection to ensure the businesses they feature are verified and of high quality. Odyssey New Media's ascent to being ranked as one of the leading marketing agencies in Birmingham is a direct result of the relentless commitment and passion we bring to every project. Our team provides cost-effective solutions that deliver long-lasting results through a wide range of services, including **[search engine optimisation](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/)**, **[pay-per-click advertising](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/ppc/)**, **[social media marketing](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/)**, and **[web development](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/service/wordpress-web-design/)**. This unique accolade wouldn't have been possible without the initiative of our partners and clients, who wrote and published their honest thoughts about our work. We sincerely thank them for their ongoing support. We look forward to continuing our work together, driving success and growth in the future. Moving forward, we are enthusiastic about taking on more challenging projects and expanding our reach. --- ## New Features That Are Coming To YouTube URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/10/new-features-that-are-coming-to-youtube/ **Date:** 2024-10-03 **Category:** Social Media, YouTube | **Tags:** social media, youtube YouTube, a global powerhouse in online video content, continues to evolve, delighting creators and viewers alike. With many new features poised to roll out, there is much to anticipate for those who spend their time scrolling through videos, engaging with content, or seeking inspiration for their creative pursuits. This blog post will guide you through the upcoming changes that promise to enhance user experience, boost creator engagement, and transform how we interact with the platform. Whether you're a creator eager to broaden your audience or a viewer looking for a more personalised experience, something is exciting on the horizon for everyone. ## **Veo Is Coming To Dream Screen** One of the most anticipated additions to YouTube's feature set is integrating Veo technology into Dream Screen. This innovation promises to revolutionise how creators produce content, providing them with tools to enhance visual storytelling like never before. Veo is renowned for its advanced video editing capabilities, making it an invaluable asset for creators aiming to elevate their content. By incorporating Veo into Dream Screen, YouTube enables creators to craft videos that are not only visually appealing but also rich in detail and depth. This powerful toolset will seamlessly integrate complex visual effects, offering viewers a more immersive viewing experience. Furthermore, the synergy between Veo and Dream Screen is expected to streamline the production process, enabling creators to reduce time spent on editing without compromising quality. This efficiency can free up more time for creators to focus on crafting compelling narratives, ultimately resulting in more prosperous, more engaging content for global audiences. ## **Inspiration** Inspiration is a crucial driver for both content creators and consumers. Recognising this, YouTube is set to introduce new features designed to fuel creativity and spark fresh ideas. These features will give creators access to many resources, ranging from trend insights to creative prompts that align with current audience interests. Staying inspired is crucial for content creators to maintain a consistent output of engaging content. The new inspiration tools will offer curated suggestions based on trending topics and viewer preferences, helping creators tap into current zeitgeists and craft content that resonates with their audience. This can lead to more dynamic engagement, as creators can tailor their output to reflect ongoing cultural conversations. Additionally, audiences will also benefit from these inspiration-focused features. By highlighting content that aligns with individual interests and introducing viewers to new topics, YouTube aims to foster a more diverse and enriching viewing experience. This approach broadens viewers' horizons and encourages a more profound exploration of subjects they may not have previously considered. ## **Communities** Creating a sense of community has always been at the heart of YouTube's platform. With new features to enhance how creators and audiences interact, the concept of community on YouTube is set to become even more robust and engaging. The upcoming community features will enable creators to connect personally with their viewers. Enhanced comment management tools and interactive options will facilitate deeper conversations, allowing creators to engage with their audience in real time. This direct interaction can lead to a stronger sense of connection and loyalty among viewers, fostering a dedicated community around a creator's channel. For viewers, these community-centric features mean more significant opportunities to engage with content they love. Through interactive posts, polls, and live Q&A sessions, audiences can actively participate in shaping the content they consume. This participatory element enhances the viewing experience and strengthens the bond between creators and their audience, cultivating a vibrant, engaged community. ## **Community Hub** Building on the concept of communities, YouTube is set to introduce a Community Hub, a centralised space for creators and audiences to connect and collaborate. This hub will serve as a dynamic platform for sharing ideas, hosting discussions, and fostering a sense of belonging among like-minded individuals. The Community Hub provides an invaluable resource for networking and collaboration for creators. By connecting with other creators, sharing best practices, and exploring potential partnerships, creators can expand their reach and enhance the quality of their content. This collaborative environment can also lead to innovative content ideas and cross-promotional opportunities, benefiting both creators and their audiences. Viewers, too, will find value in the Community Hub. This space will offer curated content recommendations, discussion forums, and exclusive access to creator fan events. By participating in these activities, viewers can deepen their connection with the creators they admire and become active members of a thriving community. The Community Hub promises to be a vibrant, interactive space that enriches the YouTube experience for all. ## **Auto dubbing** Language barriers are a significant challenge for content creators seeking to reach a global audience. YouTube's new auto-dubbing feature aims to address this issue by providing seamless translation and dubbing capabilities. It enables creators to expand their reach and engage with viewers from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Auto dubbing uses advanced AI technology to translate and dub content in multiple languages, offering a more inclusive experience for viewers worldwide. This feature will allow creators to share their content with a broader audience without manual translation efforts, making connecting with viewers from different regions easier. For audiences, auto dubbing allows them to explore content from creators worldwide, broadening their horizons and exposing them to diverse perspectives and cultures. This enhanced accessibility can lead to a more enriching viewing experience, as viewers can enjoy content in their preferred language without losing the nuances and authenticity of the original piece. ## **Hype** Generating excitement and anticipation around new content is crucial for creators looking to maximise engagement. YouTube's upcoming hype features aim to provide creators with tools to build buzz and drive interest in their forthcoming releases. These features will include countdown timers, teaser trailers, and interactive polls, all designed to create a sense of anticipation and engagement among viewers. By leveraging these tools, creators can strategically build momentum around their content, ensuring their audience is eager and ready to engage upon release. These hype features offer viewers a more dynamic and interactive experience. By participating in countdowns, polls, and previews, audiences can become actively involved in the anticipation process, building excitement and community around the content they love. This heightened engagement can increase viewership and stronger connections between creators and their audiences. ## **Gifts, powered by Jewels** YouTube is set to introduce an exciting gifting feature powered by Jewels that will enable fans to support their favourite creators through virtual gifts. This feature is designed to foster deeper connections between creators and their audiences while providing new avenues for monetisation and engagement. For creators, the Jewels-powered gifting feature offers a unique way to monetise their content and engage with their audience. By receiving virtual gifts from fans, creators can gain valuable support and encouragement, fostering a sense of appreciation and connection with their community. This feature also encourages creators to produce high-quality content that resonates with their audience, as fans are more likely to send gifts in response to content they love and appreciate. Viewers, too, can benefit from the gifting feature. By sending virtual gifts, audiences can express their support and appreciation for their favourite creators, strengthening the bond between fans and creators. This interaction fosters a sense of community and belonging, as fans actively contribute to the success and growth of the creators they admire. The Jewels-powered gifting feature promises to enhance the YouTube experience for creators and viewers, deepening connections and fostering a more engaged and supportive community. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## 6 Key Strategies for App Store Optimisation URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/09/6-key-strategies-for-app-store-optimisation/ **Date:** 2024-09-04 **Category:** Mobile Apps | **Tags:** App store optimisation, ASO App stores are packed with a wide variety of apps for every imaginable use, making it tough for your app to stand out or rise to the top. As a result, App Store Optimisation (ASO) has become crucial for gaining visibility, leading to more downloads and sustained user engagement. In this blog, we will explore essential strategies for optimising your app's performance and visibility. ## **What is ASO?** App Store Optimisation (ASO for short) enhances the visibility and appeal of an app within app stores, similar to what search engine optimisation (SEO) does for websites. Just as SEO improves a website's ranking on search engines to attract more visitors, ASO aims to boost an app's presence in the store search results to increase downloads. This optimisation is essential for app success as it directly impacts its discoverability and user engagement. Effective ASO ensures that your app stands out among millions, leading to sustained growth as well as success in a highly competitive landscape. ## **6 Strategies for ASO** Now that we understand ASO and why it is important, we have compiled a list of 6 strategies to enhance your app's listings and improve its discoverability. 1. **Keyword Research** Keyword research is the foundation of any successful ASO strategy. It involves understanding and identifying the specific terms and phrases that users are most likely to input when searching for apps that offer features or services similar to yours. By pinpointing these keywords, developers can enhance their app's visibility in app store searches, driving more organic traffic and downloads. This process is crucial for aligning your app with user intent, ensuring that it appears prominently in search results when potential users are looking for software your application offers. To help you get started, categorise keywords into primary and secondary types. Primary keywords are high-traffic search terms directly tied to your app's core features or main functionalities. These are competitive terms that can significantly boost your visibility if you rank for them. On the other hand, secondary keywords, often referred to as niche or long-tail keywords, may have lower search volumes, but they are less competitive and can capture a specific audience segment. By incorporating both primary and secondary keywords into your plan, you can optimise your app's potential to reach a diverse and targeted user base. - **Primary Keywords**: High-volume search terms directly related to your software's core functionality. - **Secondary Keywords**: Niche or long-tail keywords that are less competitive but still relevant. **Title and Metadata Optimisation** Before we move on from the topic of keywords, it's essential to emphasise where to place them, such as in your title and metadata. By thoughtfully embedding relevant keywords in the title, subtitle, and description, you can greatly enhance your ASO efforts. For the Apple App Store, it's recommended to use at least 3,000 characters in your description, while the Google Play Store suggests aiming for 3,800 characters for better keyword density. Proper formatting is also crucial; by using headings and bullet points, you can ensure that your content remains scannable and easy to read, improving user engagement and making important information more accessible. Avoid overusing keywords or keyword stuffing in your descriptions, as this can negatively impact your app's visibility. **Customer Reviews and Ratings** Customer reviews and ratings play a pivotal role in enhancing ASO and search result rankings. Positive reviews and high ratings significantly boost an app's visibility as well as credibility, making it more likely to appear higher in app store searches. This increased visibility not only attracts more potential users but also signals to the store algorithms that this app is valuable and trustworthy. For users contemplating a download, customer reviews serve as powerful social proof, offering insights from real experiences that help build trust and credibility. These reviews influence download decisions by highlighting the software's strengths and addressing any potential concerns, thereby encouraging more people to choose your app over competitors. **Visual Elements** A well-designed app icon serves as the visual anchor for your app, capturing attention and creating a strong, memorable first impression that can entice users to explore further. Screenshots and videos play a critical role in this exploration phase by vividly showcasing the app's features and functionality, allowing potential users to quickly grasp the app's value proposition. These elements not only enhance user engagement but also boost conversion rates by providing a visual narrative that complements the software's description. As a result, well-crafted visual elements can lead to higher download rates and improved rankings, as they effectively communicate the quality and utility of the app to both users and app store algorithms. **Tips for Effective Visuals** - **Regular Updates**: Update screenshots every 6 to 8 weeks to keep them fresh. - **Testing**: A/B test different visuals to see which ones perform best. **Tracking and Performance Reporting** Continuously monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), such as visibility metrics-impressions, keyword rankings, and listing visitors as well as conversion rate metrics like conversion rates and impression-to-download rates, developers can comprehensively understand how their app is perceived and interacted with in the marketplace. These metrics are essential for analysing the success of current strategies and identifying areas for improvement. Updating your application based on areas for improvement means users can enjoy your platform bug-free. **Advanced Optimisations** Advanced optimisations can unlock the full potential of your app's performance. While mastering the basics, such as keyword optimisation and descriptions, is essential, moving beyond these foundational steps allows you to refine and elevate your strategy. In-app events and paid search campaigns are powerful tools that can significantly boost app visibility. In-app events are offerings within apps, such as special promotions, live events, or new content releases, designed to engage existing users and attract new ones. These events enhance ASO and search result rankings by fostering increased user interaction and retention. When users participate in these events, it signals to app store algorithms that the app is active and engaging, which can boost its visibility and ranking in search results. Paid search campaigns are a strategic marketing approach that involves purchasing ad placements within search results to significantly boost an app's visibility. These campaigns enable app developers to target specific keywords and demographics, thereby reaching a broader and more relevant audience. By focusing on particular user segments, paid search campaigns can effectively drive more traffic to the app's store page, resulting in higher download rates and improved search result rankings. ## **Conclusion** Mastering ASO is essential for maximising your app's success. By implementing the fundamentals of keyword research, title and metadata optimisation, creative design, testing, and review management, you can significantly improve your platform's visibility as well as drive more organic installs. If you are looking for ASO or [**mobile app development**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/mobile-app-development/) services from a company you can trust, visit Odyssey New Media for more information. ### ** Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Understanding The Importance Of Analytics In Digital Marketing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/08/understanding-the-importance-of-analytics-in-digital-marketing/ **Date:** 2024-08-22 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** analytics, digital marketing, seo In today's fast-paced digital world, marketing strategies evolve at the speed of light. Data is generated with every click, scroll, and purchase, offering invaluable insights into consumer behaviour. But how do businesses make sense of this avalanche of information? The answer lies in analytics. This blog post aims to demystify the role of analytics in digital marketing, highlighting its importance, key metrics, tools, challenges, and future trends. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just starting, grasping the significance of analytics can transform your approach, making your strategies more effective and data-driven. ## **The Basics Of Analytics** **What are Analytics?** Analytics refers to the systematic computational analysis of data. In digital marketing, it involves measuring, managing, and analysing marketing performance to maximise its effectiveness and optimise return on investment (ROI). Businesses can decode complex data sets into actionable insights by leveraging analytics, enabling informed decision-making. **Types of Analytics** Understanding the different types of analytics is crucial for implementing effective strategies. - **Descriptive Analytics:** Descriptive analytics examines historical data to identify trends and patterns. It answers the question, "What happened?" For instance, last quarter's sales data can be used to identify top-performing products. - **Predictive Analytics:** Predictive analytics uses statistical models and machine learning techniques to forecast future outcomes. It answers the question, "What could happen?" For example, predicting next month's sales based on existing trends. - **Prescriptive Analytics:** Prescriptive analytics goes a step further by suggesting actions to achieve desired outcomes. It answers the question, "What should we do?" For instance, recommending marketing strategies to boost sales based on predictive insights. ## **Key Metrics And Their Significance** **Click-Through Rate (CTR)** CTR is the ratio of users who click on a specific link to the number of total users who view an email, ad, or webpage. It's a critical metric for gauging the effectiveness of your online campaigns. A high CTR indicates that your content resonates with your audience, encouraging them to engage with your call-to-action (CTA). **Conversion Rate** Conversion rate measures the percentage of visitors who complete a desired goal, such as purchasing or signing up for a newsletter. It's pivotal for assessing the success of your marketing efforts. A higher conversion rate signifies that your strategies effectively drive users to take action. **Bounce Rate** Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate can indicate your site isn't engaging or relevant to the audience. Lowering the bounce rate can improve user experience and increase the likelihood of conversions. **Interpretation of Metrics** Interpreting these metrics enables marketers to fine-tune their strategies. For instance, a low CTR might prompt a review of ad copy, visuals, or targeting parameters. Similarly, analysing the conversion rate alongside other metrics can highlight specific areas needing improvement, such as landing page design or user flow. ## **Tools For Analytics** **Google Analytics** Google Analytics is a robust, free tool that offers comprehensive insights into website traffic and user behaviour. It tracks various metrics, including session duration, pages per session, and bounce rate, helping marketers better understand their audience. **SEMrush** SEMrush is a premium tool providing extensive data on SEO, PPC, and competitive analysis. It offers features like keyword research, site audits, and backlink tracking, making it invaluable for enhancing online visibility. **HubSpot Analytics** HubSpot Analytics integrates seamlessly with HubSpot's CRM, offering detailed reports on marketing campaigns, web traffic, and lead generation. Its user-friendly interface and advanced features cater to businesses of all sizes. **Comparative Analysis** When choosing an analytics tool, consider budget, specific needs, and ease of use. While Google Analytics offers a free yet powerful solution, SEMrush and HubSpot Analytics provide more specialised and in-depth features ideal for scaling businesses. ## **Challenges And Solutions** **Common Obstacles** Implementing analytics isn't without challenges. Common obstacles include data silos, lack of expertise, and ensuring data quality. These issues can hinder the effectiveness of analytics, leading to suboptimal strategies. **Overcoming Challenges** To overcome these challenges, businesses should invest in training to build internal expertise, implement integrated data systems to eliminate silos, and establish robust data governance practices to maintain data quality. Additionally, partnering with analytics experts can provide valuable guidance. **Ethical Considerations** Ethical data collection and privacy are paramount. Businesses must adhere to regulations like GDPR and ensure transparency in collecting, storing, and using data. Building trust through ethical practices protects customer privacy and enhances brand reputation. ## **Future Trends In Analytics** **Artificial Intelligence (AI)** AI is set to revolutionise analytics with natural language processing and deep learning capabilities. These advancements will enable more accurate predictions and deeper insights, transforming how businesses approach marketing strategies. **Big Data** The rise of big data offers unprecedented opportunities for analytics. By harnessing massive datasets, businesses can uncover hidden patterns and gain previously unattainable insights. This trend will continue to shape the future of digital marketing. **Predictive Analytics** Predictive analytics will become increasingly sophisticated, offering more nuanced and accurate forecasts. This will empower businesses to stay ahead of trends, anticipate customer needs, and make proactive decisions. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Growing Trend Of Paying To Erase Online Cookies On Authoritative Websites URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/08/the-growing-trend-of-paying-to-erase-online-cookies-on-authoritative-websites/ **Date:** 2024-08-15 **Category:** Industry News | **Tags:** cookies In the digital age, surfing the internet means leaving behind a trail of digital crumbs known as cookies. These small data files play a crucial role in our online experiences, but they also raise some possible concerns about privacy and data security. An intriguing concept has emerged recently -paying a fee to reject website cookies. This however raises two questions, namely; what does it mean to pay for privacy, and is it a worthwhile investment? This blog post will explore this emerging trend's implications, economics, and ethical considerations. ## **Understanding Website Cookies** Website cookies are tiny packets of data stored on your computer by websites you visit. They come in several forms, each serving a distinct purpose; - **Session cookies -** enable websites to remember your preferences for the duration of your visit. - **Persistent cookies -** these store your settings for future visits. - **Third-party cookies -** track your behaviour across multiple sites, often used by advertisers to serve targeted ads. For users, cookies offer both benefits and drawbacks. Plus, they provide convenience by remembering your login details, language preferences, and shopping cart contents. However, concerns arise with their ability to track your online activity, potentially leading to privacy breaches. For businesses, cookies facilitate targeted marketing efforts and enhance user engagement but they must also ensure compliance with data protection regulations. ## **The Advent Of Paying To Reject Cookies** A Screenshot from the Daily Mail's Pay To Reject Payment Page The idea of paying to reject cookies may seem counterintuitive, yet it's gaining traction as privacy-conscious users seek greater control over their data. Some highly authoritative news sites now offer subscription models that allow users to browse without being tracked by cookies. Most of these pay-to-reject subscriptions are separate from any other subscription you may have on a particular site. For example, if you pay GBP 3.99 a month to access unlimited articles, you must add a separate subscription on the same website to reject cookies. A few sites charge for cookie removal but state that they may still use your data for personalised content, measurement, audience research and services development, which makes the subscription arguably pointless. For users, paying to reject cookies promises enhanced privacy and a more streamlined browsing experience, free from intrusive advertisements. However, this model could be costly, and some users may question if the privacy benefits outweigh the financial investment. Additionally, it raises questions about accessibility, as not everyone can afford such a subscription. A screenshot from the Sun's Pay To Reject Payment Page ## **The Economics Of Paying To Reject Cookies** From a business perspective, the pay-to-reject model presents several challenges. Website owners and advertisers rely heavily on data collection to deliver personalised content and advertisements. By allowing users to opt out of cookies, they risk losing valuable insights into user behaviour, potentially impacting revenue streams. The pay-to-reject subscription would only work for larger businesses with more exclusive content, which it means it may not have much longevity. The user experience also plays a pivotal role in this equation. While some users may appreciate the option to pay for privacy, others may find it off-putting or confusing. For businesses, striking a balance between monetising privacy and maintaining user trust will be essential to the success of this model. ## **The Legal And Ethical Considerations** Regarding data protection, existing laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) have significantly impacted how companies handle user data. Pay-to-reject models raise new legal questions, as they may challenge the principles of free and informed consent. Offering privacy as a paid service could be perceived as a violation of users' fundamental rights to data protection. Ethically, paying for privacy prompts reflection on the fairness of privileging those who can afford it. This approach potentially exacerbates existing inequalities and raises concerns about equitable access to privacy. Companies must take these ethical considerations into account when implementing such models. ## **Future Trends and Predictions** As privacy regulations continue to evolve, the landscape of online consent and data protection will likely undergo further changes. Paying to reject cookies may pave the way for innovative solutions that balance user preferences with business needs. Advances in user consent technology, such as improved cookie management tools and increased transparency, could offer new avenues for addressing privacy concerns. In light of these developments, businesses will need to adapt and innovate to meet the growing demand for privacy. Offering users greater control over their data while ensuring compliance with evolving regulations will be key to maintaining consumer trust and loyalty. ## **Odyssey's Opinion On Paying For Cookies** Odyssey believes that websites should not require users to pay additional subscriptions for cookie removal. Instead, it is better to include this service within an existing subscription, which would likely be the most favourable and accepted option for paying users. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Creators And Marketers Can Protect Themselves While Using AI URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/08/how-creators-and-marketers-can-protect-themselves-while-using-ai/ **Date:** 2024-08-08 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** ai, seo In today's digital age, artificial intelligence (AI) is not just a futuristic concept; it's an essential tool for reshaping content creation and marketing strategies. If you're a creator or marketer, chances are you've already dabbled in AI's capabilities, whether it's for automating tasks, analysing consumer behaviour, or generating creative content. This technological advancement offers remarkable benefits, from enhanced efficiency to the ability to personalise at scale. Imagine being able to predict trends before they happen or crafting personalised messages for thousands of customers in seconds. That's the power of AI. It allows creators and marketers to innovate, save time, and connect more deeply with their audiences. However, like any powerful tool, AI has challenges and risks that must be navigated carefully. In this blog post, we'll explore how creators and marketers can harness the potential of AI while safeguarding their personal and professional interests. We'll discuss the prevalent risks, ethical considerations, and practical strategies to maximise AI's benefits without compromising integrity or security. ## **Understanding AI's Impact On Creativity** AI has revolutionised how we approach creativity. From writing articles and designing graphics to composing music, AI can generate content quickly and at a high quality. But this raises an important question for creators-where does human creativity fit in? While AI can mimic certain creative processes, there's still a distinct difference between AI-generated and human-made content. Human creativity thrives on nuance, emotion, and cultural context, which AI cannot fully replicate. However, by using AI as a collaborative tool, creators can enhance their work rather than replace it. The key is balance. Use AI to streamline repetitive tasks like data analysis, freeing up more time for the creative elements that require a human touch. For instance, AI can help with editing and proofreading, allowing writers to focus on crafting compelling narratives. ## **Ethical Concerns In AI Use** The use of AI in marketing and content creation also brings about ethical concerns. One major issue is the potential for bias in AI algorithms. Since AI learns from existing data, any biases present in that data can be perpetuated and even amplified by AI. Marketers must be vigilant about the data they use to train AI systems. This means ensuring diversity in datasets and regularly auditing AI outputs for bias. Ignoring these steps can lead to campaigns that unintentionally alienate or misrepresent certain groups. Furthermore, transparency with consumers is crucial. Communicate when AI is used in content creation, such as chatbots or automated messages. This transparency builds trust and ensures that your audience feels respected and valued. ## **Data Privacy And AI** Data privacy is another significant challenge when using AI. The risk of data breaches or misuse increases with the processing of vast amounts of personal information. Creators and marketers must prioritise data protection to maintain trust and compliance with regulations. Implementing robust security measures is essential. Encrypt sensitive data, regularly update software and conduct security audits to identify vulnerabilities. Additionally, be transparent about data collection practices and give consumers control over their data. Understanding legal implications is also crucial. Familiarise yourself with data protection laws, such as GDPR or CCPA, and ensure compliance to avoid legal repercussions and damage to your brand's reputation. ## **Strategies For Secure AI Use** Creators and marketers should adopt certain strategies to protect themselves while leveraging AI. First, choose AI tools that prioritise security and privacy. Look for providers with strong track records and transparent data policies. Education is another key strategy. Stay informed about the latest developments in AI technology and its potential risks. Attend workshops, read industry reports, and engage with communities of practice to expand your knowledge continually. Finally, establish clear guidelines for AI use within your organisation. Create policies that outline acceptable uses of AI, address ethical concerns, and define responsibilities for monitoring AI outputs. ## **Leveraging AI For Competitive Advantage** Despite the challenges, AI presents opportunities for a competitive advantage in marketing and content creation. Using AI strategically, businesses can differentiate themselves and offer unique value to their audiences. AI-driven analytics provide insights into consumer behaviour, allowing marketers to tailor campaigns more effectively. Meanwhile, content creators can use AI to experiment with new formats and styles, pushing creative boundaries. For example, AI can assist in identifying trending topics or sentiment analysis, enabling marketers to craft timely and relevant content. By staying ahead of the curve, businesses can capture consumer attention and foster stronger brand loyalty. ## **The Importance Of Human Oversight** While AI can automate many processes, human oversight remains essential. Creators and marketers must ensure that AI outputs align with their brand values and messaging. Review AI-generated content regularly to maintain quality and authenticity. This involves checking for factual accuracy, cultural appropriateness, and alignment with brand tone. Human judgment is irreplaceable when it comes to nuanced decision-making. Additionally, it encourages collaboration between AI and human teams. Integrated workflows that combine AI's data processing power with human creativity and empathy yield the best results. ## **AI And The Future Of Work** AI is reshaping the future of work, with implications for both creators and marketers. Automation and AI are predicted to transform job roles, requiring workers to adapt to new technologies and skill sets. Creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence will become increasingly valuable as automation takes over routine tasks. Creators and marketers leveraging AI while maintaining these skills will thrive in the evolving landscape. Organisations should invest in upskilling their workforce, providing training in AI technology and essential soft skills. This ensures employees remain competitive and capable of adapting to future challenges. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450); alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How To Tailor Your Social Posts For Product Search URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/07/how-to-tailor-your-social-posts-for-product-search/ **Date:** 2024-07-30 **Category:** Social Advertising, Social Media In today's digital age, social media has become a powerhouse for product discovery. From Instagram to TikTok, these platforms are where consumers find the latest trends and must-have items. But how can businesses leverage this to their advantage? This blog post will guide you through tailoring your social media posts to enhance product search visibility, ensuring your products get noticed by the right audience. ## **The Power Of Social Media In Product Discovery** Social media isn't just for sharing cat videos and holiday snaps. It's a vital tool for businesses promoting their products and reaching new customers. Studies show that a significant percentage of consumers discover new products on social media platforms before anywhere else, making it crucial for brands to have a strong presence on these channels. ## **Understanding The Role Of Social Posts In Influencing Product Searches** A well-crafted social post can do wonders for your product's visibility. When potential customers see a product they like on social media, they often conduct further research to learn more about it. This means your social posts must be designed with product searches in mind. Doing so can direct more traffic to your website and increase sales. ## **High-Quality Visuals And Videos** **Capturing Attention with Stunning Visuals** Visual content is the key to capturing attention on social media. High-quality images and videos can make your product stand out in a sea of posts. Ensure your visuals are bright, clear, and showcase your product from the best angles. **The Power of Video Content** Videos are particularly effective at grabbing attention. A short, engaging video can demonstrate your product's features and benefits in a way that static images can't. Whether it's a tutorial, unboxing, or a behind-the-scenes look, videos can provide a more immersive experience for your audience. **Consistency in Visual Branding** Maintaining a consistent visual style across all your posts can help establish your brand identity. Use similar colours, filters, and composition techniques to create a cohesive look that makes your posts instantly recognisable. ## **Crafting Compelling Product Descriptions** **The Art of Persuasive Copywriting** A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a compelling description can seal the deal. Write engaging, informative descriptions that highlight the unique selling points of your product. Use clear, concise language and focus on the benefits to the customer. **Incorporating Keywords Naturally** Keywords aren't just for SEO; they can also boost your social media visibility. Incorporate relevant keywords into your product descriptions without making them sound forced. This can help your posts appear in search results both on social media and search engines. **Telling a Story** People love stories. Craft a narrative around your product that resonates with your audience. Whether it's the inspiration behind the product, its development process, or customer testimonials, storytelling can make your product more relatable and memorable. ## **Utilising Hashtags Strategically** **Finding the Right Hashtags** Hashtags are a powerful tool for increasing the reach of your social posts. Research popular and relevant hashtags in your industry to find ones that can help your posts get discovered by a wider audience. Use a mix of broad and niche hashtags to maximise your visibility. **Creating Branded Hashtags** Creating your own branded hashtags can encourage user-generated content and make it easier for customers to find your products. Encourage your followers to use these hashtags when they post about your products, creating a sense of community and amplifying your reach. **Avoiding Hashtag Overload** While hashtags can be beneficial, too many can clutter your post and dilute your message. Stick to a few well-chosen hashtags rather than a long list. This will keep your post clean and focused. ## **Engaging With Your Audience** **Responding to Comments and Messages** Engagement isn't just about posting content; it's also about interacting with your audience. Responding to comments and messages shows that you value your customers and are willing to engage with them. This can build loyalty and encourage more interactions. **Hosting Contests and Giveaways** Contests and giveaways are a great way to boost engagement and attract new followers. Ask your audience to like, comment, and share your post to enter, and consider offering extra entries for those who tag friends or use a specific hashtag. **Collaborating with Influencers** Influencers can amplify your reach and lend credibility to your product. Partner with influencers in your niche to promote your products. Their endorsement can introduce your product to a new audience and generate buzz. ## **The Impact Of User-Generated Content On Product Discovery** **Encouraging Customers to Share** User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful marketing tool. Encourage your customers to share their experiences with your products on social media. This not only provides authentic content but also increases your product's visibility. **Showcasing UGC on Your Channels** Share user-generated content on your own social media channels. This not only provides you with valuable content but also shows your appreciation for your customers. Highlighting UGC can inspire others to share their own experiences. **Building a Community** UGC can help build a sense of community around your brand. When customers see others sharing their experiences, it fosters a feeling of belonging and loyalty. Engage with UGC by liking, commenting, and resharing to keep the momentum going. ## **Tools And Analytics for Measuring Effectiveness** **Social Media Analytics Tools** To understand the impact of your social media efforts, utilise analytics tools. Platforms like Facebook Insights, Instagram Analytics, and Twitter Analytics provide valuable data on engagement, reach, and audience demographics. Use this data to refine your strategies. **Tracking Hashtag Performance** Tools like Hashtagify and RiteTag can help you track the performance of your hashtags. See which ones are driving the most engagement and adjust your hashtag strategy accordingly. This can help you maximise the reach of your posts. **Monitoring Competitor Performance** Keep an eye on your competitors' activities. Tools like Hootsuite and Sprout Social allow you to monitor competitor activity and see what's working for them. This can provide insights and inspiration for your social media strategy. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How AI Has Revolutionised Search URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/07/how-ai-has-revolutionised-search/ **Date:** 2024-07-24 **Category:** SEO In a world where information is at our fingertips, how we search for it has evolved dramatically. From early keyword-based searches to sophisticated AI-powered engines, the search landscape has undergone a revolution. This blog explores how AI has revolutionised search, enhancing user experiences and redefining search engine optimisation (SEO) practices. We'll dive into the mechanics of AI-powered search engines, their impact on user experience, and what this means for businesses and users alike. ## **The Evolution Of AI In Search** Search engines have come a long way since their inception. In the early days, they relied on simple keyword matching. Users had to input exact phrases to get relevant results, often leading to frustration and wasted time. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), search engines have become far more intuitive. AI algorithms can understand natural language, identify user intent, and provide more accurate results. This evolution has made search engines not only more efficient but also more user-friendly. Integrating AI in search engines like Google has enabled features such as voice search, image recognition, and personalised search results. These advancements have made it easier for users to find exactly what they're looking for, even if they don't know how to phrase it correctly. ## **AI-Powered Search Engines: A Breakdown** AI-powered search engines rely on several key technologies to deliver accurate and relevant results. Machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and neural networks are at the core of these advancements. **Machine Learning** Machine learning algorithms analyse vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends. These algorithms can learn from user behaviour, improving search results over time. For example, if users frequently click on a particular type of result, the algorithm will prioritise similar results in future searches. **Natural Language Processing (NLP)** NLP enables search engines to understand the context and nuances of human language. This technology allows search engines to interpret queries more accurately, even if they are phrased as questions or contain slang. NLP also helps understand the intent behind a search, providing more relevant results. **Neural Networks** Neural networks are a type of machine-learning model inspired by the human brain. They are particularly effective at recognising patterns and making predictions. In search engines, neural networks help rank search results based on relevance and user satisfaction. ## **Impact On User Experience And Search Results** The integration of AI in search engines has significantly enhanced the user experience. Users now receive more accurate and relevant results, often tailored to their specific needs and preferences. **Improved Accuracy** AI algorithms can analyse user behaviour and preferences to deliver highly relevant search results. This means users spend less time sifting through irrelevant information and more time finding what they need. **Enhanced Personalisation** Personalisation is another significant benefit of AI-powered search engines. Search engines can deliver personalised results that match individual preferences by analysing user data. This can include customised news feeds, product recommendations, and more. **Faster Results** AI technologies enable search engines to process and analyse data more quickly. This results in faster search times, crucial in today's fast-paced digital environment. Users can get the information they need almost instantly, improving overall satisfaction. ## **AI And SEO: Best Practices For The AI Era** With the rise of AI-powered search engines, SEO practices have also evolved. To stay competitive in the AI era, businesses must adapt their SEO strategies accordingly. **Focus on User Intent** Understanding user intent is crucial for effective SEO in the AI era. Instead of focusing solely on keywords, businesses should aim to understand what users seek and create content that meets those needs. This includes using natural language and addressing common questions or concerns. **Quality Content** Content quality has always been important for SEO, but it's even more critical in the age of AI. Search engines now prioritise high-quality, informative content that provides value to users. Businesses should focus on creating well-researched, engaging content that addresses user needs. **Structured Data** Structured data helps search engines understand a webpage's content more effectively. Using schema markup, businesses can provide additional context to search engines, improving their chances of appearing in relevant search results. This can also enhance the appearance of search results, making them more attractive to users. ## **AI's Role In Personalisation And The Future Of Search** Personalisation is one of the most significant advancements AI brings in search engines. By analysing user data, AI can deliver personalised search results that match individual preferences and needs. **Tailored Recommendations** AI-powered search engines can provide tailored recommendations based on user behaviour. These recommendations can include personalised news feeds, product suggestions, and more. They enhance the user experience by delivering relevant content and products. **Voice Search** Voice search is another area where AI has made a significant impact. With the rise of virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, more users are conducting voice command searches. AI technologies enable search engines to understand accurately and process voice queries, providing relevant results quickly. **Visual Search** Visual search is an emerging trend in the AI-powered search landscape. Using image recognition technologies, search engines can analyse and interpret images, allowing users to search using pictures instead of text. This opens up new possibilities for e-commerce, travel, and other industries. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Social Media Algorithms Affect Your Marketing Strategy URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/07/how-social-media-algorithms-affect-your-marketing-strategy/ **Date:** 2024-07-19 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** digital tips, social media Understanding social media algorithms has never been more critical in the constantly evolving digital marketing world. These unseen systems dictate what users see on their feeds, significantly impacting your organic reach and engagement. But fear not! This blog post will demystify social media algorithms and show you how to optimise your content to align with them, ensuring your marketing strategy remains practical and relevant. ## **The Power Of Social Media Algorithms In Marketing** Social media algorithms are crucial to visibility and reach in today's digital landscape. They are designed to deliver content that resonates with users, keeping them engaged and returning for more. Understanding these algorithms is essential for marketers to develop strategies that enhance visibility and foster engagement. Algorithms determine which content appears in users' feeds based on relevance, user interaction, and recency. Simply posting content isn't enough; you must understand what makes an algorithm tick to maximise your content's impact. By mastering social media algorithms, you can ensure your content reaches the right audience at the right time, increasing engagement and driving better marketing results. ## **Decoding Major Social Media Algorithms** **Facebook's Algorithm** Facebook's algorithm prioritises content that fosters meaningful interactions. Posts from friends and family often take precedence over business pages. To catch the algorithm's eye, create engaging content that sparks conversations and encourages user interaction. In addition, Facebook values recency, so regular posting keeps your content fresh and relevant. Video content, especially live videos, performs well due to higher engagement rates. **Instagram's Algorithm** Instagram's algorithm emphasises engagement, timeliness, and relationships. Posts that receive high engagement shortly after publishing will likely be shown to more users. Thus, creating visually appealing and interactive content is crucial. Relationship strength is another important factor. Engaging with your audience through comments, likes, and direct messages can boost your content's visibility. Stories and Reels also play a significant role, offering additional ways to engage your audience. **X's Algorithm** X's algorithm focuses on relevance and recency. Posts that receive quick engagement are more likely to reach a broader audience. Therefore, timely and relevant content is vital. Engagement is key on X, so use hashtags, retweets, and replies to increase visibility. Lists can also help you manage and engage effectively with your most relevant audience segments. **LinkedIn's Algorithm** LinkedIn's algorithm values professional content that sparks engagement and connections. Posts that generate conversations and interactions are prioritised. Consequently, sharing industry insights and thought leadership articles and engaging in professional discussions can enhance visibility. LinkedIn also favours native content and regular posting. Use rich media like videos and infographics to capture attention and drive engagement. ## **The Impact Of Social Media Algorithms On Organic Reach And Engagement** Social media algorithms significantly influence your organic reach and engagement. As these algorithms prioritise content based on user interaction, relevance, and recency, understanding these factors is crucial for any marketing strategy. **Decline In Organic Reach** Over the years, organic reach has declined across major social media platforms. This shift means that businesses and content creators must work harder to ensure their content is noticed. Understanding and adapting to algorithm changes can help mitigate this decline and maintain visibility. **Importance Of Engagement** Engagement plays a vital role in how algorithms prioritise content. Posts with higher engagement rates are likelier to be shown to a broader audience. Therefore, creating content encouraging likes, comments, shares, and other interactions is essential for maximising reach. **Leveraging Paid Strategies** With declining organic reach, many businesses use paid strategies to ensure their content reaches their target audience. Paid advertising can complement organic efforts, helping them reach a wider audience and achieve their marketing goals. ## **Strategies For Optimising Content To Align With Social Media Algorithms** **Create Engaging Content** Focus on creating content that resonates with your audience. Use storytelling, visuals, and interactive elements to capture their attention. Engaging content is more likely to be shared, commented on, and liked, which can boost its visibility. **Post Regularly And Consistently** Regular posting keeps your content fresh and relevant, increasing the chances of it being seen. Develop a content calendar to ensure consistent posting and stay active on your chosen platforms. **Utilise Video And Live Content** Video content, particularly live videos, often generates higher engagement rates. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram prioritise video content, making it a valuable tool for increasing visibility. **Engage With Your Audience** Engagement is a two-way street. Respond to comments, participate in conversations, and interact with your audience regularly. Building strong relationships with your followers can improve the reach of your content. **Leverage Hashtags And Keywords** Using relevant hashtags and keywords can help your content reach a broader audience. On platforms like Instagram and Twitter, hashtags can categorise your content, making it easier for users to discover. **Monitor And Adapt To Algorithm Changes** Social media algorithms are constantly evolving. Stay informed about the latest changes and trends to ensure your strategy remains effective. Monitor your performance metrics regularly and adapt your approach as needed. ## **The Future Of Social Media Algorithms And Their Potential Impact On Marketing Strategies** **Increasing Personalisation** Future social media algorithms are likely to become even more personalized. They will focus on delivering content that aligns with individual user preferences and behaviours. To stay ahead, marketers will need to create highly targeted and relevant content. **Enhanced AI And Machine Learning** Advancements in AI and machine learning will further refine social media algorithms. These technologies can analyse vast data to predict user preferences and behaviours, enabling more accurate content recommendations. **Greater Focus On Privacy** With increasing concerns about data privacy, future algorithms may place a greater emphasis on protecting user information. Marketers must balance personalisation with confidentiality, ensuring they respect user preferences and comply with regulations. **Integration with Emerging Technologies** Social media algorithms may integrate with emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). These technologies can offer new ways to engage users, creating immersive and interactive experiences. **Continued Evolution of Engagement Metrics** As social media platforms evolve, so will the metrics used to measure engagement. Marketers must stay abreast of these changes and adapt their strategies to align with new metrics and performance indicators. **The Role of User-Generated Content** User-generated content (UGC) is expected to be more significant in future algorithms. Encouraging your audience to create and share content can enhance your brand's visibility and foster a sense of community. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How To Optimise Google Business Profiles URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/07/how-to-optimise-google-business-profiles/ **Date:** 2024-07-03 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google, google business A solid online presence is crucial for any business in today's digital age. Optimising your Google Business Profile is one of the most effective ways to enhance your visibility, especially for local searches. Whether a small business owner or managing a larger enterprise, mastering your Google Business Profile can drive traffic, attract customers, and boost your bottom line. ## **The Importance Of Google Business Profiles** Google Business Profiles are potent tools for enhancing local SEO. When potential customers search for products or services you offer, your profile appears prominently in Google's local search results. This high visibility can increase foot traffic to your physical location and drive online inquiries. Your profile provides essential information, such as your business name, address, phone number, and hours of operation, making it easier for customers to find and contact you. Additionally, it offers features like customer reviews, photos, and posts that can engage and inform users. Setting up and maintaining an optimised Google Business Profile ensures your business stands out in a crowded marketplace. It signals to Google that your business is relevant and authoritative, which can improve your search rankings and overall online presence. ## **Setting Up Your Google Business Profile** Creating your Google Business Profile is straightforward. First, sign in to Google My Business with your Google account. Setting up a Google account is quick and easy if you still need one. Once logged in, click 'Add Your Business' and follow the prompts to enter your business information. Ensure all details are accurate and complete, including your business name, address, phone number, and website. Consistency is vital, so ensure these details match those on your website and other online directories. Next, choose the most relevant business category. This helps Google understand your business and show it to the right audience. You can also add secondary categories to cover additional services or products you offer. Follow the verification process to verify your business. This usually involves receiving a postcard from Google with a verification code. This step is crucial as it confirms your business's legitimacy and enables you to manage your profile entirely. ## **Optimising For Local SEO Keywords Categories And Descriptions** Local SEO is vital for appearing in search results when people look for businesses nearby. To optimise your profile, start with keyword research. Identify terms potential customers might use to find your services and incorporate these keywords naturally into your business description and posts. Choosing the correct category is essential. It tells Google what your business does and helps it match your profile with relevant searches. Be specific when selecting your primary and secondary categories. Write a compelling business description that includes your main keywords. This description should clearly outline what you offer, your unique selling points, and any special services. Keep it informative yet concise, as this will help search engines understand your business and improve your chances of ranking higher in local searches. ## **Leveraging Visuals, Photos And Videos For Engagement** Visual content significantly enhances your Google Business Profile's appeal and engagement. High-quality photos and videos can attract more clicks, encourage customer interactions, and showcase your business's personality. Start by uploading a professional profile photo and cover image. These images should be clear, well-lit, and representative of your brand. Include pictures of your storefront, interior, products, and team members to give potential customers a feel for your business. Videos can provide dynamic insights into your operations. Share clips of your products in action, behind-the-scenes footage, or customer testimonials. Engaging visual content captures attention and builds trust and credibility with your audience. Regularly updating your visual content keeps your profile fresh and exciting. It also signals to Google that your business is active and engaged, which can positively impact your local search rankings. ## **Utilising Google Posts For Timely Updates** Google Posts are a powerful feature that allows you to share timely updates directly on your Google Business Profile. These posts can promote events, special offers, new products, and more, providing valuable information to potential customers. To create a Google Post, log in to your Google My Business dashboard and click 'Posts.' Choose the type of post you want to make, such as an event, offer, or update. Write a concise and engaging message, include a call to action, and add an eye-catching image or video. Regularly posting updates keeps your audience informed and engaged. It also demonstrates to Google that your business is active and relevant, which can improve your search visibility. Experiment with different types of posts to see what resonates most with your audience. ## **Managing And Responding To Customer Reviews** Customer reviews are a critical component of your Google Business Profile. Positive reviews can enhance your reputation, attract new customers, and improve your search rankings. Conversely, negative reviews can harm your credibility if not addressed appropriately. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews by providing excellent service and subtly requesting feedback. Make it easy for them by sending follow-up emails with direct links to your review page. Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, is essential. Thank customers for their positive feedback and address any concerns raised in negative reviews promptly and professionally. Demonstrating that you value customer feedback and are committed to improvement can turn a negative experience into a positive one. ## **Tracking Insights And Analytics For Performance Evaluation** Google My Business provides valuable insights and analytics to help you understand how your profile performs. These insights include how customers find your business, their actions on your profile, and how your profile compares to competitors. Review these insights regularly to identify trends and areas for improvement. For example, if you notice many searches leading to your profile but low engagement, consider updating your visuals or adding more compelling posts. Use this data to refine your strategy continually. Experiment with different keywords, categories, and content types to see what drives the best results. By staying informed and adaptable, you can maximise the effectiveness of your Google Business Profile. ## **Best Practices In Maintaining And Updating Your Profile** Maintaining an optimised Google Business Profile requires ongoing effort. Regular updates and consistent engagement are vital to keeping your profile relevant and effective. Set a schedule for updating your profile with new content, such as photos, posts, and special offers. Regularly check for any changes in your business information, such as hours of operation or contact details, and update them promptly. Consistently monitor and respond to customer reviews. Engaging with your audience shows that you value their feedback and are committed to providing excellent service. It also encourages more customers to leave reviews, enhancing your profile's credibility. Stay informed about new features and updates from Google My Business. The platform continuously evolves, and leveraging the latest tools and functionalities can give you a competitive edge. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Euro 2024 Means Huge Digital Marketing Opportunities URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/06/euro-2024-means-huge-digital-marketing-opportunities/ **Date:** 2024-06-14 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** digital marketing, euro 2024 The Euro 2024 tournament is not just a feast for football fans; it's a goldmine for independent retailers, pubs, and hospitality venues. With an estimated GBP 2.75 billion retail boom on the horizon, the summer months are shaping up to be a game-changer for the UK economy. By leveraging social media and paid ads, businesses can capture the attention of football fans and convert their enthusiasm into revenue. Let's explore how you can make the most of Euro 2024 to elevate your brand and drive sales. ## **The Retail Boom of Euro 2024** The Euro 2024 tournament is expected to create a retail opportunity worth GBP 2.75 billion in the UK. This is anticipated to exceed the GBP 2 billion boost from the 2022 World Cup, largely due to the tournament's favourable summer timing and convenient kick-off schedules. Various businesses, including pubs and convenience stores, can look forward to increased sales of items such as beer, pizzas, new TVs, and more. Pubs and hospitality venues, in particular, stand to gain significantly, with an estimated GBP 600 million in sales from football fans eager to watch matches in social settings. The British Beer & Pub Association predicts an extra 20 million pints worth GBP 94 million will be poured during the tournament. This is a fantastic opportunity for pubs to increase foot traffic and enhance customer loyalty. ## **Leveraging Social Media Engagement** **Crafting Engaging Content** To make the most of this event, why not incorporate social media into your strategy? Social media platforms are ideal for connecting with your target audience during Euro 2024. Create engaging content that resonates with football fans, such as sharing match schedules, hosting live updates, and encouraging followers to share their match-day experiences. User-generated content can amplify your reach and create a sense of community around your brand. **Running Contests and Giveaways** Contests and giveaways are great ways to boost engagement on social media. Consider offering prizes such as free drinks, meal vouchers, or branded merchandise for those who participate in your contests. Encourage users to tag friends and share your posts to increase visibility and attract new followers. ## **Paid Ads to Drive Traffic and Sales** **Facebook and Instagram Ads** Utilising paid advertising can be highly beneficial for establishing a strong short-term presence, and Facebook and Instagram ads are particularly great for achieving this goal. These platforms offer a range of helpful features, including precise targeting options that enable businesses to connect with football enthusiasts based on their interests, behaviours, and demographics. Organisations can leverage these capabilities to promote special offers, match-day deals, and exclusive discounts in order to attract potential customers. It is crucial to employ eye-catching visuals and compelling ad copy to not only capture attention but also generate clicks and ultimately drive conversions. **Google Ads** Google Ads can help you appear at the top of search results when users are looking for places to watch Euro 2024 matches or purchase related merchandise. Bid on keywords related to the tournament, such as "Euro 2024 viewing party" or "best pubs for Euro 2024." Ensure your ad copy highlights the unique selling points of your business (research relevant keywords for your business to target). ## **Measuring Success and Optimising Strategies** **Tracking Key Metrics** It is crucial to utilise analytics tools to carefully monitor and assess the performance of your social media and paid advertising campaigns. By doing so, you can identify areas for improvement and enhance their effectiveness. Keep a close eye on key metrics like engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to gain a deep understanding of what resonates most with your audience. Use these insights to adapt your strategies and optimise your return on investment. **Gathering Customer Feedback** Also, collect feedback from customers to understand their preferences and experiences. Use surveys, social media polls, and direct interactions to gather insights. This feedback can help you improve your offerings and create a better experience for your customers. ## **Capitalising on Exclusive Deals for Subscribers** **Offering Subscription Benefits** Encourage customers to subscribe to your newsletter or loyalty program by offering exclusive deals and discounts. Highlight the benefits of subscribing, such as early access to promotions, special discounts, and personalised offers. Use persuasive calls-to-action to drive sign-ups. **Personalising Offers** Segment your subscriber list based on customer preferences and behaviours. Send personalised offers and recommendations to keep subscribers engaged and interested in your brand. Personalisation can significantly increase the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. ## **Conclusion** Euro 2024 presents a golden opportunity for pubs, restaurants, and independent retailers to boost their presence and sales. By leveraging social media, paid ads, and creating compelling match-day experiences, businesses can attract football fans and convert their enthusiasm into revenue. If you're looking for an effective digital marketing strategy, contact the experts at **[Odyssey New Media](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/)**. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Are Backlinks Still Crucial for SEO Success? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/06/are-backlinks-still-crucial-for-seo-success/ **Date:** 2024-06-13 **Category:** Backlink Analysis | **Tags:** backlinks, digital marketing Once upon a time, backlinks were highly regarded as the most influential factor in boosting search engine rankings. However, in recent times, Google has officially stated that backlinks are no longer the crucial factor of SEO and ranking success. This has led to questions regarding their relevance in the current landscape of search engine optimisation. However, with our expertise and the recently [**leaked Google ranking documents**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2024/06/06/leak-reveals-inner-workings-of-google-ranking-algorithm/), we have the answers to the true importance of backlinks. ## **What Are Backlinks?** Backlinks, also referred to as inbound or incoming links, are links from one website to another. These links act as a vote of confidence for your website, indicating to search engines that your content is valuable and credible. In the early days of search engines, quantity often trumped quality. Websites with numerous backlinks, regardless of their source, typically outranked others. This led to manipulative practices like link farms and paid links. Over time, search engines refined their algorithms to prioritise quality over quantity, favouring organic, authoritative links. However, search engine optimisation (SEO) has become more intricate over time, and the significance of backlinks has transformed accordingly. ## **Why Backlinks Matter** Even though Google may misrepresent/ mislead website owners about the value of backlinks, it's important to recognise the substantial value that backlinks still provide to a website's overall performance and visibility. High-quality backlinks from reputable sites can boost your website's visibility and credibility. Backlinks help search engines understand the relationship between websites and gauge the relevance and authority of your content. However, the emphasis has shifted from sheer volume to the quality and relevance of these links. ## **Google's Perspective on Backlinks** Google's stance on backlinks has been a topic of much debate. According to Gary Illyes, a webmaster trends analyst at Google, links are important but often overestimated in their significance. He suggests that links no longer rank among the top three ranking factors. Meanwhile, John Mueller, a Google search advocate, advises against focusing solely on the number of links, emphasising other aspects like site quality and user experience. Despite this, it has become evident, particularly after the release of leaked Google documents, that backlinks do play a significant role in determining a website's ranking. One of the most interesting revelations is the intricate analysis involved in evaluating backlinks. Not all backlinks are considered equal, and it seems that the algorithm has evolved to differentiate between link quality and relevance in a more sophisticated manner, which is likely a move to better combat link spam. ## **Quality Over Quantity** The quality of backlinks is paramount in today's SEO environment. High-quality backlinks come from authoritative sites that are relevant to your content. They are more likely to be earned through genuine engagement, such as guest posts, collaborations, and organic mentions. Low-quality, spammy links can harm your rankings and lead to penalties from search engines. ## **Factors Impacting Backlink Effectiveness** When evaluating backlinks, search engines consider several factors: - **Link Diversity**: A diverse range of backlinks from various domains is more beneficial than multiple links from a single source. - **Relevance**: Links from sites related to your industry or niche carry more weight. - **Authority**: Backlinks from high-authority sites, such as established news outlets or respected industry blogs, are more valuable. - **Editorial Links**: Organically earned links, as opposed to paid or manipulated ones, are favoured by search engines. ## **Backlinks and PageRank** Google's PageRank algorithm, which assesses the importance of web pages based on the quality and quantity of backlinks, still plays a role in rankings. Although Google no longer displays PageRank scores publicly, the principle remains integral to their algorithms. However, the importance of PageRank has diminished over time, with Google incorporating numerous other ranking factors. ## **The Role of Backlinks in 2024** In 2024, backlinks continue to matter but are not the sole determinant of SEO success. A balanced approach that includes high-quality content, technical SEO, user experience, and backlinks will yield the best results. Traditional link-building practices, such as mass directory submissions, are less effective. Instead, focus on earning links through valuable content and authentic engagement. ## **Future Trends in Backlinks and SEO** Looking ahead, the role of backlinks in SEO will continue to evolve. Search engines will likely place greater emphasis on user experience, content quality, and engagement metrics. While backlinks will remain a factor, their relative importance may diminish in favour of more holistic ranking criteria. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google AI Overviews Criticised for Providing Harmful & Wrong Answers URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/06/google-ai-overviews-criticised-for-providing-harmful-wrong-answers/ **Date:** 2024-06-13 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** digital marketing, google ai overviews With the rapid integration of artificial intelligence in everyday technology, it's easy to forget that not all advancements are foolproof. A striking example is Google's AI Overviews in search, which has been under fire for delivering misleading, incorrect, and even dangerous responses to user queries. For those who may not know, Google's AI Overviews is currently an experiment in Search Labs, which allows users to view a summary of the question's answer and provides access to additional AI features in Search. In this article, we'll discuss the depths of this issue, examining why it matters to Google's users and the ramifications. ## **The AI Overview Fiasco** Google has enjoyed a long-standing reputation as the go-to source for reliable information, but that reputation is taking a hit. The recent rollout of AI Overviews has sparked criticism for generating incorrect or potentially harmful answers. Various examples have surfaced online, drawing significant attention from mainstream media and social platforms. The AI-generated responses, despite being tagged with a disclaimer stating "Generative AI is experimental," are often accepted by users as accurate. The public backlash has been swift and severe, highlighting the risks associated with relying on AI for critical information. ## **Examples of AI Overviews Gone Wrong** Social media users have shared numerous instances of AI Overviews failing spectacularly. For example, one query about medical advice led to a response that was not only inaccurate but potentially life-threatening. Another instance involved historical facts being misrepresented, leading to public misinformation. Google's official stance has been dismissive of these incidents, describing them as "extremely rare queries" not representative of the overall performance of AI Overviews. This defence rings hollow, especially when considering that 15% of Google searches are new and unique. Therefore, the excuse of rarity is not a valid excuse, as these "rare" queries represent a significant portion of daily searches. ## **Why Google Users Care** The importance of accurate search results cannot be overstated, particularly for users who rely on Google as their primary source of information. With the advent of AI Overviews, the stakes are even higher. Misinformation can have dire consequences, from spreading false medical advice to distorting historical facts. ## **Google's Response and Accountability** This situation echoes the issues Google faced with featured snippets back in 2017. Featured snippets were meant to provide concise, accurate answers directly on the search results page but often resulted in misinformation. The "One True Answer" problem highlighted the dangers of oversimplified, AI-generated responses. History seems to be repeating itself with AI Overviews as the same fundamental issues resurface. Instead of Google accepting full responsibility for the issues and promising to make improvements, the company has shifted the blame to the nature of the search queries. This inadequate response, which essentially asks users to deny what they can clearly observe, is further damaging Google's credibility. ## **Final Thoughts** Google's release of AI Overviews has been fraught with challenges, highlighting the complexities and risks of integrating AI into search functions. The backlash underscores the need for accurate, reliable information and the potential dangers of misinformation. For Google, the path forward involves acknowledging these issues, implementing robust safeguards, and continuously refining its AI systems. We are confident that Google will do so, but it will take a substantial amount of time. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Leak Reveals Inner Workings of Google Ranking Algorithm URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/06/leak-reveals-inner-workings-of-google-ranking-algorithm/ **Date:** 2024-06-06 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google, seo Understanding the mechanics behind Google's ranking algorithm can be the difference between online obscurity and front-page visibility for businesses and digital marketers. The elusive algorithm has long been a moving target, with occasional glimpses into its intricate workings revealed through official statements and the SEO community's relentless sleuthing. However, a recent information leak has shone new light upon the guarded secrets of Google's ranking process, and the impact is bound to reverberate through the world of search engine optimisation (SEO). ## **A Breakthrough Discovery** The leak originated from an unanticipated source, providing insight into the closely guarded algorithms used by Google to determine the ranking of billions of web pages. This disclosure has the potential to significantly alter our existing knowledge, making it a surprising yet invaluable discovery for both the SEO community and businesses. ## **Decoding the Algorithm** At the heart of the leak lies a detailed exposition of several key components, which, when deciphered, can reshape the SEO strategies of companies worldwide. **User Experience Signals** Google has always championed the end user's experience, and the leak corroborates this fact. Critical factors include site speed, interactivity, and content stability as it loads (Cumulative Layout Shift). This aspect of the algorithm has taken centre stage, emphasising the user's satisfaction. **Content Quality** The importance of high-quality, unique content has been long preached, but substantial evidence supports this claim. The algorithm is designed to reward content that provides real value to users, incorporating measures such as expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (EAT). Content creators who skimp on quality may find themselves at a more significant disadvantage than previously understood. **Backlink Profiles** One of the most surprising insights is the complexity of analysis behind backlinks. Not all backlinks are treated equally, and the algorithm appears to have advanced in distinguishing link quality and relevance nuances - a likely nod toward combating link spam more effectively. ## **Shifting Tides in SEO** This leak necessitates re-evaluating existing SEO strategies. The exposed intricacies command a more nuanced approach to optimisation, where brute-force tactics give way to more innovative, user-focused techniques. Dynamic content creation, improved user interface, and overall enhanced website performance are now not just perks but necessities. ## **Expert Insights on Future Proofing SEO** Industry experts are emphasising the importance of being agile and adaptable in the aftermath of the data leak. They suggest that businesses should prioritise conducting comprehensive SEO audits and adjusting their strategies based on the new information uncovered. This proactive approach will enable companies to navigate the evolving landscape effectively and maintain a competitive edge. ## **Conclusion** While the future is never certain, particularly in the swiftly evolving territory of SEO, this leak has offered a rare playbook glimpse. One thing remains clear: staying informed is crucial. As we assimilate these revelations, the significance of proactive adaptation cannot be understated. For those seeking online success, the digital race has entered a new epoch, and it's time to adapt or risk being left behind. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How to Come Up with a Social Media Strategy URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/05/how-to-come-up-with-a-social-media-strategy/ **Date:** 2024-05-15 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** social media, social media strategy In the fast-paced world of social media, it can be overwhelming for businesses to stand out and reach their target audience. With the constant evolution and emerging trends to keep up with, having a well-planned social media strategy is essential for success. But where do you begin? With so many factors to consider, it's easy to feel lost in the sea of digital marketing tactics. In this blog post, we will explore how to create an effective social media strategy. ## **Understanding Your Audience** When it comes to social media, it's easy to get caught up in the hype of setting goals and creating content, but before diving in, it's important to lay a solid foundation by understanding who your audience is. In order to create an effective social media strategy, you need to conduct thorough audience research that enables you to define your target market and understand their preferences, behaviour, as well as the social media channels they are frequently on. To begin with, it's important to analyse and interpret data from various sources to get a clear picture of your audience. There are several tools available on platforms like Facebook and Instagram that offer audience insights and demographic information. You can also use third-party tools to gather data on your audience, such as Google Analytics, which provides information about website visitors and their behaviour. Once you've gathered your data, you can then start to identify key patterns and insights about your audience. This can include information about their age, gender, location, interests, and more. By understanding these key characteristics, you can tailor your content and messaging to better resonate with your target audience. In addition to data analysis, conducting surveys and focus groups can provide valuable insights into your audience's preferences and attitudes. This can help you refine your messaging as well as identify new areas of opportunity. ## **Setting SMART Goals** Having a clear set of objectives is crucial, and SMART goals can help achieve that. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. By setting SMART goals, you can create a roadmap for your social media activities that will help you stay focused. Specific goals are defined. Measurable goals can be quantified and tracked. Achievable goals are those that are realistic and attainable within a given timeframe. Relevant goals are those that are aligned with your overall business objectives. Time-bound goals have a specific deadline or timeframe attached to them. By setting SMART goals, you can ensure that your [**social media marketing**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/) efforts are targeted and effective. Whether your goal is to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, or boost sales, having a clear set of objectives will help you stay on track and measure your success. ## **Choosing the Right Platforms** Choosing the right social media platforms to promote your business can be a daunting task. You need to consider numerous factors before deciding which platforms to focus on. It is crucial to research and understand your target audience's behaviour, preferences, and demographics to ensure that your social media efforts are effective. Every social media platform has its unique characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. For example, LinkedIn is an excellent platform for B2B companies looking to generate leads and establish professional connections. On the other hand, Instagram and TikTok are more suitable for lifestyle brands looking to engage with their audience through visually appealing content. When deciding which platforms to use, consider the nature of your brand, your marketing goals, and your target audience's preferences. You should invest time and effort in researching which platforms your target audience uses the most, what kind of content they enjoy, and what time they are most active. ## **Content Planning** When it comes to social media, the content you publish plays a crucial role in building your brand's reputation and engaging your audience. That's why it's essential to plan your content strategy in advance and create a content calendar that outlines what you'll be sharing and when. To ensure your content resonates with your audience, it's important to understand their interests and preferences. Conducting market research or analysing your social media analytics can help you gain insights into what type of content your audience engages with the most. Once you have a clear understanding of your audience, you can start creating a mix of content that includes informational, educational, and entertaining posts that align with your brand. It's also vital to strike a balance between promotional and community-focused content that encourages engagement. While it's important to promote your products or services, bombarding your audience with sales pitches can lead to disinterest. Instead, focus on creating content that fosters a sense of community and encourages your followers to interact with your brand. This can include asking questions, running polls, or sharing user-generated content. ## **Engagement Tactics** Building a community on social media is about more than just broadcasting your message; it's about engaging with your audience. Respond to comments, participate in discussions, run polls, and create interactive content to foster a sense of community and encourage user-generated content. Remember, the more engaged your audience is, the more likely they are to become advocates for your brand. ## **Measuring Success** To understand the impact of your social media strategy, you need to track key metrics. These can include engagement rates, follower growth, website traffic from social media platforms, and conversion rates. Utilise the analytics tools provided by social media platforms, along with third-party tools, to gain insights into what's working and what isn't. ## **Adapting and Evolving** The social media landscape is constantly changing, with new trends and platforms emerging all the time. Stay informed about these changes and be willing to adjust your strategy accordingly. Experiment with new content formats, explore emerging platforms, and always be looking for opportunities to innovate and engage with your audience in fresh and authentic ways. ## **Conclusion** A well-defined social media strategy is crucial for businesses aiming to harness the power of social networks. By understanding your audience, setting clear goals, choosing the right platforms, planning your content, engaging with your community, measuring your success, and being willing to adapt, you can create a social media presence that not only reaches but resonates with your audience, driving meaningful results for your business. If you're looking for a comprehensive [**social media strategy**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media-management/), contact the experts at Odyssey New Media. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Summary of Google's March 2024 Core Update URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/05/summary-of-googles-march-2024-core-update/ **Date:** 2024-05-14 **Category:** Google, Google Algorithm Updates | **Tags:** google, google core update, March 2024 Google's March 2024 Core Update has finally rolled out, finishing on April 19, 2024, after beginning its intricate process on March 5th. This update has been significant, notably changing the landscape of SEO and online content creation. Unlike previous updates, it ended the standalone helpful content update, marking a pivotal shift in Google's approach to evaluating and ranking web pages. This comprehensive update introduces several system changes and enhancements aimed at reducing the presence of spam and low-quality content in search results. Here's everything you need to know: ## **Key Highlights of the March 2024 Core Update** - **Completion:** Announced 52 days post-rollout, it was confirmed that the update wrapped up on April 19th. - **Focus on Quality:** Google's ongoing battle against spam and low-quality content took a significant leap forward, aiming to cut down this type of content by an impressive 45%. - **Complexity and Scope:** This update is described as more complex than usual, impacting multiple core systems and encompassing changes to spam policies to reduce search-engine-focused content. - **Overlap and Impact:** Alongside this major update, other improvements and adjustments were made, including the March spam update and a shift in Core Web Vitals measurements, which may affect site performance analysis. ## **Significant Reduction in Low-Quality Content** Google originally estimated a 40% reduction in low-quality and unhelpful content across search results. However, the actual outcome surpassed expectations, achieving a close to 45% decrease. This demonstrates Google's enhanced ability to identify and demote content that fails to provide value to users, offering a cleaner and more beneficial searching experience. ## **Updates and Feedback Mechanisms** Google notably updated its help centre page to assist site owners in debugging drops in Google Search rankings, reflecting a willingness to support and collaborate with creators in navigating the changes. Additionally, a new feedback form was launched, allowing for more direct communication between site owners and the Google Search team regarding ranking shifts. ## **Overlapping Updates** Google also made adjustments to their core web vitals, replacing FID with INP. This created a complex environment for analysing the specific impacts on site performance. However, Google carried out these changes with precision, ensuring that each change served its intended purpose without causing any unnecessary disruption. ## **Evolution of Content Evaluation** In an effort to promote high-quality, original, and helpful content, this core update signifies a departure from announcing new "helpful content updates" as the system has now been integrated into the core update mechanism. This integration aims to streamline the process and enhance Google's capacity to reward content that truly benefits users. ## **Recovery and Improvement Tips** For sites negatively impacted by the March 2024 core update, Google maintains its stance that there are no specific actions to recover other than to focus on creating content for people, not search engines. A website can regain its search engine rankings by adhering to Google's guidelines when producing content. ## **Final Thoughts** Google's March 2024 Core Update is a testament to the company's evolving methodology in improving search quality and user experience. By addressing multiple aspects of the core systems and incorporating feedback mechanisms, Google is paving the way for a more collaborative and transparent relationship with content creators and site owners. For businesses and SEO professionals, the message remains clear: prioritise creating meaningful, user-centric content that stands out for its quality and originality. Doing so will not only align with Google's guidelines but will ultimately serve the best interests of their target audience, creating a win-win situation for all parties involved. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## YouTube's New Pause Ads URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/05/youtubes-new-pause-ads/ **Date:** 2024-05-10 **Category:** Advertising, YouTube | **Tags:** YouTube advertisements, youtube pause video ads It has been reported that YouTube users are currently dissatisfied with the current state of ads on the platform. However, instead of addressing these concerns, YouTube appears to be more interested in expanding its ad presence during video playback. As a result, the platform has been experimenting with a new method of displaying ads - by showing them when the user pauses their video. This move has raised questions about user experience and the impact it may have on viewership, particularly as it may deter users from engaging with content on the platform. Google's Chief Business Officer, Philipp Schindler, has commented on the positive response the pilot program of 'pause ads' has received. The ads are appreciated for being non-intrusive. Due to this positive response, the company may consider a wider rollout on desktop and mobile devices once it's finished gathering data for its ongoing experiment on TVs. ## **How will Pause Advertising Be Displayed?** YouTube announced last year that it was testing pause ads in selected regions. The company had stated that when a user pauses a video, it would shrink, and an advertisement would appear next to it. Although no specific timelines have been shared by YouTube's Chief Business Officer, Robert Kyncl, regarding the release of pause ads, he did confirm that they will first roll out on smart TVs. It is still unclear what the exact nature of these ads would be, including their duration and if they would be skippable or not. ## **Community Reaction** After looking through Reddit discussions and other online communities, it appears that the majority of people are not bothered by non-invasive advertisements on YouTube. However, this general acceptance is dependent on the advertisement being an image rather than an unskippable video. Some individuals dislike the additional pause ads on YouTube, as they feel that they already encounter too many ads while using the platform. Moreover, people express concerns about the impact of these ads on the viewing experience, particularly when trying to read small text on the screen. One Reddit user highlighted a potential issue when trying to pause and read something on the screen, such as documents or other important information, as once the video is paused, it will shrink and make it difficult to read the text. Overall, while many people do not seem to mind the presence of ads on YouTube, there are valid concerns about their impact on the user experience, especially when it comes to reading text. ## **Positives for Businesses** Given YouTube and, by extension, Google's heavy reliance on ad sales for revenue, exploring innovative advertising avenues like pausing video ads seems a sensible route. However, it's an approach that has complexities, particularly concerning the balance of user experience against the platform's financial motivations. From a business perspective, the implementation of pause ads could represent a significant stride towards minimising disruption in the viewing experience while still delivering the ad content that fuels YouTube's revenue streams. In theory, pausing video ads cater to a niche where viewers are less likely to be irritated by sudden interruptions, as these ads only appear when one opts to pause the video. Additionally, as noted by Schindler, the premium pricing commanded by such ads could point to their effectiveness or perceived value amongst advertisers, potentially leading to a richer, more curated advertising experience. If you're looking to improve your YouTube or [**Google Ads**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/ppc/) reach and conversions, contact the experts at Odyssey New Media. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How To Schedule Canva Posts Directly To Social Pilot URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/05/how-to-schedule-canva-posts-directly-to-social-pilot/ **Date:** 2024-05-09 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** social media An effective social media presence is crucial for businesses and personal brands in today's fast-paced digital world. This often means creating eye-catching, high-quality content and ensuring it reaches your audience optimally. Enter Canva and Social Pilot-a dynamic duo that simplifies this process, allowing you to design stunning visuals and schedule them for publication from one seamless workflow. ## **The Power of Scheduling Social Media Posts** Consistency is vital in the digital arena. Scheduling your social media posts saves time and ensures that you maintain an active presence online, engaging your audience without the need to be constantly tethered to your devices. Furthermore, timing your posts for when your audience is most active can significantly increase your engagement rates, putting your content in front of eyeballs when it matters most. ## **Integrating Canva with Social Pilot: A Step-by-Step Guide** Leveraging Canva's intuitive design capabilities with Social Pilot's scheduling prowess offers a streamlined approach to social media management. Here's how to get started: **Create a Social Pilot Account** First, you'll need a Social Pilot account. Visit Social Pilot's website, choose the plan that fits your needs, and sign up. Once your account is set up, you're ready to connect it with Canva. **Connect Canva with Social Pilot** - **Log into Canva:** Start by signing into your Canva account. If you don't have one, registration is straightforward and accessible, with premium options. - **Find Integrations:** In Canva, head to the 'Apps' section on the homepage or use the 'More' tab from your Canva design editor to search for Social Pilot. - **Connect:** Click 'Connect' to link Canva with your Social Pilot account. You may need to log into Social Pilot if you haven't already. Now that Canva and Social Pilot are synced, you can schedule your posts directly. ## **Scheduling Your Canva Creation to Social Media via Social Pilot** Creating and scheduling your posts is easy once you have integrated Canva with Social Pilot: - **Design Your Post in Canva:** Choose from countless templates or create your design from scratch. Utilise Canva's extensive library of images, fonts, and design elements to make your post stand out. - **Click 'Share': **Once your design is ready, click the 'Share' button in the top right corner and select 'Schedule with Social Pilot' from the dropdown menu. - **Customise Your Post:** Select the social media platforms you wish to post to (make sure you've connected these platforms to your Social Pilot account). Add your captions, choose the date and time for your post, and voilà-you're set! ## **Optimising Your Posts for Different Platforms** Canva's design flexibility means you can tailor your visuals to various platforms' specifications and best practices-be it Facebook's horizontal layout, Instagram's square or vertical frames, or the aspect ratios preferred by LinkedIn and Twitter. - **Use Canva's Templates:** Canva offers platform-specific templates that meet each network's size requirements. - **Adapt and Customise:** Customise templates with your text, images, and brand colours to maintain a consistent and professional online presence. ## **Advantages of Canva and Social Pilot Integration** **Time Efficiency and Consistency** By scheduling your posts, you can allocate specific content creation and planning times, freeing up your schedule for other important tasks. **Analytics and Performance Tracking** Social Pilot's analytics allow you to measure the performance of your scheduled posts, providing insights into engagement rates, optimal posting times, and audience demographics. This data is invaluable for refining your strategy and maximising ROI on your social media efforts. **Seamless Workflow** This integration streamlines your workflow, making the process from creation to publication as smooth as possible. It eliminates the need to juggle multiple tools or manually transfer content between platforms. By integrating Canva with Social Pilot, you can take advantage of the strengths of both platforms-Canva's powerful design capabilities and Social Pilot's efficient scheduling system. This combination elevates the quality and consistency of your social media content and enhances your overall digital marketing strategy, ultimately leading to growth and engagement within your online community. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Latest Updates Regarding A Potential TikTok Ban In The US URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/04/the-latest-updates-regarding-the-tiktok-ban-in-the-us/ **Date:** 2024-04-29 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** digital marketing, social media Amid the digital revolution and global privacy concerns, few technological phenomena have sparked as much controversy and intrigue as the TikTok ban in the United States. Launching into the public consciousness like a firework in the night sky, the ban looms with questions of national security, international diplomacy, and personal freedoms. Since the first murmurs of potential prohibition, we've voyaged through policy changes, legal battles, and geopolitical ripples. In this comprehensive overview, we dissect the latest chapters in the TikTok saga, aiming to provide clarity for users, creators, and businesses navigating the storm. ## **The TikTok Ban In The US: A Historical Timeline** To understand the current state of affairs, one must first venture into the annals of history. The TikTok ban narrative began with concerns about the app's data privacy practices and its Chinese ownership by ByteDance. It intensified when former President Donald Trump issued executive orders to prohibit transactions with the app on national security grounds. The saga further developed when President Joe Biden took office, deploying a different approach to the potential ban. Instead of an immediate prohibition, the U.S. Department of Commerce inherited the task of assessing the security threats posed by TikTok. The timeline is marked with legal challenges, acquisition talks, and a pause-the lull before the storm. ## **Unpacking The March Of Developments** Last year alone, many significant strides have been made in the progression of the TikTok ban. The Chinese tech company ByteDance entered discussions to create a new U.S.-based entity for TikTok, TikTok Global, with substantial American investment. Oracle and Walmart set the stage as potential investors, aiming to buy into the platform and resolve security concerns. However, these efforts didn't solidify, and TikTok's future in the United States remains uncertain. Oracle and Walmart's involvement dissipated, leaving TikTok in limbo, and the potential ban was hanging overhead. National security policies were reevaluated with the transition from the Trump administration to the Biden administration. The ultimate fate of TikTok was, and still is, a point of contention that reflects the complexity of U.S.-China relations and the unique intersection of technology and diplomacy. ## **The Ban's Ripple Effect On TikTok's Community** The TikTok community is a vibrant and diverse tapestry of content creators, small businesses, and users who found a home on the platform. The perpetual threat of a ban has left this community in a state of instability, with creators unsure of their digital homes' longevity and users split between loyalty and fear of loss. Content creators have diversified, leveraging TikTok as a launch pad for other platforms, such as Instagram Reels, to secure their digital presence. Small businesses, once buoyed by TikTok's viral marketing potential, are now teetering on the precipice of losing a significant revenue stream. The sense of uncertainty has thus far been the most substantial impact of the ban, with the potential for economic fallout looming in the background. ## **A Global Perspective: TikTok And Its Legal Woes Abroad** The TikTok ban is not an isolated event. Several countries have either implemented or considered bans on the platform, reflecting a broader global trend of digital sovereignty. In India, the ban became a reality for a period before being lifted under legislative review. Other nations, such as Pakistan and Indonesia, have faced similar deliberations, albeit with differing outcomes and rationales. The global response to TikTok illuminates the diversity of approaches governments take towards privacy and security in the digital age. It also underscores the challenges multinational corporations face in an interconnected world with disparate regulations. ## **Treading The Legal And Political Labyrinth** The legal landscape surrounding the TikTok ban is nothing short of a labyrinth. The app's parent company, ByteDance, has waged legal battles against the ban's constitutionality and compliance with existing laws. Conversely, the U.S. government stands behind its national security considerations, invoking executive power. These legal skirmishes have set precedents for the intersection of technology, national security, and due process. They also serve as guideposts for potential future disputes between the government and technology companies that operate on a global scale. Politically, the TikTok ban encapsulates the dichotomy of protectionism and globalism. It has pitted concerns about national security against the principles of free trade and the free exchange of ideas, with bipartisan support and critique marking its political landscape. The ban's fate is inextricably linked to the broader policy conversations about the United States' role in the global technology ecosystem. ## **TikTok's Future In The US** What lies ahead for TikTok in the United States is the question on everyone's lips. The Biden administration's approach to the ban remains a work in progress, with no clear path forward. Potential avenues include amending the executive orders, pursuing a more traditional oversight route via the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), or maintaining the status quo. For TikTok, the challenges are multifaceted-finding a balance between growth and security, navigating strained diplomatic ties, and preserving its user base. With every new development, the hope of a resolution falters, and the need for a strategic long-term plan becomes more acute. ## **Tips For TikTok Users And Businesses** Operating in the shadow of a potential ban requires adaptability and foresight for TikTok users and businesses. Users can mitigate the impact of the prohibition by safeguarding their content and accounts, backing up data, and maintaining a presence on alternative platforms. Critical strategies include engaging with the broader TikTok community, creating engaging content, and staying informed. On the other hand, businesses must diversify their marketing channels, create a contingency plan for a TikTok-free future, and build a resilient brand identity that transcends any single platform. Leveraging the influencer marketing ecosystem, capitalising on emerging trends, and ensuring compliance with evolving privacy regulations can shield businesses from the ban's effects. The TikTok ban saga is far from its conclusion, and the uncertainty will likely linger for the foreseeable future. With each twist and turn, it becomes increasingly apparent that the story of TikTok is not merely about a mobile app-it's a reflection of the complex, interconnected digital world we inhabit, with all its wonders and worries. The tale of TikTok serves as a microcosm of an era where technology, policy, and geopolitics converge, creating a tapestry of challenges and opportunities for all involved. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Why is X Launching a New Streaming App? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/04/why-is-x-launching-a-new-streaming-app/ **Date:** 2024-04-05 **Category:** Social Media, X | **Tags:** X, x streaming service Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter has signalled a shift in how the platform is perceived and used. Musk's vision to morph Twitter into an "everything app" is a bold move, aiming to integrate audio, video, messaging, and even payment/banking features, drawing inspiration from the multifunctionality of WeChat. This strategy is not merely about enhancing user experience but also about establishing X as a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities. Amidst this transformation, the company wants to launch a new streaming app for TVs, which is a tactical step towards Musk's vision of a comprehensive digital ecosystem. But how will a streaming app help reach Elon Musk's vision? ## **Why is X Interested in Streaming?** Expanding into the realm of TV apps aligns perfectly with X's vision of becoming an everything app. By offering its services on televisions and larger screens, X can cater to a more diverse audience, including those who prefer the comfort and entertainment experience that only a larger screen can provide. Having the streaming aspect of the app allows it to compete with platforms like YouTube and Twitch. Not only this, but streaming apps come with a wide range of benefits, such as allowing users to enjoy their favourite social media platforms on a bigger screen and enhancing the viewing experience of videos, live events, and interactive content. This elevates the quality of the content as well as fosters a more communal viewing experience. Additionally, this expansion can potentially increase user engagement time, as viewers are more likely to consume content for longer periods when displayed on a bigger, more immersive platform. Integrating a TV app also opens the door for higher quality content creation and consumption, appealing to both content creators and viewers alike, thereby enriching the overall ecosystem of X. Considering the numerous benefits of a streaming service, leveraging the existing content to develop a streaming app will help X achieve its objective of being an everything app. ## **What Could X's New Streaming App Look Like?** X's new streaming app is being described as a strong competitor in the digital realm, based on insider accounts. It is said to closely resemble the YouTube TV app, offering a familiar and user-friendly interface. The app aims to compete with various platforms such as Twitch, known for gaming and community engagement, Signal for its encrypted messaging, and Reddit for its user-driven community. X's app seems set to carve a niche that combines live streaming, secure communication, and community forums. This approach could redefine user expectations by blending different aspects of digital interaction into one platform. Once the application is fully developed and tested, Elon plans to launch the television app on Amazon and Samsung smart TVs. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How YouTube Create Will Rival TikTok's Creative Tools URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/04/how-youtube-create-will-rival-tiktoks-creative-tools/ **Date:** 2024-04-04 **Category:** Social Media, YouTube | **Tags:** social media, tiktok, youtube create The battle between YouTube and TikTok for social media dominance continues to heat up, with both platforms constantly innovating and launching new features. But the latest move from YouTube has caught everyone's attention - the launch of its 'Create' app that promises to make content creation easier. With this directly targeting TikTok's widely popular creative tools, it seems like a direct challenge to the short-form video content industry. In this article, we will explore what YouTube Create is, its features, and how it will compete with TikTok's creative tools. ## **Why YouTube Developed Create?** The concept behind Create is to provide short-form video creators with a user-friendly suite of free tools for on-the-go video production. Unveiled during YouTube's Create event last September, this tool aims to simplify video editing for content creators who have no prior editing experience. It simplifies the process of adding transitions, effects, and other complex editing techniques, making these tasks as simple as tapping a button. ## **What Editing Features Does YouTube Create Offer?** YouTube Create offers a variety of valuable features for short-form content creators, such as allowing them to record directly from their smartphones and easily select and edit clips within the app. The app provides a large library of royalty-free music, making it easier to find the perfect soundtrack for videos. This means users won't have to worry about copyright. YouTube Create also makes it effortless to align video transitions with the rhythm of the chosen soundtrack, thanks to its beat-matching feature. With just a tap, the app identifies and marks the music's most compelling points, ensuring edits are both visually and audibly synchronised. YouTube's recent Audio Cleanup tool can reduce background noises with just a tap of a button, ensuring the creator's message remains clear. Beyond the basics, creators can personalise their videos with an extensive range of effects, filters, stickers, and GIFs. In addition, YouTube Create offers a voice-over feature and auto-captions to further enhance videos, making content accessible as well as engaging for a broader audience. Lastly, the social media company has streamlined the process of publishing videos on YouTube by enabling users to do so with just a single tap. ## **How YouTube Create Will Rival TikTok's Creative Tools** Since its launch in 2016, TikTok has experienced rapid growth, quickly becoming one of the most influential social media platforms with millions of active users. This surge in TikTok's popularity may have had an impact on YouTube, leading to a potential decrease in site visits and overall time spent on the platform. TikTok changed the industry by popularising short-form content and making it more accessible for users to create and consume. In response to this shift, YouTube introduced YouTube Shorts as a way to emulate TikTok's success and adapt to changing audience preferences. Despite YouTube's efforts, TikTok retains a significant advantage with its extensive library of built-in effects and access to TikTok-specific video editors such as ByteDance and CapCut, enabling creators to enhance their videos with ease. As a result, YouTube created a video editing app specifically for YouTube Shorts, bridging the creative tools gap. The app aims to empower creators with more sophisticated editing tools, streamlining the process of crafting engaging content directly to the platform. This strategic move is designed to not only retain but also attract a new generation of content creators who seek a comprehensive toolkit that enables them to produce high-quality videos with ease. By integrating features such as advanced video effects, a wide range of filters, and seamless music integration, YouTube is setting the stage to attract creators away from TikTok. If YouTube is successful in this, audiences will follow their favourite creators to their chosen platform. If you are interested in aligning your [**social media strategy**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/) with your SEO efforts, we encourage you to get in touch with Odyssey New Media. By seamlessly integrating these two crucial components, we can enhance your website's visibility, performance, and conversion rates. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google Ads Country Limitation Update URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/03/google-ads-country-limitation-update/ **Date:** 2024-03-14 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google, google ads Google Ads has implemented a new restriction affecting geographical exclusions, allowing advertisers to omit 120 countries from their campaign targeting. This change presents businesses with the dual challenge of refining their global advertising strategies while also leveraging the opportunity to tailor their marketing efforts in a more focused manner. ## **What This Could Mean For Advertisers** By narrowing down the scope of their campaigns, advertisers are prompted to analyse and select markets with higher potential for yielding results, which could lead to more efficient budget spending and improved campaign performance. This change urges advertisers to prioritise key regions and gain a deeper understanding of their audience country-by-country. ## **What A Google Representative Has To Say** A representative from Google has recognised the critical value of Location exclusions and affirmed that this vital feature will remain intact. Google's acknowledgement confirms that users can rely on the functionality for the foreseeable future. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Role of Web Design in Improving Your Digital Marketing Efforts URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/03/the-role-of-web-design-in-improving-your-digital-marketing-efforts/ **Date:** 2024-03-06 **Category:** Web Design | **Tags:** digital marketing, website In today's competitive digital landscape, a polished web design isn't just about aesthetics-it's the backbone of a robust digital marketing strategy. Whether you're a fledgling small business or a savvy digital marketer, understanding web design's pivotal role in your online success is non-negotiable. Your website is often the first touchpoint with potential customers and can make or break your marketing efforts. Exploring this intricate relationship is crucial for optimising your digital footprint and ultimately driving conversions. ## **The Crucial Link Between Web Design And Digital Marketing** Before digital marketing strategies can be effective, one must recognise the critical role of web design. Your website is the canvas on which digital marketing campaigns are displayed. When executed well, it harmoniously integrates with your marketing tactics-aiding in eloquent storytelling, engagement, and conversion. **Why Web Design Matters** Web design affects how users perceive your brand. It's more than just a digital business card; it's an interactive experience that shapes brand identity and tells a story. With effective design, you can craft a unique narrative that resonates with your audience and compels them to take the desired action. **Unifying the User Journey** Unified design and marketing strategies smooth the user's online experience. Each webpage, graphic, and element must align with your marketing objectives, guiding users through a cohesive and persuasive narrative that ends in a conversion. ## **Importance of Web Design In Digital Marketing** Your website's design is a silent salesperson-constantly on the clock, converting visitors into customers. Understanding its significance will help you chart a course for a more effective digital marketing campaign. **First Impressions and User Experience** The adage "You never get a second chance to make a first impression" holds for websites. The look and feel of your site, speed, and navigation all affect how users perceive your brand. An intuitive, aesthetically pleasing site encourages visitors to stay, explore, and hopefully convert. **Branding and Credibility** A well-designed website establishes credibility. Your online space should underline your brand's authority and reliability. Consistent branding, compelling visual elements, and a professional layout communicate trustworthiness-vital components of an effective marketing campaign. **Conversion Rate Optimisation** Every part of your website, from the headline to the colour of your CTA buttons, influences the conversion rate. A sleek, user-friendly website with clear pathways to conversion raises the likelihood of turning visitors into leads or customers. ## **Key Web Design Elements For Digital Success** Effective web design is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Creating a website that fuels your digital marketing efforts requires a blend of creativity, strategy, and understanding of user behaviour. **Responsive Design** Today's users browse on various devices. Your website must adapt to these different screen sizes. Responsive design ensures a seamless user experience, regardless of the device, leading to improved engagement and conversions. **Clear Call-to-Actions** Compelling CTAs are like road signs-they tell the user where to go next. These should be prominent, action-oriented, and contextually relevant to guide the user's next step in the buying process. **Visual Appeal and Brand Consistency** Your website design should be visually appealing and align with your brand's essence. A cohesive colour scheme, typography, and imagery create a memorable and distinct brand identity. **SEO Optimisation** Web design has a significant impact on your site's search engine ranking. Elements like page load times, URL structure, and mobile-friendliness influence how Google and other search engines perceive your site, affecting its visibility to potential customers. ## **Measuring Success** To gauge the effectiveness of your web design in bolstering your digital marketing, it's essential to use the right metrics. Key performance indicators (KPIs) and analytics tools reveal insights that can inform adjustments and drive better outcomes. **KPIs to Watch** Conversion rates, bounce rates, time on page, and click-through rates on different design elements provide a wealth of data on user behaviour and satisfaction with your site's design. **The Role of Analytics** Platforms like Google Analytics offer a treasure trove of data to evaluate the performance of your web design. Understanding user flow, popular content, and conversion funnels can help you refine your site's design to support your marketing goals better. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team at **[0121 439 5450](tel:%200121%20439%205450)**, or fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Google's Cookie Update Will Affect You URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/02/how-googles-cookie-update-will-affect-you/ **Date:** 2024-02-27 **Category:** Google, Google Algorithm Updates | **Tags:** google cookie update, website cookies Every year, companies are finding it more challenging to track their website data due to the increasingly strict privacy rules enforced by conglomerates such as Google and Apple. For example, we have seen Apple make significant changes to iOS over multiple updates that limit third-party cookie tracking through Safari and provide users with the ability to enable or disable app tracking. Now, Google is introducing its own version of this feature through Google Chrome, which is expected to affect about 60% of web users. In this article, we will discuss how Google's Cookie update will affect web users and businesses. ## **Why is Google Updating their Cookie Policy?** Recently, there has been an increasing alarm about the usage of third-party cookies acting as 'user surveillance'. These cookies track and monitor every online activity of a user, which raises serious concerns about privacy violations. However, with the upcoming changes in web and data privacy policies, there is a chance for a significant shift in how we perceive and handle personal data online. This change represents a turning point in the history of web privacy, with the potential to create a safer and more secure online environment for everyone. ## **How will Google's Cookie Update Affect Marketers?** Starting in March, Google's new cookie policy will pose challenges for those using Google Ads or Meta Ads, particularly with remarketing and audience-based campaigns. These campaigns rely heavily on cookie signals; however, this data will no longer be available, rendering these strategies useless. So, how do advertisers overcome this? **Contextual Targeting** - Consider placing ads based on webpage themes/content instead of tracking individuals. You will still be able to reach relevant audiences while still respecting user privacy rules. **First-Party Data** - Utilise first-party data from sources such as Google Analytics, email marketing lists, and social media to manage your campaigns without relying on third-party data. Social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn will use their own data, which they collect through user profiles, engagement, and browsing behaviour. Although this data may not be as comprehensive as the data that third-party cookies provide, advertisers will still be able to target their ads with a good level of detail. If you are running any email marketing campaigns, you may be concerned about the implications of this change. Even though you will no longer have access to third-party cookie data, you can still effectively utilise your own first-party cookies and data. You can tailor your email sign-up lists to gather more data from your customers and learn about their habits regarding opening and engaging with your emails. Investing in online surveys, forms, and newsletters can also provide further insights into your customers' behaviour. ## **How will Google's Cookie Update Affect Web Users**? With the absence of third party cookies, users will likely see fewer relevant ads and will not be tracked by ads. This doesn't mean that all ads will disappear. Instead, you can still expect to see relevant ads which take into account your privacy and control. Ad networks such as Google and Meta will adapt by utilising contextual targeting and user interests inferred from browsing behaviour to serve ads rather than solely relying on third-party cookies. Also, the over-reliance on third-party cookies has created vulnerabilities for hackers and malicious software to exploit. Blocking third-party cookies by default further restricts these hackers, making the web more secure for users. ## **Final Thoughts** Google's update to its cookie policy is bound to bring a sea of changes for both web users and marketers. Users can look forward to a more private and secure browsing experience, free from the pervasive tracking previously made possible by third-party cookies. However, this move also ensures a shift for businesses and advertisers, who must now innovate and adapt to maintain important data to optimise their campaigns to be effective on their audience. For more information about Google's Cookies update [**click here**](https://developers.google.com/privacy-sandbox/blog/cookie-countdown-2023oct) and if you need assistance updating your website's third-party cookie policy, contact Odyssey New Media's [**website development professionals**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/website-design/). ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Getting your E-commerce Website Ready for Valentine's Day URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/02/getting-your-e-commerce-website-ready-for-valentines-day/ **Date:** 2024-02-07 **Category:** Web Design | **Tags:** e-commerce website, valentines day As the calendar flips to February, love is in the air, and Valentine's Day is just around the corner. For many, this holiday is a time for expressing affection for loved ones through thoughtful gestures and gifts. But for those running an e-commerce website, it's a golden opportunity to boost sales and attract new customers. From sprucing up your website to optimising your content, in this blog post, we will discuss how to prepare your e-commerce website for Valentine's Day. ## **Spruce Up Your Website Design** **Add a Touch of Love **- When sprucing up your website, aim for a festive feel that evokes the spirit of Valentine's Day. Common colours associated with Valentine's Day are bright reds, pinks and gentle whites. Websites that display dark colours may not attract those celebrating Valentine's Day and may even push potential customers towards competitors who appear more engaged with the holiday. Using Valentine's Day imagery, such as hearts, roses or Cupid's arrows, in your website can help customers understand that your website sells Valentine's Day products. You can use these elements in various ways, such as incorporating them into your logo, adding them to your homepage banner, or decorating your product pages. By doing so, you can make your website more visually appealing and attractive to your visitors. **Highlight Gift Categories - **To enhance your customers' shopping experience, your website should include intuitive and easy-to-navigate categories for 'Gifts for Him', 'Gifts for Her', and 'Personalised Gifts'. These categories will allow your customers to quickly locate the items they are looking for and make their shopping experience more enjoyable. A well-thought-out user interface is key in converting browsing into sales, as it helps visitors easily find the items they want and increases the likelihood of them making a purchase. ## **Curate Valentine's Day Specials** **Feature Exclusive Deals - **To take advantage of the occasion, you must offer exclusive deals such as 20% off, Buy One Get One Free or special discounts to incentivise shoppers to choose your e-commerce store over competitors. Once you have a discount in mind, you should leverage email and social media to promote your exclusive deal to reach a wider audience. To make the most of it, you should create eye-catching graphics or videos that highlight the benefits of the discount. You can also craft engaging copy encouraging customers to take advantage of the offer. **Create Valentine's Collections - **One way to optimise Valentine's Day sales is to curate special collections that group products into Valentine's Day themes. This can include creating collections such as 'Romantic Home Dinners' or 'Valentine's Day Jewellery' that feature products relevant to the holiday. By spotlighting these collections, you can guide gift-givers to the most relevant products and make decision-making simpler. This approach not only simplifies the shopping experience for customers but also increases the likelihood of them finding the perfect gift for their loved ones. ## **Optimise Your Content for SEO** **Craft Valentine's-Themed Content - **It's crucial to optimise your website to attract as much organic traffic as possible. Businesses can do this by creating blogs or articles that offer Valentine's Day gift ideas, date tips, or even fashion advice. As you create content, it's important to implement keywords such as 'Valentine's Day Gifts' and 'Valentines' to boost your SEO efforts. **Update Meta Titles and Descriptions - **Revise your site's meta titles and descriptions to include Valentine-related phrases. This small tweak not only helps with ranking but also lets customers know your site is current and festive. ## **Safe Hosting and Speed** Depending on the industry within which your business functions, you may see a huge influx of website visits around the fateful day. At this point, the last thing you might want is for your website to go down. If you've got a reliable hosting service that can cater to the increase in visitation, you can rest easy knowing that unless you suddenly start competing with the sales figures of a major jewellery brand, your website will probably be fine. If you're not confident about the visitation load your website can manage or are aware of several websites hosted under your IP address, you may wish to speak to a member of the [**Odyssey New Media**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) team today. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## 5 Design Elements That Can Help Increase Your Website Conversions URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/02/5-design-elements-that-can-help-increase-your-website-conversions/ **Date:** 2024-02-02 **Category:** Web Design In the digital landscape, your website is often the first point of contact potential customers have with your brand. But it takes more than a pretty homepage to convert visitors into loyal customers. It's about creating a user-friendly experience that attracts and convinces your audience to take action. That's where design elements come into play. In this blog post, we will discuss 5 important design elements that can help increase your website conversions. ## **Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)** Call-to-actions dotted throughout the website can play a critical role in improving conversions. They provide clear and concise instructions that guide visitors to take a desired action, such as signing up for a newsletter, downloading an e-book, or making a purchase. It's the bridge between passive browsing and active engagement, turning visitors into leads, customers, or subscribers. A well-designed CTA can significantly boost conversion rates by reducing user confusion and decision-making time. CTAs should be visually appealing, easy to locate, and compelling in their message to effectively draw users in and encourage them to take action. By integrating persuasive and strategic CTAs throughout your website, you can effectively guide your audience down the conversion funnel. ## **Responsive Design** With the increasing use of mobile devices for web browsing, having a website that can adapt to different screen sizes and orientations is crucial. Responsive design ensures your website looks and functions optimally on all devices, from desktops to smartphones. This significantly improves user experience, as visitors can easily navigate your site, read content, and interact with different features, regardless of the device they are using. A site that is easy to use has lower bounce rates, encouraging visitors to stay longer and engage more. Also, search engines like Google prioritise mobile-friendly websites in their search results, potentially ranking your site higher. ## **Intuitive Navigation** Intuitive navigation provides a seamless path for users to navigate your site, reducing confusion and frustration. A well-structured navigation menu, clear site hierarchy, and easily identifiable links all contribute to an excellent user experience. Having a well-structured and concise menu on your website not only assists users in navigating through your pages effortlessly but also helps bots crawl and index your website more effectively, making it more discoverable by search engines. When visitors can find what they're looking for, they're more likely to stay longer, explore further, and ultimately take a desired action, such as making a purchase or subscribing to a service. ## **Compelling Visuals** High-quality images, engaging videos, and eye-catching graphics can significantly enhance the overall user experience of your site. Not only do they make your website more aesthetically pleasing, but they also help to communicate your message more effectively. Visuals can quickly grab a visitor's attention, convey complex information in an easily digestible format, and evoke emotions that influence purchasing decisions. Visuals can highlight your products or services' key features and benefits, encouraging users to take the desired action. They can also improve your site's SEO performance, driving more traffic to your site. ## **Trust Signals** Trust signals are features or aspects of your website that build confidence and credibility with your audience. They include customer testimonials, case studies, industry certifications, secure payment badges, press mentions, and privacy policies. When visitors see these trust signals, they feel more confident about the legitimacy and reliability of your business, making them more likely to engage with your site and complete a transaction. In addition, trust signals can alleviate potential concerns about security and privacy, two significant factors that often influence online purchasing decisions. ## **Final Thoughts** You can turn your website from a simple online brochure into a powerful conversion tool by focusing on five key design elements: CTA, responsive design, intuitive navigation, compelling visuals, and trust signals. It's important to keep in mind that every aspect of your website should serve a specific purpose to help your users make informed decisions. If you need to update your old website or create a new one, get in touch with the [**web design**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/website-design/) experts at Odyssey New Media. ## **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Top Digital Marketing Trends To Look Out For In 2024 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/01/the-top-digital-marketing-trends-to-look-out-for-in-2024/ **Date:** 2024-01-16 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** digital marketing, digital tips The field of digital marketing has been expanding rapidly since its inception. With the emergence of new tools and technologies every day, coupled with the ever-changing search patterns, new trends are constantly emerging. As marketers, it is important to keep up with these fast-paced developments. Therefore, here are some of the digital marketing trends of 2024 that you should consider incorporating into your marketing strategy. ## **Social Media As A Search Engine** As the digital landscape continues to evolve, social media platforms have emerged as powerful search engines. Among them, TikTok has gained significant popularity, not just as a source of entertainment, but also as a platform for discovering new products, services, and content. Today, users are relying on these platforms more than ever before to connect with brands and individuals, and to explore new possibilities. As a result, social media has become an essential part of modern life, shaping the way we perceive and interact with the world around us. **How To Ensure Your Social Media Content Is Optimised For Search** - Create personalised and engaging content tailored to your target audience's preferred social media platforms. - Boost visibility and engagement by monitoring social media trends and participating when it fits your brand. - Use popular and relevant hashtags to increase the visibility of your content in social media searches. ## **Artificial Intelligence (AI)** Marketers now understand that AI tools have limitations and flaws, but we can help where they fall short. There has been a significant decrease in traffic for well-known AI tools such as ChatGPT in recent months. This is not due to concerns that artificial intelligence is taking over jobs but rather because marketing roles have learned to effectively incorporate AI to improve their efficiency. However, this does not mean that AI is doing the entire job for them. Additionally, many companies are now developing their own AI and chatbot systems. AI can assist in marketing, achieving more with less time. Understand AI's limitations, provide data and insights, and read/edit results. AI can't match human-generated content; however, it can inspire digital marketing efforts in many ways including: - Content Generation - Frequently Asked Questions - Audience Segmentation ## **Video Marketing And Short Form Content** The ascendancy of video marketing, while not a novel phenomenon, has been bolstered by the advent of platforms specialising in short-form videos, such as TikTok and YouTube Shorts. These short, visually captivating videos sync seamlessly with the decreasing attention spans of today's audiences due to their fleeting nature. Businesses are now exploiting these short videos for more than just advertising; they're instrumental in narrative building, launching products, and even sharing customer experiences. ## **Voice Search Optimisation** With the increasing prevalence of voice-activated devices among consumers, the use of voice search is also on the rise. According to [The Tech Report](https://techreport.com/statistics/voice-search-statistics/), 41% of adults use voice search daily and this number is expected to continue growing. It is important to note that voice search is not just a feature, but rather a significant shift in the way people interact with technology. To optimise your content for voice search and effectively communicate with your customers, it's important to understand their natural way of speaking and tailor your SEO strategies accordingly. When identifying relevant keywords and phrases for voice search, make sure to strategically place them throughout your content in a way that enhances the quality and value of your offering. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google & Yahoo's Anti-Spam Email Update URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2024/01/google-yahoos-anti-spam-email-update/ **Date:** 2024-01-11 **Category:** Email Marketing, Google | **Tags:** anti spam email update, digital marketing, email marketing, gmail In February 2024, Google and Yahoo are set to change their approach towards bulk email senders. In their next anti-spam email update, both Gmail and Yahoo Mail will monitor and take action against any domain dispatching more than 5,000 emails a day. According to industry experts, this move could significantly impact various businesses that rely on email marketing as a primary means of communication with their customers. In this article, we will discuss Google and Yahoo's anti-spam email update and how it will affect businesses. ## **Understanding the Changes** As mentioned before, starting in February, Google and Yahoo will monitor and take action against any domain dispatching more than 5,000 marketing emails a day. Not only this, but the new requirements state that all marketing emails should implement SPF (Sender Policy Framework) Authentication, DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) Authentication, and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) Authentication. Additionally, emails must contain one-click unsubscribe links to allow recipients to easily opt out of future emails, maintain a spam rate below 0.3%, and avoid sending misleading or deceptive emails. The primary objective of this action is to enhance domain security, protect users from harmful content and ensure that it is easy for recipients to unsubscribe from unwanted emails. Furthermore, it emphasises the significance of keeping spam reports low to maintain a positive reputation and avoid being blacklisted by email providers. Unfortunately, this anti-spam update doesn't focus on cold emails. The 5,000 emails a day limit combined with the one-click unsubscribe link suggests that these changes are targeted towards email marketers. ## **How Will This Impact My Email Campaigns?** If your domain is currently sending less than 5,000 emails per day, these changes will hardly affect your campaigns. This is because Google is primarily targeting bulk email senders with their new policies, which aim to reduce spam and improve the overall experience. However, if your domain sends a high volume of emails (especially above 5,000 a day), you must reduce the number of emails your company sends to ensure Google or Yahoo doesn't take action against you. Plus, it's crucial to keep yourself updated about any changes in their email policies and regulations. For future email marketing campaigns, ensure all emails have SPF, DKIM, and DMARC set up while including a one-click unsubscribe link, irrespective of whether you fall below the 5,000 threshold. ## **Concluding Thoughts** In essence, Google and Yahoo's 2024 anti-spam update will impact email marketers, particularly those managing newsletters. But cold emailers will most likely remain largely unaffected. To ensure that your business is not flagged by Google or Yahoo, it's important to carefully monitor the number of emails that you send out on a daily basis. We recommend you consult with your marketing department to see how many emails you send out daily. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How To Run A Marketing Campaign On A Budget URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/12/how-to-run-a-marketing-campaign-on-a-budget/ **Date:** 2023-12-11 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** digital marketing, marketing In today's highly competitive business environment, entrepreneurs need to leverage every available tool to promote their products or services. Marketing is crucial for growing your business, but it can be expensive if you don't know how to do it right. Fortunately, you don't need to break the bank to run an effective marketing campaign. In this blog post, we'll look at some proven ideas to help you run a successful marketing campaign on a shoestring budget, boosting your business's visibility and revenue. ## **Leverage Social Media Platforms** Social media is an excellent tool for marketing on a budget. These platforms are free, and with more than 3.6 billion people using social media worldwide, it's easier than ever to reach your target audience. You can start by creating social media profiles for your business and curating content that resonates with your audience. Share your product or service updates, blog posts, and industry news to keep your followers engaged. While social media is free, paid advertising can help you reach even more people. You can pick a specific audience based on their interests, location, age, and more, making it a cost-effective option. ## **Optimise Your Website and Blog** Your website is the face of your business online, and making it visually appealing and easy to navigate is essential. You'll need to invest some time and effort in the optimisation of your website and blog to improve your online presence. Make sure your website is responsive, has a clear and concise message, and is easy to navigate. You can add blog posts that educate your audience about your industry, your product or your service, and establish you as a thought leader. Optimising your website can increase your organic traffic, reducing your costs on paid advertising. ## **Use Email Marketing** Email marketing is a cost-effective way to reach and engage with your target audience, especially if you already have a list of subscribers. Sending regular newsletters, product launch announcements, and promotional emails can generate leads and boost customer loyalty. You can use free email marketing tools like Mailchimp to create professional-looking emails and track your campaign's performance. ## **Collaborate with Other Businesses** Partnering with other businesses can be a great way to reach new customers and expand your reach. Look for businesses that offer complementary products or services to yours and reach out to them to explore collaboration opportunities. For example, if you run a catering business, you could partner with a local event planner to offer bundled services to clients. This not only helps you reach a new audience, but it also provides added value to your existing customers. ## **Measure Your Results** It's essential to measure the success of your marketing campaign. Use analytics tools to track your website traffic, social media engagement, and sales. This will help you identify which tactics are working and which ones need to be adjusted. You can then make data-driven decisions to refine your campaign and improve your results over time. Looking for patterns and trends can provide more profound insights into your audience's behaviour. For example, if a particular type of content consistently generates high engagement on social media, incorporate more of it into your strategy. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to help you with your digital advertising, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Importance Of Having A Social Media Calendar URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/11/the-importance-of-having-a-social-media-calendar/ **Date:** 2023-11-29 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** content marketing, digital marketing Social media is an integral part of online marketing today, and it requires a dedicated effort to maintain a robust presence on multiple platforms. Managing various social media platforms requires a comprehensive plan that ensures consistency and timely execution. In this post, we will discuss the importance of having a social media calendar for your online marketing strategy. ## **Consistency is Key** Consistency in maintaining a social media calendar is paramount for several reasons. First and foremost, it helps create a dependable rhythm that your audience can rely on - a key element in building and maintaining your online community. Having a regular posting schedule means your followers will come to anticipate your content, increasing the likelihood they will engage with it. Secondly, it aids in content planning and ensures that your social media platforms are well-balanced and diverse, avoiding repetitive posts or content gaps that might lead to a decline in follower engagement. Furthermore, consistency in a social media calendar also aids in tracking performance metrics over time. It allows an accurate measurement of engagement rates and follower growth, which in turn, provides valuable insights into what kind of content resonates most with your audience. Lastly, a consistent social media calendar enables brands to stay relevant and top-of-mind, helping to foster a strong and lasting connection with their audiences. ## **Saves Time and Effort** A social media calendar is a critical tool that aids businesses and individuals in efficiently managing their online presence. Instead of posting content haphazardly, a social media calendar allows for the planning, scheduling, and publishing of content in an organised and strategic manner. This, in turn, saves significant time and effort. Moreover, a social media calendar ensures a consistent online presence, which is pivotal in maintaining audience engagement and interest. It can also help in identifying optimal posting times by tracking the performance metrics of past posts. Additionally, a calendar allows for coordination across different platforms, ensuring that your messages are unified and consistent, strengthening your brand identity. ## **Helps Meet Campaign Goals** A social media calendar is an indispensable tool for achieving campaign goals. It structures and organises the posting schedule, ensuring consistency and regularity. With a coherent plan, you can prevent disorganised postings and last-minute scrambles for content, ultimately enhancing engagement and brand visibility. The calendar also allows businesses to capitalise on key dates and events relevant to their audience, such as holidays, industry events, or trending topics. By scheduling content around these, you can boost relevance and engage followers more effectively. ## **Keeps Your Brand on Track** Consistency is paramount in maintaining and reinforcing brand identity, especially in the ever-evolving digital landscape of social media. A [social media](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/) calendar becomes an indispensable tool in this endeavour as it allows brands to plan and execute their content strategy with precision. It aids in ensuring a continuous stream of content, thereby keeping your audience engaged and your brand at the forefront of their minds. ## **Supports Collaboration** A social media calendar is an essential tool to boost collaboration within any team engaged in online marketing. It provides a visual representation of the planned social media activities, streamlining the content creation process and ensuring a consistent flow of varied, engaging content. By setting clear timelines, it helps team members understand their responsibilities, deadlines, and how their work fits within the broader content strategy. As a shared resource, the social media calendar is accessible to all team members, breaking down silos and encouraging open communication. It enables everyone to see what content is planned, what has already been posted, and what needs to be created. This transparency facilitates effective coordination, reducing overlaps and gaps in content creation and posting. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to help you with your digital advertising, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## What Effect Does Colour Have on Website Design? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/11/what-effect-does-colour-have-on-website-design/ **Date:** 2023-11-16 **Category:** Web Design | **Tags:** website, website design, website design colours When it comes to website design, the colour of your site is an important factor that shouldn't be overlooked. Colour has a major effect on how visitors interact with your site, so understanding its power and influence can help you create an engaging user experience. In this blog post, we'll take a look at what effect colour has on website design. ## **Understanding Colour Psychology** Before we discuss the effect of colour on website design, first, it is important to understand colour psychology. Colour psychology is the study of how different colours affect human behaviour, emotions, and decision-making. Each colour has its own unique meaning and can evoke specific emotions in individuals. For example, blue is often associated with trust, calmness, and professionalism, while red can signify passion, energy, and urgency. Designers rely on a variety of concepts, such as the colour wheel, complimentary colours, and warm/cool tones. They also use techniques such as tints and shades to add depth and dimension to their designs, making the image look 3D. In website design, it is especially important to understand the psychology behind colours, as it can effectively communicate with your target audience. The right combination of colours can enhance user experience and reinforce brand identity. ## **Importance of Colour in Website Design** Colour in website design is not just an aesthetic choice; it communicates information, evokes emotions, and guides visitors' attention. Studies have shown that 90% of snap judgments made about products can be based on colour alone. The strategic use of colour is essential for highlighting important elements, guiding site navigation, and improving conversion rates. Furthermore, appropriate colour contrast improves readability, ensuring the content is accessible to all users, including those with visual impairments. Hence, understanding and effectively using colour is vital to a successful website design. ## **How to Effectively Use Colours for Your Website** **Know your Brand - **Selecting the right colours for your brand is a crucial step in creating a strong brand identity. It is important to carefully choose colours that not only align with your brand's values and personality but also resonate with your target audience. For example, below are colours and what they are associated with: - **Red:** Associated with energy, passion, and urgency. It can create a sense of excitement and stimulate the senses. - **Blue:** Associated with trust, stability, and professionalism, blue can also exude calmness and reliability. - **Green:** Often associated with growth, health, and nature. This colour can convey a feeling of freshness and harmony. - **Yellow:** Associated with positivity, happiness, and creativity. It is a colour that grabs attention and can create a sense of optimism. - **Purple:** Associated with luxury, creativity, and spirituality, purple evokes sophistication and elegance. - **Orange:** Associated with enthusiasm, warmth, and confidence. This vibrant colour can create a feeling of excitement and playfulness. If you already have an established brand, it's important to stick to the colours that represent your brand. This will help create consistency and strengthen your brand identity. **Use a Limited Colour Palette - **While it may be tempting to use as many colours as possible on your website, this can actually be overwhelming for users. Instead, use a limited colour palette of 3-5 colours to create a visually appealing and cohesive design. **Consider Accessibility - **When choosing colours for your website, it's important to also consider accessibility. This means making sure the colours you choose have enough contrast to be readable for all users, including those with visual impairments. You can use tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker to ensure your colours meet accessibility standards. **Highlight Important Elements - **Colours can be used strategically to highlight essential elements on your website, such as calls to action or key information. By using a contrasting colour, these elements will stand out and draw attention from users.Just make sure not to overdo it and keep the overall design balanced. **Test Different Colour Combinations - **It's important to remember that colours can look different on different devices and screens. As such, it's essential to test out different colour combinations on various devices and screen sizes to see how they appear. This will guarantee a consistent and aesthetically pleasing design for all users. **Keep it Simple - **While using colours can add visual interest to your website, it's important not to go overboard. Using too many colours or bright and clashing shades can make your website appear unprofessional and difficult to read. Stick to a simple colour scheme and use variations of the same hue for a cohesive design. ## **Conclusion** In conclusion, colour plays a significant role in website design and has a powerful impact on user experience. By understanding the psychology behind colours and choosing the right colour palette, designers can create visually appealing and effective websites that resonate with their target audience. If you're looking for a new [**website design**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/website-design/) that uses colours effectively, contact our experts at Odyssey New Media. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## What A Partnership Between Google And TikTok Could Mean For SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/11/what-a-partnership-between-google-and-tiktok-could-mean-for-seo/ **Date:** 2023-11-09 **Category:** Industry News | **Tags:** google, seo Recently it was announced that Google and TikTok were working on a partnership, and this news has sparked a lot of interest among digital marketers. TikTok has quickly become one of the most popular social media platforms, while Google dominates the search engine market. So, what could a partnership between these two giants mean for SEO? In this blog post, we will explore the potential impact of this partnership and what it could mean for your SEO strategy. ## **Improved Integration Of TikTok Videos Into Search Results** One of the significant impacts that this partnership could have is the improved integration of TikTok videos into Google search results. Google's search engine algorithm is constantly evolving to provide the best possible user experience, and this partnership could help Google provide users with better and more relevant search results. With the increasing popularity of TikTok, it makes perfect sense for Google to leverage the platform's content to deliver a more engaging search experience. ## **Improved User Engagement Signals** User engagement signals, such as likes and comments, are becoming increasingly important for SEO. With the partnership between Google and TikTok, it's possible that user engagement signals from TikTok content could become a more significant factor in Google's search engine algorithm. This could mean that websites that feature TikTok content or have high engagement rates on TikTok could see an improvement in their search engine rankings. ## **Increased Video Content Creation** TikTok's unique short-form video format has transformed the way people create and consume content. The partnership between Google and TikTok could lead to an increase in video content creation, which could have a significant impact on SEO. Video content is becoming more and more popular, and Google has already started to prioritise video content in search results. By partnering with TikTok, Google could encourage more businesses to create engaging video content, which could translate into better search engine rankings. ## **More Opportunities For Influencer Marketing** Influencer marketing has become a crucial aspect of digital marketing in recent years, and TikTok has become one of the most popular platforms for influencer marketing. With a partnership between Google and TikTok, it's possible that influencer marketing campaigns could become even more effective. By leveraging the reach and popularity of TikTok influencers, businesses could see an improvement in their SEO efforts. ## **Increased Competition For Advertising** Finally, the partnership between Google and TikTok could lead to increased competition for advertising. Google currently dominates the search engine advertising market, while TikTok is rapidly growing its advertising business. With a partnership between these two giants, it's possible that the competition for advertising could become even more intense. This could lead to more affordable advertising options for businesses, but it could also make it more challenging to stand out in the crowded advertising space. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google's New Spam Update - What Does This Mean For Your Website URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/11/googles-new-spam-update-what-does-this-mean-for-your-website/ **Date:** 2023-11-03 **Category:** Google, Google Algorithm Updates | **Tags:** digital marketing, google, google core update, google spam update On October 4th and 5th, Google released two significant updates - the Spam Update and the latest Google Core Update. These updates have brought about a major shift in how Google ranks and reviews content, affecting how websites appear in search engine results pages (SERPs). As a result, website owners are now concerned about how these changes will affect their websites. To make sure you stay ahead of the game, we will explore what the new core and spam update entails and what it means for your website. ## **Why Google Released a Spam and Core Update** Google puts a great deal of effort into updating its search engine regularly to improve the overall user experience. These updates are designed to make it simpler for users to locate the information they are searching for, be it a product, service, or piece of content. From tweaking its algorithms to refining the way results are displayed, Google is constantly working to ensure that users can find what they need quickly and easily. The main purpose of Google's new spam update is to prioritise the quality of search results by targeting spammy and low-quality links. This update aims to reduce the amount of spam content that appears in search results, making it more reliable and trustworthy for users. By doing so, Google can protect its users from harmful and misleading content that may have ranked highly in the search results before. By prioritising quality search results, Google hopes to ensure that users are presented with accurate and relevant information that meets their needs. On the other hand, the Google Core Update was a routine update that occurs periodically, just like any other Core Update. This update aims to enhance the search algorithms and systems that Google uses, ultimately resulting in a better online experience for users. ## **The Impact of Google's Spam Update** If you have been following [**Google's Spam Policies**](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies), the new update will not affect you. If anything, you may notice an improvement in your website's search rankings. However, those who have violated any part of the spam policies may find themselves subject to manual actions, which could result in a significant drop in rankings or even a complete removal from the search results. Those who have engaged in spammy practices such as distracting ads, hidden text and links, thin content with little to no value, false claims, article scraping and doorway pages will face penalties. Failing to address or remove any of the above will negatively impact your website's performance and ranking on search engines, which could ultimately harm your online presence and reputation. ## **The Impact of Google's Core Update** The core update differs from the spam update because it was designed to reward quality pages. Nevertheless, it is essential to note that the core update could result in a drop in rankings for some websites, but this does not necessarily mean that they have done anything wrong. Google's core updates are focused on improving their algorithms and making changes to enhance how they evaluate content. It is possible that certain under-rewarded pages could move up the rankings after the core update, as Google determines which pages deserve to rank higher based on their relevance and usefulness to users. If you notice that your competitors have moved up in rankings, it is simply because they have content that Google now views as more helpful and relevant for their users. Therefore, it is crucial to continue creating high-quality content that is user-focused and optimised for search engines to maintain or improve your rankings. ## **What Should You Do if The Updates Negatively Impact You?** If Google's recent Spam update has negatively impacted you, there are steps you can take to recover and improve your website. We recommend producing more original, engaging content that offers visitors practical, helpful, and valuable information. This will help improve your site's user experience and ultimately increase your rankings in the search results. Stop and remove all spam content such as distracting ads, hidden text and links, thin content with little to no value, false claims, article scraping and doorway pages. In addition to producing new content, we recommend conducting an SEO audit to follow Google's new Core update to assess any old content that may not meet the updated algorithm assessments. By optimising and improving your existing content, you can ensure that it meets the latest SEO standards and is more likely to maintain or improve your search engine rankings. For a comprehensive and detailed **[SEO audit](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo-services/),** contact the experts at Odyssey New Media. It's also important to follow Google's other guidelines, which include top SEO practices and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) guidelines. It's crucial to note that taking shortcuts or trying to manipulate the system will not help you recover from the Google Core and Spam update. Instead, focus on producing high-quality, informative content that meets Google's guidelines and provides value to your visitors. By doing so, you can improve your site's rankings and recover from the recent updates. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Common Reasons Why Your Website Isn't Converting URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/10/common-reasons-why-your-website-isnt-converting/ **Date:** 2023-10-11 **Category:** Conversions | **Tags:** website conversions, why your website isnt converting Are you getting lots of traffic to your website but seeing minimal conversion rates? You're not alone. With so many websites trying to catch the customer's attention, it can be difficult to stand out and convert visitors into customers or clients. There are a range of reasons why your website conversions may be low, such as poor design and slow loading speeds. To help you improve your website's conversion rate, we have identified 8 common website issues that can be fixed to enhance the online experience and increase conversions. ## **8 Reasons Why Your Website Isn't Converting** **1.** **Poor Design - **Your website's design plays a key role in creating a positive first impression on your customers and visitors. A good design can help them quickly find the information they're looking for and navigate your website with ease. When creating or redesigning your website, ensure all content is laid out in a clear and organised manner while using appropriate fonts, colours, and images that align with your brand's identity. Additionally, make sure all buttons and call-to-actions are functional and distinct from all other content. **2. Not Optimised for Mobile - **A large part of web traffic comes from mobile phones, so it's important that your website is optimised for them. This involves implementing responsive web design techniques, which allow your website to adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions. Also, ensure all content on your website, including text, images, and videos, is displayed properly on any device. This means considering factors such as font size, image resolution, and video format to create an optimal user experience for mobile visitors. By prioritising mobile optimisation, you can improve your website's accessibility, user engagement, and search engine rankings. **3.** **Slow Loading Time - **If your website takes too long to load, potential customers are likely to leave before they even get a chance to see what it has to offer. This can be easily fixed by optimising the size of images, caching content, using a reliable web hosting provider, and keeping plugins up to date. **4. Lack of Trust Factors - **Customers want to know that they can trust the website they are on, so it's essential to include elements like customer testimonials, contact information, and reviews. Presenting this information can help customers feel more comfortable about making a purchase on a site they haven't been on or purchased from before. This will not only increase conversions but also build brand loyalty in the long run. **5. Unclear Navigation - **It should be easy for visitors to find what they're looking for on your website, and a well-structured navigation menu can help. Make sure all pages are linked and optimised for easy access so customers don't get lost or confused while browsing. **6. No Personalisation - **Personalising the customer experience is key for improving conversion rates, as it allows you to provide relevant content that speaks directly to your target audience. Use the right marketing tools to monitor customer behaviour and tailor the content based on their preferences. **7. No Encryption - **Encryption, represented by the 'https' in a web address, is a method of encoding data so that only authorised parties can access it. This is especially crucial for e-commerce websites where sensitive information like credit card details are shared. Hackers could easily intercept this data without encryption, leading to identity theft or financial loss. An encrypted website builds trust with customers, showing them that the company values their privacy and is committed to protecting it. **8. No Call-to-Action - **Your website should encourage visitors to take action, whether it's subscribing to your newsletter, leaving a comment, or buying a product. Make sure there is a clear call-to-action on every page so customers know what they can do next. If you're looking to improve your website's design, content, navigation or conversions, contact our [**web development professionals**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/ecommerce-web-development/) at Odyssey New Media. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Google Is Changing Search By Using Generative AI URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/09/how-google-is-changing-search-by-using-generative-ai/ **Date:** 2023-09-20 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google As the world's most popular search engine, Google is constantly innovating to improve the quality and relevance of search results. Recently, Google introduced a new technology called "generative AI" that promises to take search results to the next level. This new technology uses machine learning algorithms to generate content that is both informative and engaging. In this blog, we will explore generative AI in Google Search and how it will shape the future of search. ## **What is Generative AI?** Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that uses algorithms to generate new content based on a set of rules or patterns. In the context of Google Search, generative AI can create new results that are more relevant, informative, and engaging to the user. This is particularly useful when searching for complex queries that may require a more detailed or comprehensive response. ## **How Does It Work?** Generative AI in Google Search works by using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to understand the meaning behind a search query. It then generates a response that takes into account the context, history, and preferences of the user. This not only results in more accurate search results but also more personalised and engaging content. ## **The Benefits Of Generative AI In Google Search** One of the main benefits of generative AI in Google Search is the ability to provide more informative and engaging search results. For example, a user searching for "How to make pizza at home" may receive a generative AI result that includes step-by-step instructions, photos, and even a video tutorial. This not only makes the search result more engaging but also provides a better user experience. Another benefit of generative AI in Google Search is the ability to provide more localized search results. By analysing the user's location and search history, generative AI can provide search results that are tailored to the user's needs and preferences. This is particularly useful for businesses that want to target local customers with relevant search results. ## **Is it safe?** One of the concerns with generative AI in Google search is the potential for bias or inaccuracy in the generated content. To address this issue, Google has implemented a rigorous validation process that ensures that all content is accurate and unbiased. In addition, Google is also working on additional safeguards to ensure that generative AI content meets high standards for transparency, fairness, and accuracy. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to help you with your digital advertising, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](about:blank), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](about:blank). --- ## Reasons Why You Should Invest In Video Content For Your Business URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/08/reasons-why-you-should-invest-in-video-content-for-your-business/ **Date:** 2023-08-30 **Category:** Video | **Tags:** video, video advertising Technology and innovation have led to a massive shift in how businesses operate. In recent years, videos have become a popular form of content, and this is mainly because they are easy to understand and are visually appealing. As a business owner, you can benefit from video content as it provides an excellent platform to reach out to your target audience. In this article, we'll discuss the top reasons why you should invest in video content for your business. ## **Boosts Engagement And Conversion Rate** Video content is great for engagement and entertainment since it's an easy-in and easy-out format. Creating video content is an incredible way to increase the time people spend on your website, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and other media platforms. It's also a great way to showcase your personality, product, or services to potential customers. Video content is known to have an increased conversion rate, having videos on your website landing pages can increase conversion rates by up to 80%. ## **Enhances Brand Awareness** With video, you can showcase your brand story, services, and products in a fun and memorable way that can quickly cut through the noise of online startups. Video marketing can help create an engaging experience that is more than just a sales pitch. Having a well-crafted video marketing strategy will allow your business to stand out from the competition and get the attention of your targeted audience. ## **Better SEO Rankings** Google algorithms favour websites that have video content since it helps keep the user engaged and increases factors that affect SEO ranking. If your video is well-optimised for SEO, having videos on your website can increase the chance of your site appearing on the first page of Google search results by 50x. ## **Provides Ongoing Traffic and Leads** High-quality content that meets the needs of your target audience is a great way to attract ongoing traffic and leads. Creating video content falls in this category. Video content can be easily shared across different platforms like social media, blogs, and newsletters, which drive traffic to your website. More people sharing video content means more leads for your business. ## **Establishes Authority In Your Industry** Creating Content that is bound to educate, inform, and entertain your targeted audiences positions your brand as the go-to source for information in your industry. Video content can, at the same time, not only help you create engaging content that offers value to the viewer but also makes it easier to establish your brand as an authority. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Impact of Apple's iOS 17 Privacy Update on Marketers URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/08/the-impact-of-apples-ios-17-privacy-update-on-marketers/ **Date:** 2023-08-25 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** apple wwdc, URL tracking parameters The tech landscape is constantly shifting with the ever-growing speed of innovation. This year, Apple's newest software update brought a potential game-changer in terms of consumer privacy and individual data tracking that is sure to disrupt traditional marketing strategies. Marketers often feel anxious about Apple's data collection updates because they tighten their policies each year. In this blog post, we'll discuss the impact of Apple's iOS 17 privacy update on marketers. ## **Apple's WWDC Summary** At centre stage of this year's WWDC was the unveiling of Apple's long-awaited VR headset, Apple Vision Pro. The headset has received a lot of attention, including criticism of its expensive $3,500 price tag. Additionally, the company announced its latest software update, iOS 17, which will be released in September and features a new level of personalisation for apps such as Phone, Messages, and FaceTime. In the iOS 17 update, Apple announced they will limit access to consumer data. The company is removing URL tracking parameters from links in Mail and Messages apps, as well as from Safari Private Browsing. This move could make it more difficult for marketers to follow the consumer journey accurately. ## **What is URL Tracking Parameters?** URL tracking parameters, also known as UTM parameters, are simply tags that you add to a URL. When a URL with UTM parameters is clicked, the tags are sent to Google Analytics for tracking. There are five URL tracking parameters, each serving a different function - source, medium, campaign, term, and content. They allow marketers to track the performance of their online marketing campaigns across traffic sources and publishing media. ## **The Implications of Removing URL Tracking Parameters** Apple's Link Tracking Protection feature now strips user-identifiable information from URLs accessed in Safari Private Browsing, Messages, and Mail while still allowing links to function. In addition to making it more challenging for marketers to understand which audience is clicking on their links, Link Tracking Protection could make measuring campaign performance tougher. Those reliant on data-heavy campaigns must strategise ways to fill in the gap. The removal of URL tracking parameters would significantly impact marketers as it would hinder their ability to measure the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns. URL tracking parameters provide crucial data about where website traffic is coming from, which marketing efforts are driving traffic, and how these visitors are engaging with the site. They allow for a granular understanding of campaign performance across different channels, mediums, and content types. Without this information, marketers would have a much harder time understanding the return on investment of their campaigns, making data-driven decisions, and optimising their marketing strategies for better results. After analysing a public report testing Apple's Link Tracking Protection, we are confident that it will not have a devastating impact on email marketing if it functions in its beta release as it does in the official release. However, this conclusion is based on speculation that the new tool will search for and remove specific URL parameters. It's important to note that the removal of URL parameters in Safari will only affect links accessed on private browsers. This impacts a smaller data subset. Marketers must adjust to Apple's new privacy changes as they did with iOS 14.5 and iOS 15, which altered the ability for email marketers to track open rates. It is uncertain how Link Tracking Protection will affect advertising, but any increase in consumer privacy will have consequences. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Link Building Strategies to Help Your Site Rank Higher URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/08/link-building-strategies-to-help-your-site-rank-higher/ **Date:** 2023-08-14 **Category:** Backlink Analysis, SEO | **Tags:** digital marketing, link building Your website's rank on search engines determines how many people will visit it. Therefore, you need to focus on link building strategies to improve your site's search engine optimisation if you want to attract more visitors. A well-executed strategy can create powerful backlinks to your website and thus increase your site ranking. In this post, we will look at some of the best link building strategies that can help boost your site's ranking and gain more visitors. ## **Guest Blogging** The classic way of building backlinks is through guest blogging, which can be a highly effective method for acquiring quality links. Guest blogging involves writing articles for other websites that complement your niche and linking back to your website. By providing high-quality content to sites with higher authority, you can leverage their influence to build links to your site. Guest blogging not only builds links but also increases your exposure and credibility in the industry. ## **Resource Link Building** Resource link building involves creating informative and useful resources that are worth linking to. This could be anything from a useful guide or blog post to an infographic or a video. Once you have created your resource, reach out to other websites within your niche and offer them your resource. Resources are highly valuable, and if you create something of useful quality, other sites will be more likely to link to it. ## **Press Release Link Building** Another link building technique is through press releases. When you publish important news about your brand, product, or services, you can get backlinks from top-tier publications. Make sure to focus on newsworthy content or press releases that are likely to receive attention from your target audience. You can use external link checking tools to monitor the performance of your press releases. ## **Get Listed On Business Directories** Getting listed on trusted business directories is another great way to build quality backlinks to your website. Local business directories such as Google My Business, Yelp, and Bing Places can help your website rank for location keywords. There are also industry-specific directories like TripAdvisor, which can help you rank for keywords related to tourism. Make sure to optimise your listings with accurate and consistent information such as business tagline, description, web address, phone number, business hours, and customer reviews. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to help you with your digital advertising, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](about:blank), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](about:blank). --- ## 5 Creative Ways to Use Images on Your Website URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/08/5-creative-ways-to-use-images-on-your-website/ **Date:** 2023-08-10 **Category:** Image, Web Design | **Tags:** adding images, how to use images on websites, images, website Are you looking for creative ways to use images on your website? It's no secret that adding visuals can greatly impact audience engagement, but how do you ensure they complement the content and don't distract the viewers from it? In this blog post, we'll explore five unique ways to use images on your website without distracting users from the main content. ## **Why are Images Important to Websites?** Images play a critical role in enhancing the overall user experience on websites. Pictures make a website visually appealing and help convey complex information in a digestible manner. The brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text, meaning audiences can quickly understand what your website and products are about without reading any text. In addition, images can reinforce brand identity and improve a website's SEO, increasing its visibility on search engines. Remember, when utilised properly, images are not just decorative elements but powerful tools that can significantly boost the effectiveness of a website. ## **Creative Ways to Use Images on Your Website** There are many creative ways to use images on your website to enhance its visual appeal. Here are five tips and tricks on how to use pictures: **Create Sliders and Carousels** - Sliders and carousels provide a great opportunity to showcase multiple images in one spot. Instead of your visitors having to scroll down for a long time, they can scroll sideways through the slide show at their own pace. Plus, you can include helpful buttons or arrows that let them easily navigate from one image to the next. **Feature Hover Animations** - An animation hover is a great way to make images look more dynamic. For instance, you could have an image rotate or zoom in when visitors hover over it. Doing this makes your website stand out and helps draw users' attention to the specific feature you want them to focus on. **Use Image-Centric Pages** - If certain products or services benefit from an image-centric design, you can create separate pages focusing solely on the visuals. This would be a great way to ensure customers get all the information they need without any distractions. **Create Visual Quizzes** - Visual quizzes are quite popular these days and can be used to engage users in a fun and interactive way. You could use images and graphics to ask questions and allow visitors to select the correct answer. This would be a great way to add interactivity to your website and keep users engaged. **Utilise Background Images** - Background images can create an interesting backdrop for any page on your website. You could use them as part of an overall theme or just for fun, but either way, they can be a great way to instantly grab visitors' attention. There are countless ways to enhance the appeal and interactivity of your website by using images. If you would like to create or redesign your website to make it more visually appealing, contact our [**website development experts**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/website-design/) at [**Odyssey New Media.**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Successful Digital Marketing Strategies You Should Try URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/08/successful-digital-marketing-strategies-you-should-try/ **Date:** 2023-08-01 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** advice, digital marketing, seo As we enter the digital age, traditional marketing strategies are no longer enough to make your brand stand out in the industry. If you're ready to shake things up and implement a digital marketing strategy, you've come to the right place! In this blog post, we'll be discussing some successful digital marketing strategies that you should try. ## **Search Engine Optimisation** SEO is the process of optimising your website and content so that it appears higher in search engine results pages. This includes keyword research, on-page optimisation, and link building. A higher-ranking website means more visibility for your brand and an increase in website traffic. When creating content, keep in mind the search terms your audience might use to find you. Try to incorporate these keywords into your headlines, subheadings, and body text. ## **Social Media Marketing** Social media platforms are a powerful tool for digital marketing. A strong social media presence can help you connect with your audience and build brand awareness. This includes using platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Start by creating content that resonates with your audience, and using relevant hashtags to make sure it reaches as many people as possible. To keep your audience engaged, post regularly and use multimedia such as graphics, videos, and GIFs. ## **Content Marketing** Content marketing is the process of creating valuable and relevant content to attract and retain a specific audience. This may include blog posts, videos, infographics, webinars, and social media content. The goal of content marketing is to educate and inspire your audience, eventually leading them to take action. By sharing valuable content, you can establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry. ## **Video Marketing** Video content has become increasingly popular on social media and websites. A video can bring your brand to life and engage your audience in a way that text-based content cannot. To create compelling videos, keep them short, around two to three minutes in length, and use engaging visuals and sound. You can use video marketing to promote products or services, share behind-the-scenes content, or host interviews with industry experts. ## **Email Marketing** Email marketing is a cost-effective way to communicate with your audience and nurture leads. To get started with email marketing, begin by building a subscriber list. This can be done by offering incentives, such as discounts or a free eBook, in exchange for an email sign-up. Once you have your list, create engaging emails with personalised subject lines and content that resonates with your audience. You can use email marketing to promote new content, offers, and events. ## **Conclusion** Successful digital marketing strategies can help you grow your brand and connect with your audience on a deeper level. By using social media marketing, SEO, content marketing, email marketing, and video marketing, you can create a powerful digital marketing strategy that sets you apart from the competition. Remember to keep your audience at the forefront of your strategy, create valuable content that resonates with them, and monitor your analytics to track your success. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Why is Twitter Rebranding to X? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/07/why-is-twitter-rebranding-to-x/ **Date:** 2023-07-25 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** Rebranding to x, social media, Twitters rebrand to X, X Twitter, one of the biggest social media platforms, has recently undergone a complete rebrand. On Monday, Elon Musk replaced the platform's iconic blue bird logo with an "X" as part of a major rebranding effort that was teased over the weekend. This move brings the platform one step closer to Musk's vision of creating an "everything app." In this blog post, we'll discuss why Elon rebranded Twitter to X and what it means for the platform. ## **Why did Elon Musk Rename Twitter to X?** Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, seems to have a particular fascination with the letter X. In fact, he named his first startup X.com and even after it became PayPal, Musk wanted to keep the original name. Elon strongly likes the letter X. For instance, SpaceX, his pioneering space exploration company, bears the letter X in its name, and so does his innovative AI application, xAI. Even Tesla, the electric car manufacturer, features the letter X in its early electric car model, the Model X. This distinctive naming convention adds a touch of uniqueness and exclusivity to his companies and products. According to reports, Musk sent a text message to Walter Isaacson after acquiring Twitter, expressing his enthusiasm for implementing X.com properly. It was clear from his naming convention that this outcome was bound to occur. In addition, Musk desires to change Twitter by incorporating a variety of functionalities that are not the traditional 'Twitter way' or something that Twitter would do. The upcoming features may revolutionise the platform, making it so different that the name change would be reasonable. ## **What Does This Mean for Twitter** Elon Musk has expressed his desire to transform Twitter into a super/ everything app, similar to China's WeChat. Although there is no American or UK equivalent, the platform would offer a wide range of online activities, such as listening to podcasts, shopping, reading books and watching videos. For now, the platform rebranding is only a name change, and no new features have been introduced. This aligns with Musk's apparent preference for building hype first and delivering the products much later. Currently, Twitter allows users to create live audio conversations, send longer text messages and record longer and live broadcast videos. The future introduction of new features could result in significant changes to X that differentiate it from Twitter, justifying the rebrand and making it worthwhile. ## **Twitter's Rebrand Reactions** The recent change in the logo received various responses from users, leading to some uncertainty about what to call tweets going forward. Marketing and branding experts expressed concern that the rebranding effort could undermine the name recognition that Twitter has built up over the years. Matt Rhodes, the strategy lead at the creative agency House 337, is against the new rebrand. Matt thinks Twitter is one of the few brands that has become a verb and is frequently mentioned in global news outlets. He also believes that any difficulty in finding or opening the app on a cluttered phone screen could negatively impact its usage. Fernando Machado, who previously held the position of Chief Marketing Officer at Activision Blizzard, expressed his thoughts on the recent changes to Twitter's branding. He admitted to missing the old Twitter bird logo and found the new approach somewhat cold and lacking in personality. The head of design at Droga5, Stephanie McArdle, expressed her view that Twitter used to be an unstoppable force, but the recent rebranding signifies the end of the Twitter we once knew. X may signal the launch of an innovative social media platform that caters to both user entertainment and professional business needs. Over the next few months, the platform will undergo updates to introduce new features that align with Elon Musk's vision of an ideal social media platform. These updates are aimed at enhancing the overall user experience. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Decrease In Reach Across All Social Media Platforms 2023 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/07/the-decrease-in-reach-across-all-social-media-platforms-2023/ **Date:** 2023-07-20 **Category:** Facebook, Instagram, Social Media, X | **Tags:** Decrease in reach, digital marketing, facebook, linkedin, reach, social media, social media reach, twitter In the evolving digital landscape, social media has emerged as a dominant platform for businesses to connect with their audience and boost brand visibility. However, recent data indicates an interesting trend - a gradual decline in social media reach across all major platforms. In this blog post, we'll discuss what reach is and the decrease in each social media platform. ## **What is Reach?** Social media reach is the number of unique viewers who have seen your content (Reach will consider three views from the same individual as one, rather than counting each view as a unique view.). Unlike followers or impressions, the metric gives you an accurate count of viewers who has seen your content. This allows you to estimate the size of your real audience. Reach can provide useful information, such as the real number of active followers, the impact of your partnerships with influencers and other brands, and the interest generated around your online events. Reach allows users to monitor the effectiveness of their campaigns in real-time. This feature enables them to make timely adjustments before it's too late. When evaluating the performance of your content, reach provides a more accurate representation compared to other metrics like impressions. This is because reach only considers each individual once, regardless of the number of times they have viewed your content. ## **Instagram and Facebook Reach** Both social media platforms owned by Meta have seen a steady decrease in reach over the last 3 years, and it seems this trend will continue for a while. There are several possible reasons contributing to this decline, such as the saturation of content on these platforms, overwhelming amount of posts, updates, and ads, users may have less time to use social media platforms due to their personal lives and the shift in user demographics and preferences. Despite these challenges, Meta is continually working on strategies to improve organic reach on its platforms, such as developing targeted content strategies and enhancing user engagement. When comparing the two, numerous social media studies have highlighted Instagram's superior performance over Facebook in recent years. Instagram has shown to be the better choice for marketing purposes, with healthier reach, engagement, and other key performance indicators (KPIs). According to recent data, in 2023, Instagram's average reach engagement is 4.20%, whereas Facebook only reaches a maximum average of 1.90%. Also, in 2021, Instagram had an average reach rate of 13.90%, while Facebook's average reach rate was only 6.53%. Unfortunately, as seen in the graph below, Instagram and Facebook reach has decreased yearly without no signs of stopping. It's worth noting that Instagram consistently boasts higher engagement rates than Facebook. Regardless of how marketers analyse engagement, Instagram should be their top choice when selecting between the two platforms. ## **TikTok Reach** TikTok has become the quickest-growing social media platform and a high-performing marketing channel for certain industries. While Gen Z users make up the largest consumer base on the platform, TikTok has expanded its appeal to a diverse range of audiences beyond just Gen Z. TikTok calculates engagement differently from other social media platforms being a video-exclusive social network. TikTok calculates engagement based on video views rather than depending on the number of followers. For a TikTok video to count as a view, it must be played for at least three seconds. Data has confirmed that other social networks' user bases are gradually transitioning towards TikTok-style video content. When it comes to reach rates, TikTok performed well among its competitors. In 2022, TikTok had an average engagement rate by views of 6.73%. Although the TikTok engagement rate experienced a slight decline in 2021, it has since changed course and is now on an upward trajectory. TikTok is the most popular video social media network, with an average watch rate of 16.23%. Smaller businesses with limited marketing budgets can leverage this opportunity to improve brand recognition and gain significant visibility. One effective method to increase TikTok reach is by mentioning another user's handle in a video. As seen in the graph below, mentioning another creator improves watch rate and reach. ## **Twitter Reach** Twitter and many other social media companies employ "black box" algorithms that keep their inner workings secret from users. These algorithms employ machine learning techniques to prioritise content based on various ranking signals. The rate of engagement on Twitter has fluctuated throughout the years. Unfortunately, Twitter currently has the lowest average engagement rate at 0.11%. Despite the fact that most industries post approximately 3.91 tweets per week, Twitter's reach engagement rate remains relatively low, indicating that the platform does not share tweets with new audiences often. Here's a chart that displays the Twitter Engagement Rate over the past year. As you may notice, the monthly average tends to fluctuate, which is why it's crucial to compare your Twitter performance to the monthly average. ## **LinkedIn Reach** The organic reach on LinkedIn has significantly decreased. LinkedIn is now giving more priority to LinkedIn Ads, internal promotions, LinkedIn Influencers, content from their internal editorial team, and publishing partners. As a result, user-generated content needs to work harder to achieve the same reach as before. LinkedIn has significantly decreased the effectiveness of user-generated content in favour of other content types. LinkedIn has achieved this by re-prioritisation of content types and higher engagement-rate thresholds. This means the platform will prioritise ads and people users already follow in their newsfeeds. There appears to be no clear bias towards any particular type of content, be it text-based, photo-based, video-based, or document-based. Also, if your post doesn't get enough engagement in a certain amount of time or does not have a good amount of likes, reactions, comments, and shares, it will not spread to other LinkedIn users. It's still possible to achieve amazing results through content marketing on LinkedIn as long as you approach it strategically. ## How to Counteract the Decline in Reach To counteract the decline in social media reach, businesses should focus on creating personalised content for their target audiences. This can be done by regularly engaging with their customers through poll questions, surveys, and feedback forms. Additionally, businesses should measure the success of each post using analytics tools as well as experiment with different content types such as videos. Videos attract more attention as they are easier to digest. Therefore, altering the type of content can significantly impact a business's social media performance. Lastly, companies can boost their visibility by using advertisements on social platforms. Social platforms will prioritise advertisements over any other form of content, meaning your post will be seen by audiences. If you are searching for a [**social media marketing strategy**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/), we highly recommend contacting our experts at Odyssey New Media. We are well-known for our exceptional expertise in this field and can help you maximise your online presence through various social media platforms. ## **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## What is Instagram's New Social Media Platform Threads? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/07/what-is-instagrams-new-social-media-platform-called-threads/ **Date:** 2023-07-06 **Category:** Instagram, Social Media | **Tags:** Instagram Threads, social media, Threads If you are an avid user of Instagram, chances are you have heard about Threads - the company's latest venture into a standalone messaging app. Much like other chat and social media platforms out there today, users can send direct messages as well as share photos, videos and links with their friends, followers and audience. But what makes Threads stand apart from other platforms? In this blog post, we will explore what Threads is and how to use it. ## **What is Threads?** Mark Zuckerberg has finally responded to Elon Musk's Twitter takeover with a new app of his own. The CEO of Meta has launched a new application called Threads that has garnered 10 million users in its first seven hours of operation. Threads is similar to Twitter, a brief text-based app where users can share thoughts, stories, and links to topics. When opening the application, its feed presents posts, referred to as threads, from famous personalities, influencers, public figures, and regular users who share their thoughts and updates with the public. Like Twitter, users can repost comments or posts and engage in discussions. On Threads, users can create posts that are limited to 500 characters. These posts can include links, photos, and videos that have a maximum duration of five minutes. Threads allow users to sign in using their Instagram accounts, making the process seamless and convenient. The app will ask users if they want to follow the same accounts as their Instagram profile. However, users have the option to ignore Instagram's suggestions and follow different or new people on the Threads app. Twitter tends to be a platform for following public figures and staying up-to-date on current events, whereas Instagram is often used for personal connections. We believe Threads will continue this trend. ## **How to use Threads** Users can download the app from the app store and log in using their Instagram account to access Threads. They can also choose to transfer their friends and followings to the new platform and customise their profile. Threads include essential accessibility features such as screen reader support and image descriptions generated by AI. The app's feed displays posts from accounts you follow and recommended content from creators you haven't discovered yet. To begin sharing content, users can either create a post or comment on existing posts to discuss various topics. Meta has stated that Threads has been created with a range of features that encourage constructive and positive discussions. To add to this, users can manage who can mention or reply to them and filter out keywords they don't want to see. ## **Threads' Features** Below is a brief overview of the features available in Threads: - Posts can include links, photos and videos that have a maximum duration of five minutes. - You can create posts with a maximum of 500 characters. - Users can repost existing comments and posts. - AI-generated image descriptions. - Threads recommend similar content you may like. - Users have the option to filter out individuals to whom they do not wish to respond to. - Users can filter unwanted keywords from their view. ## **What's Next?** The company plans to enhance engagement on its app by making it compatible with ActivityPub (the World Wide Web Consortium, responsible for the open standards that power the modern web). By incorporating the ActivityPub protocol, Threads can now interact with other apps like Mastodon and WordPress. This opens up new possibilities for connections that are currently unavailable on most social platforms. Threads is rolling out the app to over 100 countries on both IOS and Android platforms. Once the platform hits the milestone of 1 billion users, Zuckerberg stated that the company will consider monetisation. It is unclear how Meta plans to integrate these advertisements into the app. However, we anticipate that the approach will be similar to Twitter's ad display. In the future, updates may feature recommendations within the feed and an enhanced search function that allows real-time tracking of topics and trends. If you are searching for a [**social media marketing strategy**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/), we highly recommend contacting our experts at Odyssey New Media. We are well-known for our exceptional expertise in this field and can help you maximise your online presence through various social media platforms. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Instagram User and Algorithm Updates URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/07/instagram-user-and-algorithm-updates/ **Date:** 2023-07-06 **Category:** Instagram | **Tags:** digital marketing, instagram, Instagram algorithms, Instagram new updates, rank content, social media As Instagram continues to evolve with regular updates, the fundamental nature of the platform changes in subtle and unexpected ways. As a result, you may wonder what changes will impact your feed as an active user or brand page manager. In this blog post, we'll dive deeper into the new Instagram updates and how Instagram now ranks its content. ## **Instagram Story and Reels Update** **Stories Updates** Instagram is slowly introducing a new convenient feature that enables users to upload Instagram Stories that are up to 60 seconds long, without interruptions, every 15 seconds. This feature is incredibly useful, as it ensures that the playback of your Story clip is seamless, and you can include all user mentions, tags, locations, links, and more in a single, longer Story without having to repeat the process every 15 seconds. **Reels Updates** The popularity of Reels has been rapidly increasing since Instagram introduced them in 2020. In July 2021, the platform doubled the maximum duration of Reels, demonstrating its commitment to enhancing the feature. The latest update offers users a range of features such as adjusting the music to video sound ratio, new text, voiceover, drawing over videos, and new stickers. Instagram is currently testing new features, including a new video layout to capture multiple videos at once and double exposure to take photos while recording. ## **How Instagram Now Ranks the Feed** The Feed is made up of personalised content such as accounts users follow, recommended content and new content as well as ads that Instagram think is suitable for the user. The platform organises the Feed by showcasing the latest posts from people that users follow and posts from accounts that users may find interesting but haven't followed yet. To determine what might catch the audience's attention, Instagram considers several factors, including recent follows, likes, and engagements. This balances the content of accounts users follow, and accounts users may find interesting. Instagram has developed a system that analyses user preferences called signals to determine their preferred format. This means that if you prefer a certain type of photo, Instagram will display more of them in your feed. The signals range from when a post was shared, whether you are accessing the app via a phone or the web, and even how often you engage with specific content. The most important signals are: - Post Information - The signals that determine a post's popularity include the number of likes, comments, shares, and saves it receives, as well as the speed at which these engagements occur. - Content Creator Information - This information provides an indication of how interested the user is in the content creator. - Interacting History with Someone - how many times you've commented, liked or shared their post. - Activity - posts users have liked, shared, saved or commented on. ## **How Instagram Now Ranks Stories** The stories visible to you come from accounts that you have decided to follow, along with advertisements. Just like with your feed, Instagram prioritises stories by identifying all the stories from the accounts you follow. Instagram uses various factors to determine which stories to prioritise on a user's account. These include the user's viewing history, which shows how frequently the user views an account's stories, and the user's engagement history, which indicates how often they interacted with their content. Additionally, the platform also considers the closeness of the user's relationship with the account author, including factors such as whether the users are friends or family. ## **How Instagram Now Ranks Reels** Reels are intended to assist social media users in exploring and finding new and engaging content. Similar to the Explore tab, most of the content users encounter is from accounts that they do not follow. Therefore, users follow a similar process of sourcing Reels that Instagram believe they would enjoy and then arranging them based on their level of interest to the user. To find out what makes an interesting reel, Instagram conducted a survey and asked individuals about what makes a reel worth their time. From this information, the survey results concluded that the most significant Reels signals are: - Interactions - The social media platform analyses recent activity, such as reels users have liked, saved, reshared, commented on, or engaged with, to determine which content is the most entertaining for the user. - Content Creator Interactions - The social media giant considers your past interactions with the person who posted the video. Even though you may not know them, if you have previously engaged with their content, it helps them identify the user's level of interest in what they have shared. - Page Engagement - Instagram takes into account popularity indicators like follower count and engagement level to ensure a variety of individuals have the opportunity to share their content and connect with their audience. For more information about how Instagram's algorithms work, visit the [**link here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/06/18/how-does-instagrams-algorithm-actually-work/). If you are searching for a [**social media marketing strategy**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/), we highly recommend contacting our experts at Odyssey New Media. We are well-known for our exceptional expertise in this field and can help you maximise your online presence through various social media platforms. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## What Is Page Speed, And How Does It Influence SEO? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/06/what-is-page-speed-and-how-does-it-influence-seo/ **Date:** 2023-06-21 **Category:** SEO, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** digital tips, page speed, seo In today's fast-paced world, speed is everything, and the internet is no exception. Every second counts on the internet, especially when it comes to website loading times. Google has identified page speed as a key factor in ranking websites in search engine results pages (SERPs). But what is page speed, and how does it influence SEO? In this blog post, we will delve deeper into this critical aspect of website optimisation. We'll explore what page speed is, why it matters, the impact it has on SEO and user experience, and how to improve it to enhance your website's overall performance. ## **What is Page Speed?** Page speed is the amount of time it takes for a web page to load fully. It refers to how quickly the website renders the content on the page, from the moment the user clicks the link until the page finishes loading. Page speed is usually measured in seconds or milliseconds. If a website takes too long to load, users are likely to abandon it and move on to the next site. ## **Why Does Page Speed Matter?** The speed of a website impacts its user experience, online visibility, and search engine rankings. A slow website frustrates users who may abandon it, never returning again. Moreover, since Google cares about user experience, they place a lot of weight on page speed when determining website ranking positions in SERPs. A fast website helps build user trust, offers a better user experience, and, ultimately, provides the right signals to Google, increasing a website's chance of ranking high. Therefore, website owners should prioritise page speed optimisation to ensure they don't lose valuable traffic or sales. ## **Impact of Page Speed on SEO and User Experience** The first reason to prioritise page speed is its impact on SEO. As mentioned earlier, Google ranks sites based on their page speed, with faster-loading sites ranking higher than slower ones. Secondly, page speed impacts user experience. Users want to be able to access a website and find what they need instantly. If the website takes too long to load, users will become frustrated and find an alternative site to access the desired information. This adversely affects dwell time, which is the length of time a user stays on a site. High bounce rates and short dwell times can harm SEO and website rankings. ## **How to Improve Page Speed** Improving page speed is crucial in enhancing your website's performance. Firstly, you must compress images to reduce their file sizes. Optimising images involves compressing images, resizing them and adding alt attributes. Secondly, you can minify CSS, JavaScript and HTML files to reduce the number of code lines and overall file sizes. Additionally, you can leverage browser caching, which saves website resources and reuses them when users go back to the site. Lastly, host your website on a reliable server with faster content delivery networks (CDNs) to ensure speed optimisation. ## **Conclusion** In conclusion, page speed impacts SEO and user experience, and website owners must work towards improving it to ensure they don't lose valuable traffic or sales. User satisfaction and engagement are significant determinants of how long they stay on the website, the number of pages they visit and whether they'll come back. In addition, given that Google cares about user experience, page speed optimisation is a key factor in ensuring website rankings on search engine results pages. Now that you know this, take prompt and proactive measures to ensure that your website is optimised for page speed. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## What is Authority and How Does it Help Your Website URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/06/what-is-authority-and-how-does-it-help-your-website/ **Date:** 2023-06-15 **Category:** SEO Basics | **Tags:** google, links, seo, website, website authority Do you want your website to rise above the competition and gain more visibility? You may have heard that "website authority" is crucial for a successful website, but you may not know what it is or how it impacts your site. In this blog post, we will explain why having good website authority is essential for boosting your website's search engine rankings, increasing conversions and driving more organic traffic. ## **What is Website Authority?** Website authority is important in the digital realm. While there isn't an official Google tool that details how authoritative a website might be, the SEO experts at MOZ came up with a scoring system incorporating a DA (domain authority) metric that gauges the quality of a site according to the criteria that Google themselves have provided. A DA score can range between 1 and 100, with a higher score indicating a site that is overall more authoritative and trustworthy. ## **How Does Website Authority Help Your Website?** The Domain Authority of your website is an essential aspect to consider as it reflects how well your website ranks on search engines. A higher DA score signifies a greater likelihood of performing well on search engines. This makes it easier for your website to rank for specific keywords, ultimately leading to increased organic traffic. Therefore, it is important to focus on improving your website's DA score to boost its online visibility. ## **How to Improve Your Website Authority?** You might have noticed that backlinks significantly impact the calculation of domain authority. In fact, they are considered one of the most crucial ranking factors. Research conducted by Ahrefs revealed that over 55% of websites do not receive any organic traffic due to the absence of backlinks. Hence, it is essential to obtain high-quality backlinks for your website. You can get a backlink on a website by adding a listing to a directory, paying for a blog or feature, or simply by having the site link to you via a piece of content. A great method to improve your domain authority is by producing exceptional content that is worth linking to. This is because when your readers find your content valuable, they tend to share it with others, thereby increasing your chances of acquiring backlinks from authoritative sources. This will help increase your root domains, ultimately leading to a higher DA. To achieve this, you can create various types of content like articles, comprehensive guides, videos, infographics, podcasts, slides, and more. Although inbound links are important for improving your website's domain authority and search engine rankings, having poor-quality links can do more harm than good. Links from spammy websites can significantly decrease your domain authority and even result in a penalty from Google. To avoid this, it's recommended that you conduct a thorough audit of your website to identify any toxic links and remove them promptly. ## **User Experience** Having a website experience that is easy to navigate and interact with, users can help boost domain authority. An intuitive website design, with clear navigation pathways and easy-to-use features, will encourage visitors to stay longer on the site and return for more visits in the future. This increased engagement can have a positive effect on domain authority as search engines take user behaviour into account when ranking websites. With an improved user experience, visitors will be more likely to interact with the website and share its content, which can help increase the visibility of a domain in search engine results pages. ## **Crawlability** Having an easy to crawl website is essential to boosting domain authority. Search engines use automated bots, called crawlers, to read and index the content of your site. Since there are so many websites on the web, Google doesn't quite have the resources to crawl every site in its entirety. Therefore, websites that are challenging to navigate may be entirely or partially skipped which can stop pages from ranking culminating in a DA drop. ### ** Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**.** --- ## Understanding SEO Cannibalisation URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/05/understanding-seo-cannibalisation/ **Date:** 2023-05-24 **Category:** SEO, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** seo, seo cannibalization SEO cannibalisation is a term that is used to describe a negative phenomenon where a website's pages compete with each other for search engine rankings, resulting in reduced traffic and revenue. This issue can arise when a website has multiple pages targeting the same keywords, or when the content on different pages overlaps. In this blog post, we will guide you through understanding SEO cannibalisation, identifying it on your website and how to fix it. ## **What Is SEO Cannibalisation?** SEO cannibalisation is a problem that can cripple your website's ability to rank among search engine results pages. It occurs when two or more pages of a website target the same keywords or have the same content, causing them to compete with each other. This creates confusion for search engines as they struggle to identify which page to rank higher. High levels of SEO cannibalisation can lead to a decreased click-through rate, rank drops, and loss of traffic and revenue. ## **Identifying SEO Cannibalisation** Identifying SEO cannibalisation on your website can be done through conducting a website audit. An audit involves examining all pages on your website, assessing their SEO value and, identifying any duplicate or similar content targeting the same keywords. Additionally, it would help if you paid attention to internal linking, making sure that pages targeting the same keyword link to the correct original page. Lastly, you should check for any unnecessary redirects that may be redirecting traffic away from the targeted pages. ## **How to Fix The Problem** Fixing SEO cannibalisation can be done through creating a clear content hierarchy for your website. This involves identifying the core themes of your website and creating a hierarchy of related pages that provides a clear information structure. You can do this by analyzing your website's content, finding related topics, and creating a clear content hierarchy that promotes the original content. Besides, optimizing content will help by ensuring that each page is targeting unique keywords and by ensuring that internal links are directed to the most relevant pages. ## **The Benefits of Fixing SEO Cannibalisation** Fixing SEO cannibalisation on your website leads to a clearer content structure, which results in increased user engagement and improved search engine rankings. Besides, it improves user experience by providing content that speaks to the users' search intents while reducing the confusion caused by similar and duplicate content targeting the same keywords. Improved user experience and clearer website structure positively impact website rankings, leading to increased traffic and revenue. ## **Conclusion** SEO cannibalisation can have a negative impact on website rankings, leading to reduced traffic and revenue. By creating a clear content hierarchy, optimizing content and using internal links, and removing duplicate content, you will ensure that your website provides a better user experience, improves search engine rankings, and attracts more visitors. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to help you with your digital advertising, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Delving into Google Bard AI and Its Impact on SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/05/delving-into-google-bard-ai-and-its-impact-on-seo/ **Date:** 2023-05-17 **Category:** Google, SEO, SEO Ranking Factors | **Tags:** digital marketing, Google AI, google bard, search experience, seo In the ever-evolving world of SEO, it's becoming increasingly important to stay up-to-date on the latest changes in technology that may affect your website's ranking. One such change is Google's Bard AI, which will soon significantly impact how we search for content. In this blog post, we'll discuss what Google Bard is and the impact it will have on SEO and the world of digital marketing in general. Google Bard AI is an artificial intelligence system designed to automatically generate reports from data. It searches through large data sets, using natural language processing (NLP) algorithms to identify patterns and relationships between different variables. By learning the structure of these datasets, it can then generate a report that summarises the most important information. The resulting report is written in natural language and can be used to quickly assess a situation or gain insight into a given topic. Google Bard can be a tool for businesses, helping them make decisions faster with more accurate information. Researchers can also use it to explore new ideas and discover content quickly that they have not come across before. ## **How Good is Google Bard AI at the Moment?** Google Bard was unveiled on Feb 6th, 2023. To show off its capabilities they put Google Bard to the test. When the presenter asked Google Bard a question, it produced inaccurate information. In order to avoid similar incidents in the future, Google decided to delay the release of Bard until March 21st, 2023. It is evident that the current performance of Google Bard AI highlights the need for updates and further development to enhance its reliability as a product. We observed that Bard's capabilities seemed to have improved since the launch, as its accuracy in answering questions was relatively good. It didn't appear to produce imaginary results as frequently as Bing's AI did during its early phases. However, sometimes Bard would provide its users with useless responses, either confessing a lack of sufficient data or stating its inability to answer questions due to being a Large Language Model (LLM). Generally, the AI provides accurate and satisfactory answers when responding to straightforward queries like "Which smartphone has the best camera?". However, for other simple questions, such as "What is a content creator's height", Google Bard lacks sufficient information to address the question. When faced with complex queries such as "Create a workflow" or "What are some techniques for filming in low light?", Bing ChatGPT seems to give more detailed explanations and Google Bard provides less detailed answers. Additionally, when it comes to complex tasks like coding, Bing ChatGPT appears to have an advantage. Currently, Bing ChatGPT outperforms Google Bard, but as technology advances, the two could potentially reach equal levels of competence. ## **How will Google Bard AI Affect SEO** The launch of Google Bard does not change or end SEO. In fact, SEO remains a crucial component of any digital marketing plan, as it ensures your website achieves high rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). However, how SEO is conducted may undergo a transformation as Google Bard and other AI-driven technologies advance. One significant way that Google Bard could influence SEO is by delivering more precise results to users. This implies that websites optimised for SEO must produce top-quality content corresponding to the keywords users search for. Some people are worried about the introduction of Google Bard because it can generate original answers to questions rather than quoting directly from the web. This has sparked potential legal concerns regarding Bard's use of real web results to generate answers. Google will need to find a way to acknowledge and credit the sources that Bard utilises, but this solution has not yet been determined by the Google team. One way they could get around this is by incorporating hyperlinks in the description to credit sources used, this will allow users to click onto different websites to find out more information. If Google uses this strategy, websites will need to target Bard snippets to generate organic traffic. As technology advances, user behaviour is expected to change, especially with the integration of AI. A study conducted by SEMrush (an SEO tool) in 2022 stated 53% of desktop users and 57% of mobile users did not click on organic or paid links during their search query. With Google's AI generating quick answers and information for users, this percentage is projected to increase in the coming year and beyond. It is possible that we may see a significant rise in zero-click searches, potentially reaching 80-90%, due to Chat being an easier method of search. As a result, certain categories of searches may experience a significant decline in clicks during this new era of AI; specifically, searches where people are looking for information. ## **How to Optimise for Google Bard** **Natural Language Processing** - NLP involves the communication between computers and human (natural) languages. In essence, your website's content should be crafted with search intent and relevance in mind. Creating pages of content just to rank for certain terms or keywords is not enough; the page must also thoroughly address the specific search intent in an informative manner. We suggest by using questions as headings, where suitable - increasing the likelihood of being featured in Bard's snippets. Although Google Bard represents a shift in its search engine, creating high-quality content still remains important. **Incorporate Keywords that are Understandable by Bard** - Keywords will always be an essential component of SEO. Identifying the primary keywords for your business and incorporating them into relevant pages on your site is crucial. As a large language model, Bard has been trained on an extensive dataset of text and code, including search results from its vast database. This enables Bard to grasp a wide variety of keywords and phrases, delivering your website's results when a related query is made. If your website features the keywords 'birthday cake bakery' and 'in Birmingham' in the meta and on-page content, there's a higher chance that Bard will display it as a result when someone searches for 'What are the best birthday cake bakeries in Birmingham?' **Use Internal Linking to Simplify Bard's Understanding of Your Website** - Linking your website's pages together using relevant keywords is called internal linking. Internal linking makes your website more navigable and assists search engines like Google in comprehending the different pages on your site and determining their ranking. Bard appears to use a similar process to serve results in its responses, so continue linking to essential pages on your site while using target keywords for each page. **Leverage Sitemaps and Robots.txt** - Sitemaps and robots.txt are crucial files that help search engines grasp your site's structure and indexability. A sitemap serves as an index of your website's URLs. A robots.txt file instructs search engines which pages on your site can be crawled and which should be disregarded. As with standard search engine results, bots will crawl your site to determine which content to index or exclude, and the same process applies to Bard's results. Maintaining a well-structured and crawlable site is a vital aspect of SEO that persists with Bard's introduction. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**.** --- ## The Metaverse And The Future Of Marketing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/05/the-metaverse-and-the-future-of-marketing/ **Date:** 2023-05-11 **Category:** Industry News | **Tags:** digital, digital marketing, digital tips, seo The Metaverse, also known as the "Internet of Things", is a concept that was introduced in 2010 by Linden Lab founder Philip Rosedale. It proposes a virtual world composed of multiple interconnected virtual environments, or "worlds", where users can interact with each other and their environment in real-time. This technology has revolutionized the way people communicate and how businesses market themselves to target markets. ## **Augmented Reality** With AR, marketers can blend digital elements into a person's physical environment. This could enable real-time engagement with customers through 3D models, holograms or virtual product displays in their actual environments. ## **Virtual Reality** VR offers an even more immersive experience than AR as it immerses users completely in digitally generated spaces which they can explore and interact with at a level never before possible. Companies can take advantage of this technology by creating interactive simulations for training purposes or virtual showrooms that customers can explore as if they were right in the store. ## **Data Analysis** The sheer amount of data generated by Metaverse activities opens up exciting possibilities for tracking user behaviour and making informed decisions about marketing strategies. Companies can use this data to gain valuable insights into how customers interact with their products and services, enabling them to tailor campaigns for maximum impact. ## **3D Printing** The Metaverse also offers opportunities for innovative new approaches to product design and development thanks to 3D printing technology. This could enable companies to quickly prototype products, iterate designs faster, personalize products for individual customers, or even offer customizations based on user feedback. ## **The Challenges** The Metaverse is already being used by some companies in their marketing efforts, but there are still significant limitations to its effectiveness due to the complexity of the technology and lack of standards. For example, while some platforms may allow users to create their own interactive experiences, they are often restricted to certain environments or limited by software compatibility issues. Additionally, it can be difficult for businesses to accurately track analytics from customer interactions on different platforms and devices. ## **Conclusion** In short, the Metaverse stands to revolutionize how marketers interact with consumers and how they market their products and services. With its ability to provide immersive experiences, access new markets, and gather vast amounts of data, the Metaverse is set to become a major player in the future of marketing. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to help you with your digital advertising, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Email Marketing Can Help Your Business Succeed URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/05/how-email-marketing-can-help-your-business-succeed/ **Date:** 2023-05-05 **Category:** Email Marketing | **Tags:** benefits of email marketing, digital marketing, Email, email marketing, email marketing campaign, succeed with email Do you want to increase your business's reach and success? Email marketing is one of the best ways to connect with potential customers, build relationships and boost sales. This powerful tool can be a great way to help promote products or services for businesses without breaking the bank. In this blog post, we'll discuss email marketing and how to use email to market to your audience effectively. ## **What is Email Marketing** Email marketing is a digital marketing strategy that uses email to promote products and services. It involves sending out emails to potential customers, current customers, and other stakeholders who have subscribed to the company's newsletter or opted-in for promotional material. Email marketing can be used to nurture customer relationships, increase website traffic, drive sales, and more. ## **How to Create an Effective Email Marketing Campaign** An effective email marketing campaign starts with a well-crafted list of contacts in your database. This includes target audiences such as existing customers, new prospects, and former customers you'd like to engage with. Some companies segment their audience based on specific criteria such as age, gender, and location so that they can tailor their email to them, making the experience more personalised. The first step in setting up an effective email campaign is to create an attractive design that grabs attention and encourages readers to take action. This means creating a visually appealing layout with engaging copy that encourages readers to click through or purchase your product(s). Images, visuals and videos also help draw people's attention. Once you've created an eye-catching design, it's time to start writing content. Make sure you have a clear focus and use the language of your target audience to craft compelling copy that encourages readers to take the next step. Additionally, creating a personalised subject line is essential to ensuring that your email stands out in people's inboxes. No matter what your email is about, you should always include a clear call to action button. This button encourages the user to take action on the content they're reading. Call-to-action buttons can also drive users into making a purchase or enacting a conversion. It's important to measure the success of your email campaigns with analytics and metrics such as open rates, clickthroughs, conversions and ROI. This way, you can identify what works best for your business and adjust your strategy accordingly. For example, users can tell what products are getting the most clicks (which can lead to identifying the top sellers), what call to action is working and what kind of content your subscribers are most interested in. This allows you to make amendments to get the most interaction from your email marketing campaign. By following these tips, you will be able to use email marketing more effectively and efficiently to promote your business or product. With the right strategy in place, you can easily reach potential customers, build relationships with existing customers, increase website traffic, generate leads and ultimately drive sales. If you're looking for an email marketing strategy to boost conversions and customer retention, contact [**Odyssey New Media**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) today. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively, fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**.** --- ## What Is A Backlink And How Does It Work? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/04/what-is-a-backlink-and-how-does-it-work/ **Date:** 2023-04-27 **Category:** Backlink Analysis, SEO | **Tags:** backlink, digital marketing, seo Backlinks are an integral part of any online marketing campaign. They are links that point back to your website from other websites, and the more you have, the better your SEO ranking. But what exactly is a backlink? And how does it work? In this blog post, we'll explain exactly what a backlink is and how it works so you can maximise its benefits for your business. ## **What Is A Backlink?** A backlink is simply a link from one web page to another. It's like someone giving you their contact information - when they put their name, email address or website URL on something, it provides a link for others to follow if they want to get in touch with them or find out more about them. Similarly, when you link to another website from your own, it's providing a backlink and directs people to the other site. ## **Link Building** Link building plays an important role in search engine optimisation (SEO). By building backlinks to your website, you can optimise your site for specific keywords which will then rank higher in the SERPs. SERPs provide the results from searches conducted on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. They are made up of organic listings (webpages that appear in the main body of the page), paid ads, local packs, image packs and other types of content such as videos or related questions. In addition to link building, there are other ways to gain backlinks to your website such as guest blogging or participating in forum discussions. When done correctly, these activities can generate more targeted traffic and further increase the visibility of your website. However, it's important to be careful when engaging in such activities as they may carry some risks and could damage your reputation if not managed properly. ## **Why Are Backlinks Important?** Backlinks are important for SEO because they help search engines understand what websites are related, which in turn helps determine how well a website ranks in the SERPs (search engine results pages). The more quality backlinks a website has pointing to it, the higher its SEO ranking will be. But it's not just about quantity - having lots of low-quality links won't do much good, so it's important to focus on getting high-quality links from reputable sites instead. In addition to link building, there are other ways to gain backlinks to your website such as guest blogging or participating in forum discussions. When done correctly, these activities can generate more targeted traffic and further increase the visibility of your website. However, it's important to be careful when engaging in such activities as they may carry some risks and could damage your reputation if not managed properly. ## **Conclusion** Ultimately, backlinks are an essential part of any successful online marketing campaign. They help search engines understand what websites are related and provide a way for visitors to find out more about you and your business. By following best practices when it comes to creating and obtaining quality backlinks, you'll be well on your way to improving your SEO rankings and gaining more visibility online. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully assist you with [**link building**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/link-building/) based projects, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Importance of Watch Time for YouTube Rankings URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/04/the-importance-of-watch-time-for-youtube-rankings/ **Date:** 2023-04-18 **Category:** YouTube | **Tags:** digital tips, google, Watch time, youtube, youtube metrics, YouTube watch time YouTube is one of the most popular content streaming platforms today, with its user base continuing to grow year by year. As such, it's no surprise that many entrepreneurs and businesses are interested in increasing their reach on YouTube. But with so much online competition, how do they achieve this? In this post, we'll take a closer look at watch time and explore why it is a crucial factor for ranking performance on YouTube. ## **What is Watch Time?** YouTube watch time is a statistic that measures how long viewers have spent watching a particular video. To put it simply, if YouTuber A has created a video that lasts for five minutes and the audience watches it from start to end, the watch time percentage would be higher compared to YouTuber B's 10-minute video, of which the viewers only stayed engaged for six minutes. The value of a video on YouTube is determined not by its length but by how long the viewer stayed watched it. However, if the video is only five seconds long and it has a good amount of watch time, due to the fact the video is short, the watch time metric may not be so important in this situation. YouTube uses a variety of other metrics to accurately measure the quality of a video such as comments and likes. For content creators, understanding their watch time is key to producing successful videos. A high view count doesn't necessarily mean that people are engaging with the video - they may just be clicking through without watching all of it. On the other hand, a high watch time figure means that more people are sticking around to watch the video until the end (or at least for a significant portion of it). This indicates higher levels of engagement from viewers than simply getting them to click on your video in the first place. Watch time is also essential for YouTube advertisers. Videos with higher watch times tend to be seen as more effective advertisements since they indicate that viewers are actively engaging with the video rather than just clicking on it. This can result in higher ROI (return on investment) for advertisers looking to use YouTube as an advertising platform. ## **The Importance of YouTube Watch Time** YouTube watch time is an important factor for content creators and companies looking to build a successful channel. Good watch time metrics help increase visibility for your content, leading to more views and subscribers. When viewers decide to watch a video, they look at aspects such as how entertaining it seems, how interesting it is to them and if other people have watched it. A high view count usually indicates to audiences that the video has something worthwhile inside. YouTube does not rely heavily on other metrics such as likes and dislikes, because watch time shows a significant amount of data on how engaged viewers are, meaning watch time is the most important metric on the platform. YouTube still uses data like comments and subscribers to accurately determine the likeability of a video, however, watch time is the king metric on the platform. This is reinforced when YouTube removed the dislike count. For more information on why YouTube removed the dislike count visit our [**Odyssey Blog here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2023/03/31/how-has-the-removal-of-the-dislike-button-affected-youtube/). YouTube rewards channels and videos with high watch times by boosting their rankings in search results, which can lead to increased visibility and more viewers. Additionally, YouTube algorithms generate recommendations for viewers based on the content they have already watched. If your channel has higher watch time metrics than similar ones, it will be recommended more often and you'll gain exposure from new audiences who may not have seen your content before. Overall, YouTube watch time is a crucial factor for content creators and companies looking to grow their presence on the platform. Higher engagement rates can help boost visibility and expand reach to new viewers, so investing in strategies to increase them should be an essential part of any successful YouTube marketing strategy. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**.** --- ## The Impact of Duplicate Content on SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/04/the-impact-of-duplicate-content-on-seo/ **Date:** 2023-04-11 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** digital marketing, digital tips, seo Duplicate content is an important consideration when it comes to SEO. It can greatly impact rankings, visibility, and overall performance of a website in SERPs. In this blog post, we will explain why duplicate content matters for SEO, provide examples of common issues associated with it, and suggest strategies for avoiding or mitigating its negative effects. By understanding exactly how duplicate content impacts search engine optimisation efforts you will be better equipped to improve your own website's performance in organic search results. ## **What Is Duplicate Content?** Duplicate content is content that appears in more than one place either on the same website or across multiple websites. It can occur for a variety of reasons, but usually, it's because the same information has been copied and pasted without proper citation and attribution. ## **The Problems Regarding Duplicate Content** Duplicate content is a major issue for websites when it comes to SEO. Search engines heavily penalise sites that contain duplicate content, as they view it as an attempt to manipulate their algorithms and rankings. If a website has too much-duplicated material, search engine bots will mark it as spam and reduce its visibility in search engine results. This can negatively affect the performance of any website, regardless of how good its content otherwise might be. Duplicate content also dilutes the value of links from other websites, meaning that any efforts to build up a site's link profile are also likely to be less effective if there is too much duplicate content on the website. In addition, having multiple pages with similar content can confuse visitors and search engines, as they don't know which page is the authoritative source of information on a particular topic. This can reduce the chances of any page being found in search engine results, as it isn't clear what the original source of information is. For these reasons, it is important to ensure that no duplicate content is present on a website. Doing so requires regularly checking for any potential issues and taking steps to fix them where necessary. This could include rewriting or condensing pages or simply deleting unnecessary or outdated content that has been duplicated elsewhere. Ultimately, avoiding duplication will help ensure that websites remain visible and relevant in organic search results. ## **How to Avoid Duplicate Content** The first step in avoiding duplicate content is to ensure that all of the pages on your website are unique. This means that the same page should not be repeated multiple times on the same site and should instead contain different information or topics. It is also important to use only one URL per page; using multiple URLs can lead to duplicate content issues. Another way to avoid duplicating content is by using canonical tags. These tags are used to indicate which version of a page should be indexed by search engines so that other versions are not indexed. This can help to avoid issues such as pages appearing in multiple places and incorrect URLs being listed. Finally, it is important to use 301 redirects to guide search engines when they encounter duplicate content. This process allows you to indicate which version of the page is the correct one and also helps to ensure that no valuable link juice is lost due to duplicate content. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:01214395450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Has The Removal of The Dislike Button Affected YouTube? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/03/how-has-the-removal-of-the-dislike-button-affected-youtube/ **Date:** 2023-03-31 **Category:** YouTube | **Tags:** digital marketing, dislike button, dislike count, impact on YouTube, removal of dislike button, social media, YouTube dislike button, YouTube dislike count The world's largest video-sharing platform, YouTube, in November 2021 made a major change to its platform by hiding the dislike count on all videos. This move has sparked controversy in the online space and left content creators questioning its impact on their channel and how they will receive the audience's feedback on their content going forward. This change has sparked debates about how YouTube should manage its content and whether taking away the rating system of videos actually creates more positive feedback for the site or not. ## **Why Did YouTube Take Away the Dislike Count?** The CEO of YouTube, Susan Wojcicki, pointed out that while most users engage positively with YouTube videos, some still use the dislike feature abusively. This misuse can include targeted harassment campaigns against certain videos or creators, as well as using the dislike count to manipulate public opinion. YouTube's decision to hide the dislike count is meant to protect users from this kind of behaviour. The negative implications of ongoing online harassment can be massively detrimental to creators, especially for those who are less established. However, some have expressed concern that hiding the dislike count could enable inaccurate information to spread on YouTube. Wojcicki addressed these concerns by explaining that viewers can still engage with videos through comments and likes and get an accurate sense of how popular a video is. Many platform users believe a different story as to why YouTube took down the dislike count. The most popular opinion is that they don't want to repeat the dislike count on YouTube Rewind. YouTube Rewind 2018 had over 19 million dislikes, making it the most disliked video on the platform. Going hand in hand with this, many major corporations (especially those with the funding to pay for YouTube ads) tend to be quite unpopular on the platform, with companies such as game developer Activision previously garnering massive amounts of dislikes when releasing new products. Many of these companies go beyond just using YouTube for adverting means and tend to have partnerships with the platform across other fields. Naturally, YouTube doesn't want to sour these relationships by making their platform a negative space for these companies with many believing that the removal of the dislike button isn't intended to improve functionality in any way, but rather to appease sponsors. ## **Benefits of Removing the Dislike Count** YouTube states that the removal of the dislike count can help combat cyberbullying. Since the feature was introduced in 2009, there have been many instances where people would use it to harass or spread negative messages about certain individuals or groups. This had a huge impact on how people perceived YouTube as a whole, making it seem like a place for trolling instead of meaningful discourse. By removing the dislike count, users now have to resort to more civil means in order to voice their opinion and engage with content creators. The removal of the dislike count also helps improve YouTube's algorithm, allowing it to better identify which videos are genuinely popular and worth promoting on the platform. Since dislikes were primarily used for trolling instead of providing meaningful feedback, YouTube could not distinguish between genuine dislikes and those intended as a form of harassment. With this feature gone, YouTube's algorithm now mainly relies on watch time to determine what type of content viewers are interested in seeing, which has resulted in an overall improvement in the quality of content produced on the platform. ## **Negatives of Removing the Dislike Count** Removing the dislike count means that viewers can no longer effectively voice their displeasure with certain videos. It is likely that this will lead to some creators creating content without any regard for whether or not viewers actually enjoy it, as they won't be able to see how unpopular a video is. The lack of a visible dislike count also means that people can easily downvote and discredit any opposing opinions on the platform, making it harder for dissenting voices to be heard. While the removal of the dislike button has made it easier for the algorithm to identity what's popular and what isn't, the opposite can be said for the viewers. Before, a user could look at both the like and dislike counts to get an overall sense of how well-received a video was. Now, with only likes visible, the results can be skewed in favour of more positive reactions without any indication otherwise. This could lead to exaggerated popularity for some videos while masking potential criticism from viewers. Certain video types, primarily those offering tutorials or other forms of guidance, are those most severely affected by this as the like/dislike ratio clearly illustrated the credibility of a piece of content. Identifying which video has the most likes isn't always the most clear-cut way to discern a helpful tutorial as even the most liked videos can be hiding a huge amount of dislikes due to the difference in viewership figures. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**.** --- ## GPT Version 4's Updates, Improvements, Applications and Dangers URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/03/gpt-version-4s-updates-improvements-applications-and-dangers/ **Date:** 2023-03-24 **Category:** Industry News | **Tags:** digital marketing, digital tips, seo GPT-4 is the fourth version of OpenAI's powerful natural language processing system, Generative Pre-trained Transformer. This version of GPT has made several advances in its ability to generate human-like text and respond to natural language prompts. It can generate text on a wide range of topics without prior training, with impressive accuracy and fluency. In this post, we will discuss the improvements, applications and dangers of this emerging AI tool. ## **Improved Scalability** One of the most remarkable updates in GPT-4 is its improved scalability. With an increased number of parameters from 1.5 billion to 5 billion, GPT-4 can now process larger input datasets than ever before and generate more sophisticated results. This means that it can be used for complex tasks such as summarizing articles or generating entire stories from scratch. ## **Clearer Text Results** Another significant improvement with GPT-4 is its ability to generate clearer text results. Previous versions of GPT had a tendency to generate text that wasn't structurally sound or completely grammatically correct. With this latest version, OpenAI has made improvements to the language model's internal structure which helps it produce a more natural-sounding output. Furthermore, GPT-4 has been trained on a much larger dataset which allows it to better understand the context of its inputs and generate more meaningful results. ## **The Applications** The potential applications of GPT-4 are practically endless. It can be used for creating personalised content such as emails and articles tailored to individual user preferences or interests. It could also be used to create summaries or translate articles from one language to another. It can even generate entire pieces of code in certain programming languages, making it useful for automating the development process. ## **AI Beyond Content Writing** GPT-4's potential use cases go beyond content generation. It can be used to generate music or sound compositions. Its ability to accurately understand and generate text makes it particularly adept at understanding natural language conversations and being used as a chatbot. Furthermore, its ability to learn from large datasets makes it suitable for tasks such as sentiment analysis, which can be used for gauging public opinion on certain topics. GPT-4 can also be used to generate visual art or even 3D environments. Ultimately, the application of GPT-4 is limited only by the imagination and creativity of its users. It has already shown its potential in various fields, and as more research is done into its capabilities, it may become even more useful in future applications. With GPT-4, the possibilities are truly endless. ## **False Content** One major concern with GPT-4 is that it can generate convincing yet false content. It can copy existing texts or write original text based on given prompts that mimics human writing in a way that makes it difficult to distinguish from genuine content. This means anyone relying on GPT-4 for information can easily be misled by false and potentially dangerous content, risking their safety or that of others. Furthermore, GPT-4's ability to generate text from incomplete prompts means it could be used maliciously to spread disinformation or propagate hate speech or other forms of abusive language. ## **AI In Education** While AI can certainly have its advantages in education, it should be used with caution and monitored closely to ensure that it does not replace critical thinking and creative activities. Ultimately, the goal of any educational setting should be to encourage students to think critically and creatively, so that they are well-equipped for success in the real world. AI can help accomplish this goal if used correctly; however, teachers must be aware of potential risks associated with overreliance on technology. ## **Security Risks** GPT-4 poses security risks if used improperly or without appropriate safeguards in place. Since this software can generate large volumes of data quickly, it could be used to produce fraudulent documents or launch malicious attacks. In order to protect against these risks, organizations must have appropriate policies and procedures in place before they deploy GPT-4 into their operations. These policies should cover topics such as access control, user authentication, and data protection. Additionally, organizations must ensure that GPT-4 is used in a controlled environment to minimize the risk of misuse or abuse. ## **The Possibility Of AI Taking Over Humans** There is also a fear that this technology could reduce the need for human translators and authors. While GPT-4 can generate convincing text, it lacks an understanding of context which humans possess, making it inferior to actual human writers when it comes to creating meaningful content or accurately translating languages. Thus, if businesses continue to rely on GPT-4 over human experts, many talented writers and translators may be put out of work. Furthermore, GPT-4 is not immune to errors. It has been known to make mistakes that create embarrassing or offensive content. This could lead to costly lawsuits and reputation damage for businesses if it is used without proper oversight. ## **Conclusion** GPT-4 has opened up a world of possibilities for natural language processing and related research. It is already being used in many applications such as summarization, question answering, machine translation, and more. With its powerful AI capabilities and the ability to generate human-like text, GPT-4 promises to revolutionize the way we interact with computers. Despite its impressive achievements so far, there are still some areas where GPT-4 needs improvement. For example, it could be better at understanding context when generating content or making decisions about what type of sentence would make sense in certain situations. Additionally, it still struggles with complex long-term dependencies between words in sentences which can lead to errors in the generated text. Finally, GPT-4 still has trouble generalising its knowledge to new tasks. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Tips on Optimising Your Website Architecture for Better SEO Results URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/03/tips-on-optimising-your-website-architecture-for-better-seo-results/ **Date:** 2023-03-21 **Category:** SEO Ranking Factors, Web Design | **Tags:** digital marketing, digital tips, improving seo results, optimising website architecture, seo, website architecture Are you a website owner and want to get better search engine results? SEO is essential to running any successful website but optimising your website architecture for SEO can be challenging. If done correctly, it can positively impact traffic and conversions. Here are some tips on optimising your website architecture for better SEO results. ## **What is Website Architecture?** Website architecture is the process of organising the information on a website so that it is easily accessible and understandable to users. It involves designing and structuring the site's navigation, page layout, content and other elements to make it simple for visitors to find what they are looking for. It also involves ensuring that all parts of the website, including; menus, images, text, and videos, are cohesive and work together as one. When done properly, website architecture can significantly improve user experience (UX) by making websites easier to navigate. Good website architecture encourages visitors to explore more pages on the site and stay longer; this boosts overall engagement which often leads to higher conversion rates. ## **How to use Website Architecture to Improve your SEO Performance** Once you've laid the groundwork for your website architecture, it's time to begin optimising it. Optimising your website architecture requires a combination of [**SEO strategies**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo-services/) and web design best practices. Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your website architecture: - **Make Your URLs Descriptive and User-Friendly** - Long URLs with lots of variables look horrible, so use descriptive keywords instead. This will make it easier for both users and search engines to understand what the page contains. - **Utilise Canonical Tags** - Canonical tags tell search engines which version of a page should be indexed when multiple versions exist. The tag is used to indicate that all pages are essentially the same, with only minor variations. This will prevent search engines from indexing duplicate versions of your page, which can hurt your rankings. - **Use Breadcrumbs** - Breadcrumbs are a great way to help users navigate through your website by showing them where they are within the structure of the website. They also provide another opportunity for you to add keywords and descriptions to improve SEO results. - **Speed Up Your Site** - Slow-loading pages will hurt your search engine ranking as well as usability, so it's essential to make sure that your pages load quickly. Reduce image sizes, use caching and other technologies to optimise page speed. - **Optimise Internal Links** - Internal links are an essential part of SEO, so it's important to make sure that you are optimising them properly. Link to related pages on your website to help users navigate through the pages and keep them on your site for longer. Don't forget to review the anchor text for your links and make sure they are relevant and descriptive. By following these tips, you can easily optimise your website architecture for better SEO results. With proper planning, you will be able to improve your search engine rankings and increase traffic to your website. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**.** --- ## How Might Ads be Hurting Your Website SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/03/how-might-ads-be-hurting-your-website-seo/ **Date:** 2023-03-03 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** ads, digital marketing, digital tips, google, Online advertisement, seo, Website SEO In a world where technology is advancing by the second, advertisements have become increasingly pervasive. Technologies such as targeted ads make them more effective than ever before and businesses are embracing this trend. Unfortunately, not everyone stops to consider whether or not these ads can be detrimental to their website's SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). Advertising may help your website generate revenue, but if it harms your SEO performance you could end up suffering from decreased web traffic and fewer conversions. In this post, we'll discuss the different types of online advertisements and how these may have an impact on your website's SEO. ## **Different Types of Online Advertisements** Online advertisements come in many different forms. One of the most common types is Pay Per Click (PPC). With PPC, advertisers pay for each click on their advertisement. This type of advertising is a great way to reach potential customers quickly and efficiently. Advertisers can target specific audiences by using keywords related to their product or service, as well as setting up geographical boundaries for who can view their ad. This ensures that only people who are more likely to purchase their product or service see the advertisement, resulting in a higher return on investment. Another popular type of online advertisement is banner ads. These are typically rectangular images, videos or text boxes which appear on websites, usually at the top or side of the page. Banner ads can be used to direct users to an advertiser's website, or they can contain a call to action such as downloading an app or signing up for a service. These ads are designed to grab the user's attention and prompt them to take some kind of action. Social media advertisements are also becoming increasingly popular. This type of advertising allows advertisers to target very specific audiences based on their interests, location, age, gender, and more. Advertisers can craft creative and highly engaging campaigns that will capture the attention of their intended audience and drive conversions. ## **How Might Ads be Hurting Your Website SEO** Online ads may appear to be an effective way to bring in more traffic and revenue, but they can actually hurt your website's [**Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/). While it is true that paid search ads are the most visible form of online advertising, they also consume a large portion of valuable resources such as bandwidth, server space, and loading speed; which, under Google's core web vitals assessment (a gauge of how functional a site is and how good a user experience it provides) may lead to a site being ranked lower than it's more optimised counterparts. It may seem logical that more advertisements on a website will result in more profit for the site owners. But this is not always true, especially when considering the long term. While more ads will increase short-term revenue, they can slow down the site's performance by way of additional resource calls, uncompressed image downloads and unnecessary scripting which adds a considerable amount of page weight. Online ads contain a great deal of code which can interfere with SEO. A majority of online ad networks serve advertisements using JavaScript or Flash-based scripts which must be loaded every time someone visits your site. This means that search engine crawlers have to work harder to understand the content of your website, which in turn can negatively affect indexing, and ranking while increasing the bounce rate. This holds true even when ads such as Google AdSense are loaded in the background. Another issue may arise when using third-party ad networks. Many sites are unaware that these networks may be selling their web traffic data or sharing it with other companies without their permission. This can lead to irrelevant and intrusive advertisements on your site which could put visitors off from visiting again in the future. Not only that, but some ad networks even place redirects on websites which can link back to an inappropriate source. In order for search engines to deem a website as reputable, they must be able to rely on it to provide a safe and quality user experience. Burn rates in a website design refer to how quickly users are becoming uninterested in a website, mostly due to the effects of advertising. This includes factors such as slow loading speeds, intrusive ad placement, blocking vital content and intrusive auto-playing videos. All these have led to a growing desire to utilise ad blockers. Page Fair and Adobe released a report that shows how much global revenue was lost due to blocked ads in 2015 reaching an amount of $21.8B. Finally, ads can lead to an over-commercialised site that fails to provide valuable content. Search engine algorithms are designed to favour websites with original and informative content, so if your website is filled with ads instead of useful information then it is unlikely you will rank highly on SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). Visitors may avoid your website due to its lack of quality and may become annoyed by the constant barrage of advertisements. There's nothing wrong with using ads within your website, in fact - may site owners look specifically to develop a captive online audience in order to earn passive income from their website. It can be easy, however, to implement too many ads or to do so incorrectly which may have the adverse effect. If you're not sure how to build your **[own ad solution](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/display-advertising/)**, get help from a professional at Odyssey New Media. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**.** --- ## How does YouTube Rank Videos? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/02/how-does-youtube-rank-videos/ **Date:** 2023-02-24 **Category:** YouTube | **Tags:** youtube Do you want to put your videos ahead of the competition on YouTube? To help improve their chances of being seen, ranking is critical. But how does YouTube decide where a video should appear in its search results and suggested video lists? In this blog post, we'll be exploring the inner workings of the YouTube algorithm and providing tips for content creators so they can gain more visibility. The goal of YouTube's ranking algorithm is to enhance the user experience by presenting them with high-quality content that they find enjoyable and valuable. To achieve this goal, YouTube continues to refine its algorithms over time by making small changes and improvements. As a result, understanding how YouTube ranks videos can be a challenge as the exact details of its algorithms remain largely unknown. However, it is possible to get an overview of the factors that are taken into consideration by YouTube when ranking videos. By considering these important insights alongside viewer engagement data, marketers can create content that is more likely to be successful on YouTube. ## **Watch Time** The most important factor that YouTube uses to rank its videos is viewer engagement. This includes metrics such as watch time, likes/dislikes, number of comments, shares, etc. YouTube places a lot of emphasis on these metrics because they provide an indication of the quality and relevance of the video content. Watch time is a metric used by YouTube to determine the ranking of videos in its search algorithm. Put simply, watch time refers to how long viewers watch and engage with your video content. When creating content for YouTube, it's important to understand the importance of watch time and focus on increasing it if you want your videos to rank higher. This is because more watch time translates into higher revenue potential for YouTube since they can generate more ad views from longer-watched videos. Longer-watched videos also show that users are engaging with the content and finding it interesting, which in turn increases a video's visibility in search results. The key to increasing watch time is investing in quality content creation. Videos should be well-structured, engaging, informative and entertaining. By creating high-quality content, you can create videos that have higher visibility in YouTube search rankings, as well as generate more views, subscribers and revenue. ## **Shared Links** Shared links are important ranking factors in YouTube's algorithm. They play a key role in helping content creators get their videos seen. Getting your video out to as many viewers as possible is essential to attracting more subscribers and likes, which can help boost your channel's visibility and viewership overall. When it comes to shared links, you should put your link on as many websites and social media platforms as possible. This allows potential viewers to find your video much easier than if it were hidden away on one platform. The more places that people can discover your video or content, the better chance you have of being seen by a larger audience. Having high-quality backlinks to your video or channel from other websites and blogs can help YouTube's algorithm recognise it as a relevant, trustworthy source of information. This means that when people search for something related to what you've posted, your content is more likely to show up in the results. ## **Keywords** When it comes to ranking in YouTube's algorithm, keywords are a vital part of the process. Keywords help YouTube understand what your video is about and how it should be indexed for other users to find and watch. YouTube's algorithm looks at the title, description, tags and even the content of your videos when deciding where to place them in search results. By optimising your videos with relevant keywords you can ensure that they appear higher up in search rankings so more people can discover and watch them. In addition to appearing higher up in search results, targeting specific keywords can also attract viewers who are actively looking for content on those topics. This helps drives organic traffic to your channel over time as more viewers become interested in your videos. When it comes to creating keyword-rich content, there are a few key steps you can take that will help ensure you are getting the most out of your YouTube SEO efforts. Start by doing research into the keywords your target audience is using when searching for related topics on YouTube. This can be done through tools such as Google Trends and YouTube's Keyword Tool. Once you have identified the relevant keywords for your content, make sure to include them in both your title and description for maximum optimisation. Consider including them in tags and within the video itself if applicable. Doing so helps ensure that when viewers search for related terms they will be directed towards your content first and foremost. ## **Newer Videos** As YouTube continues to evolve and grow, so do its algorithms. It is now more important than ever for content creators to pay attention to the newest trends in order to make sure their videos are seen by their target audience. Videos that are uploaded recently have a better chance of ranking higher in the algorithm. This is due to the way YouTube prioritises new content when deciding how videos should be ranked. Newer videos tend to attract more views and engagement, which signals to YouTube that it should give those videos more authority over older ones. More recent publish content usually offers viewers something new or exciting, this creates an incentive for people to watch multiple times and engage with your video beyond 'likes' and 'comments'. When viewers watch a video multiple times and leave positive feedback, it is a sign to YouTube that they should promote your videos more. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**.** --- ## The Importance Of Branding In Marketing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/02/the-importance-of-branding-in-marketing/ **Date:** 2023-02-16 **Category:** Content Marketing | **Tags:** branding, digital marketing, marketing Branding is a powerful tool in marketing, as it allows companies to break through the noise and stand out amongst their competitors. It enables them to create an identity that resonates with their target audience and build lasting relationships with customers. A strong brand can open new opportunities for a business by creating trust and loyalty, increasing visibility, and improving conversions. ## **Increased Recognition** A strong brand will create a recognisable identity for your business, helping to make it more easily recognisable to potential customers. This recognition can also help to build trust, which can lead to more sales. It will also help customers know what they are buying when they purchase from your business, as well as make it easier for them to differentiate between your company and the competition. ## **Differentiation** By creating a unique brand identity, you can distinguish yourself from competitors in the same market with similar products or services. Having a strong, recognisable brand allows customers to more easily differentiate the products or services you offer from those of your competition. This can be especially beneficial if you are competing with other businesses that provide similar services, as having a unique and powerful brand identity will help make yours stand out. ## **Trust & Loyalty** Customers rely on brands they already know and trust when making purchasing decisions. With an established brand, you can build relationships with customers that last for years and keep them coming back. Through effective branding, you can create a strong bond with customers by providing them with the value they expect. This in turn builds customer loyalty and trust, which helps keep your business profitable. ## **Consistency** A strong brand helps to ensure that all of your marketing and promotional materials look, feel, and sound the same. This helps create a unified message across all of your materials and creates a consistent brand image for customers. In addition, when customers see the same logo and colours throughout all of your materials, it will help them to recognize and remember your brand. ## **Market Insights** By closely examining customer feedback and preferences related to your brand, you can gain valuable insights into what appeals to them most, as well as areas where changes may need to be made in order to increase sales or improve overall customer satisfaction. Branding gives you the opportunity to measure and track performance so that marketing efforts can be better focused and optimised. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on **[0121 439 5450](mailto:tel:0121%20439%205450)**, alternatively fill out our **[contact form](mailto:https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/)**. --- ## What Impact Does AI Generated Content Have on SEO? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/02/what-impact-does-ai-generated-content-have-on-seo/ **Date:** 2023-02-09 **Category:** SEO Content Writing | **Tags:** content writing, seo Content is a key part of SEO and one that holds pivotal sway over the performance of a site. High-quality content in king in Google's eyes and sites that are fully padded out with relevant and well-informed text almost always see their performance boosted. However, creating content of sufficient quality is often easier said than done and can take valuable time away from the business owners/employees that would otherwise be used to deliver services or hone business practices. In light of this, many organisations have looked into alternative options for content creation including the latest in artificial intelligence and the plethora of content writing AI currently available online. ## **A Brief History of AI Content Writers** The history of AI content writing systems dates back to the 1950s when researchers at MIT used computers to generate articles on specific topics. Since then, AI-based solutions have been developed that are able to recognize patterns and connections within texts, allowing them to compose sentences in more natural language. These systems rely on Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms which enable them to learn and understand the nuances of human language, enabling them to write content that is more accurate and relevant. In recent years, AI writers have become increasingly popular as businesses use these tools to create marketing copy and other forms of content. In addition, news organisations are beginning to rely on AI-powered solutions to produce stories quickly and accurately in a timely manner. This has helped journalists stay ahead of deadlines while also providing readers with more high-quality information. ## **AI Generated Content - Good or Bad?** When it comes to AI-generated content, the debate is far from over. On one hand, AI-generated content can help businesses save time and money on time-consuming tasks such as blog writing and creating email marketing campaigns. However, some people worry that AI-generated content may replace human creativity and lead to less authentic writing. One of the major benefits of AI-generated content is its ability to quickly generate large amounts of quality material with minimal effort. This is especially useful for businesses looking to produce content in less time. However, some people feel that even though content will be written more quickly, there are worries that the content may start to look quite similar and repetitive. There are also concerns about how using AI-generated content can affect SEO, and whether search engines will be able to detect whether a piece of content has been written by a human or by AI. Another main benefit of AI-generated content is that an AI can learn from large amounts of data, this way content can be produced more accurately and detailed than humans. However, on the flip side of this, more niche topics may be more difficult to write about using AI due to a lack of data on the topic. Google's most recent helpful content update focuses on relevant and helpful content written by people for people. This means that content will have to be written for users rather than search engine rankings, meaning that using just AI alone may not be the most effective. From an SEO perspective, it's best to not rely entirely on AI. It will require human input to ensure that your content is deemed as 'user friendly'. While AI-generated content can help you streamline your content production, it still requires someone to give direction and edit the content so that it fits your requirements exactly, especially if you're trying to [**improve your SEO**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/). ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450)**, alternatively fill out our **[contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/).** --- ## Google Analytics 4 - What You Need to Know Before Making the Switch URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/02/google-analytics-4-what-you-need-to-know-before-making-the-switch/ **Date:** 2023-02-03 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google, google analytics, website data July 31st 2023 - This is the date from which the industry standard GA3 platform will stop collecting data. If you're not sure what GA3 is, it's pretty much a platform that collect and stores data regarding the various facets of a website and offers them up in an easily digestible dashboard allowing for interpretation of website/page performance. GA3 - or universal analytics as some refer to it - has long been the default platform for tracking web data but as of October 2020 Google made clear it's plan to supersede this version with the new and improved GA4. If your website has any form of tracking on it, there's a very good chance that this either makes use of GA3 in one form or another, or runs through this platform directly; as such, the switch to GA4 is going to impact a substantial portion ([Roughly 84%](https://www.businessdit.com/google-analytics-statistics/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20latest%20data,tool%20is%20undoubtedly%20Google%20Analytics.) of websites using traffic analytics or 55.49% of all websites online) of the digital landscape. ## **What's Actually Changed?** When loading up GA4 for the first time, you're not exactly going to be blown away by the changes. Google Analytics 4 still makes use of the signature minimalist UI design Google seems to be so fond of, and other than the redesign of the side menus - you would be forgiven for thinking you'd mistakenly loaded up the GA3 instead. However, many of the changes that have warranted a switch to the new version come at a deeper level and are closely interlinked with the ways in which the platform collects and interprets data. - Seamless tracking between devices - improvements to the ways in which data is collected from different device types and implementation of tracking that doesn't discriminate between devices. - Honing of triggers - additional functionality in the set up of triggers allowing for granular tracking of events, conversions, or the varying stages of the conversion funnel. - Removal of third-party cookie tracking - third party cookies are cookies that have been placed on a website by someone other than the owner; this allows for your website activity to be tracked by third parties. Their removal is in line with GDPR and will offer more privacy to users. - Bounce rate into engagement rate (more on this below). A change needing a slightly longer explanation is the evolution of bounce rate into engagement rate. On GA3, a bounce rate was defined as a visit that did not culminate in an interaction or conversion. Of course, for blog sites where a user may come through directly on an article, read it in its entirety, and then leave the page, this would be classed as a bounce even though the user did pretty much exactly what you would want them to do. As an improvement on this flawed metric, Google introduced engagement rate - a trackable that does pretty much the same as bounce rate, but with the addition of a time element where a user spending over 10 seconds on the site would be classified as an engaged user. ## **GA3 vs GA4 - Which is Better?** Unfortunately, due to the fact that GA3 will no longer work beyond July 2023, it's not really a choice between one or the other. The changes to GA4 give the platform a great deal of potential and the flexibility offered by the new event tracking will be hugely beneficial to e-commerce and service-based sites especially. However, GA4 is still very much in its infancy and Google is working hard to add all of the features available within GA3 to make the switch to the new platform as smooth as possible. It's important to remember that the current GA3 platform is the result of over a decade of honing and refining; while the change to GA4 may feel like a slight step backward for the moment, there's no doubt that Google will continue to add to the platform making it a worthy successor in its own right. ## **What Happens If I Don't Switch?** If a website fails to make the switch to a GA4 account before the 31st of July, Google will automatically migrate that account to the new version of universal analytics. Google has caveated this by saying that this new account will be set up with basic settings and will only configure 'certain conversion events' - a legally savvy way of saying that there's a good chance you'll end up tracking stuff you don't need or will be missing the stuff that you do. As such, we highly recommend that you carry this out yourself or enlist the help of an expert to ensure everything is tracking as it should. ## **How Do I Switch?** In order to make the switch as painless as possible (spoilers - it can still be pretty painful), [Google has created a process](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9744165#zippy=%2Cin-this-article) through which a full migration can be achieved. See a rough summary of the process below: - Step 1: Create a new GA4 property - Step 2: Add a data stream - Step 3: Get the tracking code on the website Optional - for tracking of events and conversions - Step 4: Create Google Tag Manager account - Step 5: Link website details - Step 6: Add Tag manager code to website - Step 7: Create triggers on Tag Manager - Step 8: Test tracking of events and conversions The migration process will differ from one website to another with the systems in place as well as the nature of the site playing a role in how complex and how much extra set-up may be required. At [Odyssey New Media](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/) we have a great deal of experience in providing these migrations and are more than happy to provide assistance or carry out the entirety of this process in your stead. If this is of interest to you, please do not hesitate to [get in touch](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). With the speed at which the digital industry is developing, it was only a matter of time until traditional data platforms such as GA3 were made redundant. In the switch to GA4 we leave behind a finely honed system offering up a plethora of measurement solutions used by millions across it's lifespan. There's no doubt that GA3 will be missed by many (including us!) and while GA4 may not quite be at the level of its predecessor just yet, we have no doubts that over time Google will implement and improve on many of the features that made Google Analytics such a staple within the industry. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Basics of Affiliate Marketing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/01/the-basics-of-affiliate-marketing/ **Date:** 2023-01-27 **Category:** Advertising, Content Marketing | **Tags:** affiliate link, affiliate links, affiliate marketing, digital marketing, digital tips, link building, marketing Are you interested in learning about affiliate marketing? Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest digital marketing strategies to understand and implement, meaning it is a great way for those new to online business or even experienced entrepreneurs to make money from their website. In this blog post, we will go over some of the basics of affiliate marketing. ## **What is Affiliate Marketing?** Affiliate marketing is an effective way for businesses to increase their sales and reach new customers. It involves partnering with websites, blog owners, and social media influencers to promote a company's products or services. Affiliates are given unique tracking links which they can use to refer visitors back to the business's website. When those visitors make a purchase, the affiliate earns a commission on each sale. The process begins with an agreement between the affiliates, which can include publishers and the following mentioned as well as any; influencers, content creators, bloggers, media outlets, or other partners who are willing to share their platform with advertisers. The affiliate company agrees to promote products and services on behalf of the advertiser. Typically, affiliates use various techniques such as email marketing campaigns, blog posts, banner ads, search engine optimisation (SEO), pay-per-click advertising (PPC), and social media campaigns to promote products. Each of these channels provides a unique way to engage customers, drive traffic to the advertiser's website, and increase brand visibility. The success of affiliate marketing is largely due to its ability to create great ROI for advertisers. By relying on affiliates, merchants are able to reduce their overall marketing costs by cutting out the need for expensive television or radio ads. Furthermore, affiliates typically have an in-depth understanding of the target market and can accurately craft campaigns that will resonate with them. ## **The Basics of Affiliate Marketing** To get started with affiliate marketing, businesses must first choose an affiliate program that will work best for them. Popular platforms include ClickBank, ShareASale, Commission Junction, and more. Once you have chosen your platform of choice and signed up for an account, you are ready to begin recruiting affiliates. You can do this by offering enticing commission rates, providing helpful resources to affiliates, and creating a unique affiliate program page on your website. As you recruit new affiliates and they begin driving traffic to your site, it is important to monitor the performance of each one. This can be done through analytics tools such as Google Analytics or your affiliate platform. Keep track of clicks, sales, leads, impressions, and more that are driven by each affiliate so you can pay them accurately for their efforts. It is also important to remember to stay in contact with your affiliates and keep them updated on any changes or promotions that may affect their commissions. Affiliate marketing can be a great way for businesses to increase sales and gain exposure online. With the right platform, resources, and affiliates, businesses can gain a strong foothold in the online marketplace. By tracking performance and staying in contact with affiliates, businesses can ensure that their affiliate program is successful and profitable. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Importance of Reviews URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/01/the-importance-of-reviews/ **Date:** 2023-01-12 **Category:** Reviews, SEO | **Tags:** customer reviews, digital tips, ecommerce business reviews, Google update, importance of reviews, reviews As a business owner, it's crucial to understand the impact that online reviews can have on your company. In today's digital world, customers rely heavily on online reviews before making a purchase, and those reviews are becoming even more influential as time goes on. While some businesses might be hesitant to embrace the idea of utilising customer feedback in this way, the reality is that leveraging customer testimonials through review platforms can be an invaluable tool for growing your business and increasing conversions. This blog post will look at why using review channels effectively should be an important part of every company's marketing strategy as well as the impact that Google's sequence of new algorithm updates has had on online reviews. ## **The Importance of Reviews for Businesses** In today's digital age, reviews have become a vital part of any business. Reviews provide potential customers with an unbiased opinion about your product or service, which can help them make an informed decision about whether to visit a website, inquire into a service, or even purchase a product. Reviews can help a business build trust between new customers. Positive reviews indicate that previous customers had good experiences with your business, which helps reassure potential customers that they can expect the same level of quality when dealing with you. On the other hand, negative reviews give companies valuable feedback on where they need to improve their services in order to ensure customer satisfaction. In a more technical sense, online reviews are an essential facet of SEO (search engine optimisation) with search engines such as Google allocating more relevance to those that have proven themselves to be trusted sellers or service providers. As such, you can expect to see businesses with a considerable number of positive reviews outrank those that may be lacking in this aspect. ## **How Google's New Update Affects Reviews** Google recently released a new update that impacts the way reviews are displayed in search results. This update affects both businesses and users alike and has the potential to drastically alter how people find information about businesses online. Businesses will now have more control over the content featured on their page within search results. Reviews from customers can still appear for well-established sites, but reviews from lesser-known review platforms will no longer be visible. Furthermore, reviews must meet Google's guidelines for accuracy and legitimacy before they are included in search results. If customer reviews don't meet these standards, they won't be shown at all. [**Google's new official documentation about product reviews**](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/04/product-reviews-update) provides a set of questions intended to help business owners and digital marketers gauge how much weight may be accredited to a review. ## _"Express expert knowledge about products where appropriate?_ ## _Show what the product is like physically, or how it is used, with unique content beyond what's provided by the manufacturer?_ ## _Provide quantitative measurements about how a product measures up in various categories of performance?_ ## _Explain what sets a product apart from its competitors?_ ## _Cover comparable products to consider, or explain which products might be best for certain uses or circumstances?_ ## _Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of a particular product, based on research into it?"_ Google values high-quality reviews that contain evidence the reviewer has used the product like pictures and videos. Plus, Google wants the reviewer to show they have spent a significant amount of time with the product. This means that businesses can no longer rely on a high rating alone for positive search visibility, but must instead demonstrate customer satisfaction in order to make a strong impression in search results. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## What to Expect from the World of SEO in 2023 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2023/01/what-to-expect-from-the-world-of-seo-in-2023/ **Date:** 2023-01-05 **Category:** SEO, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** 2023, digital marketing, google, google 2023 update, google product review update, Google update, how the economic will affect seo, offline search terms, seo The world of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is constantly changing, and staying ahead of the curve can be challenging. It's hard to believe that it's already been over a decade since the launch of Google's first iteration of its search algorithm with this influential technology revolutionising how we find different types of content on the internet. As businesses around the world continue to adopt search engine optimisation practices as part of their digital strategy, it's important to keep up with the changes that regularly alter the ways in which these systems function at a core level. No doubt 2023 will bring with it its own share of changes and in this blog piece, we'll discuss the latest emerging trends in SEO as well as how the offline world may influence the online one. ## **Will the Economic Situation Affect SEO?** The UK's current economic situation is having a profound effect on all businesses. In light of this, it is important for businesses in 2023 to not only be aware of their own financial limitations but also look out for cost-effective solutions which will allow them to continue their SEO campaigns without breaking the bank. For example, there are many services such as Google Ads and other PPC advertising options which may prove cheaper than traditional search engine optimisation methods while still proving effective results. For those companies who are unable to invest in traditional SEO, it is important that they focus on other areas of their website which could bring them organic traffic. These areas include content creation, social media marketing and link-building with industry influencers. While these methods may not always guarantee immediate success, they can be very effective in driving targeted organic traffic if done correctly. ## **Google Update - Product Reviews** In August 2022, Google announced and rolled out a new update with the goal of better differentiating unhelpful content from helpful content to create a better user experience. This means that Google will target content that seems to be created for ranking well in the search engines and doesn't add much value to the subject their discussing. However, Google will award content that is made for the user and adds value to a subject. Google has been making major changes to product review functionality since 2021 with there being a focus on the quality of content within the review itself. With these fresh criteria being added, many businesses are changing the ways in which they collect reviews. With the intention of wanting more helpful content on their platform, Google has noticed that websites that have reviews of products include affiliate links that allow them to make money through SEO. This necessary isn't a bad thing, however, these product review sites are not adding more insight or better information about the product. Instead, they say the same thing as the manufacturer or what other websites have said. After reviewing this problem, Google has refined their algorithms to elevate the best product reviews on the internet. Google wants product reviews to be written by experts or enthusiasts that have insight into the products they are reviewing, they want the reviewer to spend a good amount of time analysing the product, and they want the reviewer to give new information that has not already been said by others and give evidence that they have used the product themselves. This evidence should include pictures or videos showing the search engine you have spent a good amount of time with the product. If you want to meet Google's expectations of a good product review, follow the four tips above. Due to this update, review websites have seen fluctuations within the search results with those utilising high-quality reviews with clear evidence of use seeing an increase in performance. Google has also recently rolled out a new search engine update which includes the ability for users to access product reviews directly from the search results. This update is expected to significantly improve the user experience by providing more detailed information about products without having to navigate away from Google's platform. The product reviews feature works by displaying ratings and reviews of products sourced from various sites, such as Amazon or eBay when searching for an item on Google. Plus, these reviews are tailored towards each user based on their web browsing history, making it easier than ever to find reliable and trustworthy sources of feedback. Furthermore, this information can be used to compare different brands and make more informed buying decisions. The new product review functionality will also help businesses to better understand how their products are received by customers, allowing them to identify customer trends and improve customer satisfaction. ## **Google Update - Core Updates** The main focus of this update is to ensure that users receive the most accurate and up-to-date information in their search results. To do so, Google has improved its algorithm to better understand natural language searches and interpret them correctly. Google's existing algorithms can now identify concepts instead of solely using keywords which provides an improved level of accuracy for any given search query. Google will be taking into account synonyms when matching queries with relevant content, allowing users to find what they are looking for even when those keywords aren't used. When Google rolled out a new update, they always refer back to the article that gives 25 questions that the content creator should consider. If you are a website owner and your website has been affected by the core update, ask yourself has my website demonstrated E-A-T? Does my website have high-quality content? Is your content written for the user and not for the search engine? Sometimes Google determines a large-scale pattern of either valuable content or unhelpful content or by the absence of E-A-T, which means core updates may impact your rankings. It's not because you have one bad article on your website that means it can drop your website rankings, it's because Google has decided your website should not rank as well. Content quality is important to Google. Staying on the topic of content quality, Google sees technical SEO as part of your content quality. This means Google wants websites to be easy for users and search engines to crawl through, have fast page speeds, good website navigation and good mobile optimisations. All these points factor into content quality which also links to a better user experience. Google is also introducing a new indexing system that allows the search engine to update its results in real-time. This ensures that users receive the most up-to-date information available. For example, this is a benefit for news websites that are reporting on a situation. Moreover, Google will be leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to further refine its core algorithm, providing an even more accurate response to each search query. The 2022 core update will streamline the entire search experience by allowing users to easily access content from multiple sources at once. A new integration feature connects different sites so that users can view all relevant information on one page rather than having to visit different pages separately. Additionally, this update includes an improved user interface which provides more relevant information to users in a concise and easy-to-view manner. ## **Offline Search Terms** The future of search engine optimisation (SEO) looks promising with new trends on the horizon. Offline search terms, in particular, are becoming more popular as people continue to prefer convenience over searching online. As such, marketers must stay abreast of these changes and tailor their SEO strategies accordingly in order to remain competitive. A major trend that is set to continue into 2023 is the use of local SEO tactics for offline searches. This includes optimising websites for nearby geographic areas and using keywords that relate to a specific location. Also, this can be helpful for Google Maps. For example, if a user types in nearby restaurants on Google Maps, depending on the location will depend on how high your restaurant is ranked. Staying on the topic of local SEO, offline navigational search terms with voice search will continue to grow. Due to the technology changing around us from tech-savvy cars to phones, people are using voice search more often than typing. With this insight, many businesses of various sizes should look to invest in Hyper Local SEO to increase their navigational search terms. Finally, geo-targeted ads have become a popular way for businesses to target customers within specific geographic areas. In 2023, companies should consider expanding their ad campaigns beyond traditional text ads and explore the use of video or audio ads targeting local audiences. By leveraging these strategies, businesses can increase visibility in their local market and attract more leads as a result. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## What is GA4 and How Will It Affect My Business? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/12/what-is-ga4-and-how-will-it-affect-my-business/ **Date:** 2022-12-20 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google, google analytics The Google ecosystem is one experiencing constant change as Google themselves try to find the algorithmic golden formula of search ranking and marketing favourability. Of course, web performance and tracking are intrinsically linked and by striving to stay up-to-date on the various facets of performance you give your website the best opportunity to succeed. Google Analytics is a platform offering a drill down into the data that defines the success of a business and has long been a staple of digital marketing. With the dawn of 2023, Google has now decided to elevate their tracking property into the new age with an update to GA4 (succeeding the GA3 version which many are familiar with). ## **Changes in GA4** The main question you might ask yourself upon hearing that Google is redeveloping its tracking platform is - 'What's actually changing?' In all honesty, not as much as you might expect. As in GA3 before it, GA4 offers much of the same in terms of trackables and apart from its flashy new UI, you would be forgiven for thinking this upheaval is very much more of the same. - One of the major changes you might notice (or not notice if you have no need for it), is the ability to now track the data from an application as well as a website whereas only figures from sites were trackable on GA3. This is especially helpful for larger organisations where there may be several different systems in place with GA4 compiling all of these into a nice and tidy dashboard. - Meeting data compliance has never been one of Google's key strengths, but with the incoming GA4 it promises to do better; Google have even gone so far as to state that this new update was built from the ground up with the idea of privacy in mind. According to their press releases (and no doubt their lawyers) the older universal analytics system had some privacy options that could simply not be fixed in their current version, hence the need for a new model. - Onto the changes you might actually need to learn how to use - Google has made some substantial changes to the way conversions and events are tracked/recorded with there being far more options for setting parameters. Coming pre-bundled, there are also a selection of new pre-made actions that - unlike in GA3 - will not require a manual set-up. ## **How Will These Affect My Business** At Odyssey New Media we've been using GA4 for several months now and certainly don't anticipate that the switch over will negatively impact any businesses as long as this has been set up correctly. Of course, there will be a slight adjustment period in which you will need to learn where certain data can be found on account of Google changing the names of the categories and removing some sections entirely. You might actually find that the additional event and conversion tracking features are incredibly practical for your business and will allow you to better track the performance of certain products or services as well as the points in which your conversion funnel might need to be honed. ## Please note, the initial set-up for GA4 can pose a challenge if you're unfamiliar with your website's backend and you may wish to enlist the help of [Odyssey New Media](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/) to help guide you through this process. ## **Do I Need to Move Over to GA4?** While Google isn't actively forcing you to move over to GA4, the lifecycle of GA3 is nearing its end with the platform no longer tracking data from the **1st of July 2023**. You don't actually need Google Analytics for your website to function but without it you will be left completely in the dark in regards to visits, conversions, as well as any other trackables. We highly recommend that if you have a GA3 profile, you begin looking into how a transfer can be carried out. Being aware of the flaws and strengths of your online systems is fundamental in ensuring your businesses' ongoing success. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## 3 Ways to Improve the Navigation of Your Website URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/12/3-ways-to-improve-the-navigation-of-your-website/ **Date:** 2022-12-08 **Category:** Web Design, Web Usability | **Tags:** digital marketing, how to improve the navigation of your website, navigation on website, website navigation Are you struggling to keep website visitors engaged? One key factor for keeping your audience interested is an easy-to-navigate website. Navigating a messy and complex website can be frustrating for the user, and ultimately result in the user abandoning the site altogether. Luckily, there are several ways that you can improve the navigation of your website without overhauling its design. In this blog post, we'll explore three powerful tips that will help you create a seamless user experience on your web pages. ## **Why is a Navigation System Vital to a Website's Functionality?** A website navigation system is a crucial part of any website. It is like a roadmap that guides users to their desired destinations on the website and ultimately helps them achieve any goals they may have. A well-designed website navigation system makes it easier for visitors to find what they need quickly and efficiently, while a poorly designed one can be confusing and lead to visitors leaving in frustration. Quality website navigation should be easy to use and intuitive so that visitors don't have to think too much about how to navigate around the site. It should also be clear and consistent across all pages, allowing visitors to easily move from page to page without getting lost or confused. If some website pages are too different from the previous ones, visitors might think they have been sent to another website. Making the pages design similar allows the users to recognise they're still on the same website when switching through web pages. Additionally, good website navigation should respond well on mobile devices so that users don't have to zoom in and out or scroll excessively to find links. Having a website navigation system that is organised also helps visitors by allowing them to quickly locate what they're looking for. Categories, links, and drop-down menus should be used so visitors can drill down more specifically into an area of interest. Breadcrumbs are also helpful, as it allows users to easily trace their steps back up the hierarchy of content on the website. Overall, website navigation systems play an essential role in helping visitors achieve their goals on your website. If done correctly, it will help create a positive user experience and encourage return visits! If you are looking to improve your website navigation system visit the [**Odyssey New Media**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/website-design/) website. ## **How to Improve your Website's Navigation** To ensure your website has effective navigation, below are 3 tips: - Make Sure Your Navigation Is Visible: It goes without saying that users won't be able to navigate your website if they don't know where the navigation options are located. Make sure your menus, links and other navigational elements are visible from any page on the site and clearly labelled. You may also consider adding visual cues like icons or colours to further draw attention to the website's navigation. - Simplify Navigation Options: Too many options can be confusing for website visitors, so try to keep your navigational elements as simple and straightforward as possible. Create logical categories that are easy to understand and limit the number of menu items. Consider using dropdown menus or other techniques to help minimise the clutter on each page. - Utilise Search Functionality: Having a search box prominently displayed on your website can help users quickly find what they are looking for without having to traverse through multiple pages or levels of navigation. This is especially useful if you have a lot of content or an extensive product catalogue. Make sure the search bar is easy to spot and consider adding autocomplete features that can help guide users as they type. If you are considering adding autocomplete features to your website, you may also need to add JavaScript code. By following these tips, you can help ensure your website visitors can easily find their way around and enjoy a better overall user experience. With the right navigational elements in place, you'll have a website that is inviting to all types of users. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Importance Of Keyword Research URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/12/the-importance-of-keyword-research/ **Date:** 2022-12-01 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** keyword research, seo Keyword research is an invaluable part of optimising any website for SEO. By researching and understanding the keywords used by potential customers and prospects, you can create content that will be more likely to rank in organic search results. ## **What is Keyword Research?** Keyword research is an essential part of any successful digital marketing strategy. It involves finding and analysing keywords that users are likely to use when searching for products or services related to a particular topic. By understanding what words and phrases users are using, companies are able to optimise their website content and ad campaigns to target the most relevant customers. ## **1. Improves SEO** Keyword research can be an invaluable tool for improving SEO performance. By understanding which terms and phrases are being used to search for content related to a website or business, effective keyword optimisation can help ensure that content is reaching the right audience. Good keyword research starts by gathering initial ideas from industry experts, competitors and other sources of information such as social media trend analysis. This process helps identify which keywords are currently popular in the target market and may provide inspiration for new topics or angles to write about. ## **2. Enhances Paid Advertising** Keyword research can help enhance paid advertising by providing the advertiser with valuable insights into what words and phrases their target audience is searching for, as well as which channels, they are using. By understanding the language used by potential customers, advertisers can create effective ad campaigns tailed to attract those customers. Utilising a powerful keyword analysis tool such as Google Ads Keyword Planner allows an advertiser to see both broad and exact match search volumes for specific keywords, helping them decide which ones to target in their ads. ## **3. Improves Content Relevancy** Keyword research is an invaluable tool for improving content relevancy. It provides a clear understanding of the language used by prospective customers and therefore helps to increase their engagement with the content. When creating content, researching relevant keywords allows writers to craft topics and phrases that are most likely to be searched by potential buyers. This can then be used as a guide when formulating titles, headings, subheadings, and page copy. Keyword research also allows webmasters to identify gaps in SEO efforts in order to capitalise on new opportunities by optimising existing pages or developing fresh content. ## **4. Helps To Measure Success** By tracking the performance of certain keyword phases, marketers can gain insights on their SEO and other digital marketing efforts over time. Doing so enables them to make informed decisions going forward to optimise results. ## **5. Increases Search Engine Visibility** When done correctly, keyword research should result in higher rankings on popular search engines like Google and Bing. This means more people will find your website when they search for the keywords you have targeted. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Why are Images Important to Google? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/11/why-are-images-important-to-google/ **Date:** 2022-11-24 **Category:** SEO, SEO Ranking Factors, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** alt text, digital marketing, digital tips, google, Google images, image ranking, images on google, seo, website images There is no denying that images play a crucial role in SEO. Not only do they help to make your content more engaging for users, but they also provide important clues for Google's algorithm when it comes to ranking your website. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at why images are so important to Google and how you can ensure that your images are optimised for search engines. ## **How Images Can Benefit Your Website** Images are an important part of a website's content, and they can be used to help draw attention and engage visitors. Imagine that you are a visitor to a new website, would you rather look at a block of text or an image? An image can speak a thousand words while being more visually interesting to the audience. They also play one of the many roles in how Google ranks your website. Having high-quality images on your website can make it stand out from the crowd and create a memorable user experience that encourages people to stay on your page longer. 90% of the information sent to our brains is visual. We process visual content 60,000x faster than text-based information which means a picture is worth 60,000 words. For example, images posted on Facebook collect 37% more engagement than a post with text alone. Google uses image search to provide users with relevant visual results based on their query terms. Images often appear at the top of the SERPs when searching for specific keywords, so adding relevant images to your content gives you a better chance of ranking higher in search engine results. Optimising the file size, format, and alt text of images can also improve page loading speed and SEO performance. In addition, images are used in paid ads. People are more likely to engage with an ad if it has a visually appealing image, which can lead to increased click-through rates and conversions. **[Google Ads](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/display-advertising/)** further offer features like responsive display ads, where you upload one master image that is automatically reformatted for different device sizes. In conclusion, images are critical for creating engaging content and optimising visibility on search engine results pages. When used strategically, images can provide a great boost to the performance of your website and online marketing campaigns. ## **The Purpose of Alternative Text** Alt text known as alternative text or "alt attributes," is a way of describing an image in HTML code. It's especially important for people who use screen readers to access the web, as the technology reads aloud the contents of the alt text. The purpose of alt text is to provide a textual description of an image and its context within a website. Using descriptive and relevant alt text makes it easier for search engines like Google Images to understand what an image is about. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## What is Generational Marketing and How it Can Help Your SEO Strategy URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/11/what-is-generational-marketing-and-how-it-can-help-your-seo-strategy/ **Date:** 2022-11-16 **Category:** SEO, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** advice, digital marketing, generational marketing, seo Generational marketing is a term used in marketing to describe the various ways that different age groups consume and interact with products and services. The four main generational groups are Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers and Millennials. Each of these generations has its own unique characteristics, which marketers must be aware of when developing their campaigns. ## **Understanding The Differences** While there have always been differences between age groups, the internet, and social media have made these differences even more pronounced. For example, Traditionalists (born before 1945) are more likely to buy products based on personal recommendations from friends or family members, while Millennials are more likely to do research online before making a purchase. Generational marketing is about tailoring your content and understanding your audience's demographics and psychographics. Knowing your audience's demographics such as age, gender, location, and employment status, will allow you to build a picture of which generation you are marketing to. However, if your target audience is too wide/ less specific, this can have a negative effect on your marketing strategy. For instance, if your primary audience age gap is between 18 - 40, this gap is too large because there are 3 different generations within this audience, therefore your generational marketing campaign will be ineffective for two generations. Psychographics is about your audience's interests, values, attitudes, and lifestyles. Researching your audience's psychographics can make your marketing campaign very effective. One benefit of understanding this key aspect means you can place your advertisements correctly on the right platforms. Gen Z are interested in different platforms from traditionalists like Tik Tok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Whereas Traditionalists are interested in platforms like cable TV that provide a variety of long-form content. Understanding these differences is essential for any business that wants to be successful in today's marketplace. Fortunately, generational marketing can help you do just that. By understanding the unique characteristics of each generation, you can create targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience. ## **How Can Generational Marketing Improve Your Campaign Results?** Using a generational marketing strategy in your campaign can improve your results. By taking into consideration generational perspectives, brands can ensure their campaigns are as effective and successful as possible. Marketers can enhance this strategy even further by paying attention to changing trends within each generation such as increased usage of social media or adoption of new technologies. Keeping up with evolving trends is a key part of generational marketing as it enables brands to remain ahead of the curve when it comes to messaging and advertising. With the right tailored approach, marketers can take advantage of generational differences to target each age groups in a way that resonates with them most, ultimately leading to increased engagement, conversions and ROI. ## **How This Can Help Your SEO Strategy** Generational marketing is also a powerful tool for brands looking to improve their website SEO. As mentioned before, by understanding who your audience is, marketers can craft an effective, tailored advertisement/ content to their target demographics. To optimise your website for generational SEO, you must speak the language of your audience. Below are several ways generational marketing can improve your SEO if implemented properly. - One way is to create content that appeals to the target audience. This includes creating keyword-rich titles and descriptions that speak directly to the reader's interests or needs. For example, if you want to reach Gen Xers with a product page include keywords in your title tag and meta description. These keywords should improve your rankings within the relevant sector. - Another way is to make sure to use relevant images for each page since visuals are known to engage readers more than plain text. Additionally, optimise videos where appropriate as search engines also index these types of media. Depending on the target audience will depend on how many videos or images you should include due to the different attention spans of each generation. - Taking advantage of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Generational SEO will help you engage the right people in an authentic way by connecting with them through their preferred channels. For example, Millennials are often found on social media platforms so posting relevant content that can be shared or retweeted is a great way to draw attention to your website. - Finally, monitor analytics to measure your generational SEO efforts. Knowing which pages are getting the most traffic from each generation will help you understand where to focus future efforts for maximum results. Google analytics has a specific page that allow you to see the age breakdown of your visitors. So, if you're looking to get the most out of your marketing efforts, consider leveraging generational insights and data to maximise your return on investment. ## **Conclusion** Generational marketing is a strategy that takes into account the unique buying habits and preferences of different age groups. By understanding which generation your product or services appeals to, you can tailor your marketing efforts specifically for them. This not only makes your marketing more effective, but it can also help improve your SEO strategy by targeting specific keywords and phases that are relevant to your demographic. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The New Age of Twitter URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/11/the-new-age-of-twitter/ **Date:** 2022-11-01 **Category:** Social Media, X | **Tags:** social media, twitter After what can certainly be described as a turbulent few months for the platform - with the changing of ownership seemingly being complete, subsequently falling through, but still happening regardless - Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter is finally complete. As tends to frequently be the case when everyone's favourite billionaire (and internet personality?) gets involved, major changes were instantly made. Whether Musk's new directives will elevate Twitter to new heights or end up turning the platform into a free-speech warzone remains yet to be seen; what we do know, however, is that Twitter as we know it, may not be the same ever again. ## **Staff Reshuffles and Unrest** As soon as walking through the front door of Twitter headquarters, Musk started making changes. These changes were primarily in the form of lay-offs with a reported 25% of the Twitter workforce having either already been fired, or to be fired in the coming days. As a rough estimate, 25% of the Twitter workforce would equate to about 2000 employees. While this is undoubtedly a huge development, Musk is also currently in the process of further stamping his authority by firing many of the executives and higher-ups within the corporation - the people responsible for much of the platform's direction over the last few years. The removal of these staff members no doubt represents Musk's desire to completely revamp the platform as well as his displeasure at the state in which he has received it. ## **Monetisation** Having tried to pull out of the purchase on account of misleading figures regarding the number of fake accounts on Twitter, Musk no doubt now wants to recoup as much of his purchase as possible. Even though we are only in the early days of his tenure, Twitter is already playing with the idea of making verification a paid feature. While not implemented especially well at the moment, the blue tick of verification intends to identify Twitter users who have a substantial following or are a credible source of information within certain fields. By putting this feature behind a paywall, you lose a portion of this demographic instead encouraging those with spending power to be seen as the 'leaders' within the platform. Growing capital will no doubt be one of the main areas of focus for Twitter in the near future and we anticipate that a new assortment of ad types will be introduced with attention paid monetisation of services in order to generate an ongoing revenue model. ## **Predicted Changes** In a [blog written](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2022/04/27/the-story-behind-the-twitter-takeover-and-predictions-for-its-future/) in late April, when Musk's interest turned into a genuine bid, we detail some of the changes we expect to see on the platform in the coming months/years. These include; - Reversal of bans - something we're already seeing happen, Musk's idea of Twitter is that of a free speech platform and one where people can express their ideals without constraint. Some high-profile individuals who have seen bans are already seeing their accounts be reinstated and we can expect this to happen with most or all of the users who have been blacklisted over the years. - User verification - as mentioned above, bots are a big problem with Twitter and Musk will likely look to implement some form of verification as identity proof in order to clamp down on these accounts. - Edit button - In early April Musk created a poll on his own personal Twitter on the subject of adding an edit button. The overwhelming majority (over 73% of those who participated) voted in favour of adding editing features to the platform. Even though this is still a highly debated topic, it looks like we might see the addition of an edit button in the near future. ## **The New Age of Twitter** Regular updates and innovation are what keep a social platform popular with the mass consumer base. Twitter has somewhat stagnated on these grounds in recent years and whereas other platforms have adapted to cater to businesses and e-commerce, Twitter's attempts at doing so have been very much half-hearted. As someone who is known for his love of innovation and - at times - outlandish ideas, there is likely no better person to try and spark some life into Twitter than Elon Musk. We're very excited to see what the future holds for one of the world's largest social media platforms. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Making the Most of Black Friday & Cyber Monday - For Businesses URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/11/making-the-most-of-black-friday-cyber-monday-for-businesses/ **Date:** 2022-11-01 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** black friday, cyber monday With November rolling around, the windup to Christmas is beginning; but before we get to enjoy the peace and quiet of the festive period, we first must face the chaos of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In 2021, the UK public spent [9.42 billion pounds](https://www.salecycle.com/blog/featured/11-black-friday-and-cyber-monday-online-retail-stats/#:~:text=Black%20Friday%20%26%20Cyber%20Monday%20Online%20Sales%20Stats&text=Shoppers%20spent%20%2410.7%20billion%20on,sales%20volume%20of%20%249.2bn.) across the Black Friday weekend, a value that has steadily grown over preceding years and is projected to keep growing well into the future. Many consumers absolutely love a sale and getting hit with a website banner detailing a seemingly impossible reduction in price is more than enough to exponentially grow conversion rates - frequently earning businesses their most profitable weekend across the entire year. With the sheer buying intent present over these few days, it would be a massive loss for a business to not partake in Black Friday & Cyber Monday. Partaking and profiting, however, are two completely different things and if your website isn't reaching users, no number of flashy sales guarantees you a steady stream of conversions. Below are some of our top tips for making the most of this year's - and subsequent years' - Black Friday and Cyber Monday festivities. ## **Year-Long Dedicated Landing Page** It's pretty common for large corporations to create a dedicated Black Friday & Cyber Monday landing page to funnel visitors straight to the discounts and to compete for massive sale-related key terms. Of course, the quality of their original domains means that these pages quickly pick up rankings and end up performing very well across search engines. Smaller or medium-sized businesses don't have the same capability and will need ongoing [SEO services](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo-services/) to build authority and gain preferential treatment across search engines; in the time this takes to happen, you might as well start thinking about the next Black Friday & Cyber Monday. By maintaining a dedicated Black Friday & Cyber Monday landing page on a year-long basis, you give the page an opportunity to naturally establish itself within search engines. You can even go one step further and carry out SEO optimisation specific to this page in order to get it fully primed ahead of the next year. Google reports that up to [61% of holiday shoppers](https://adwords.googleblog.com/2015/10/2015-holiday-trends-shopping-moments.html) begin browsing for Black Friday & Cyber Monday and a year-long landing page can be key to hoovering up early traffic and swaying buyer intent while competition is still relatively low. ## **Ongoing SEO services are required for websites to build authority and gain preferential treatment within search engines come Black Friday & Cyber Monday.** ## **Competitive Discounts** With developments in web browsing as well as the introduction of price comparison sites and apps, it's easier than ever to find the best deal on any product or service. During Black Friday & Cyber Monday - times of the year specifically dedicated to sales, you're going to see almost every supplier large and small offering discounts. Unfortunately, this makes it easier than ever for a consumer to find a cheaper alternative if your prices aren't quite as competitive as they could be. You may wish to do your own research once the Black Friday sales start to get a better idea of where competitors are pricing their own products/services. While it may be slightly unethical to change the sales once live, some suppliers offer flash discounts where additional savings are added during a certain timeframe - if properly utilised, this can help to keep your prices level with the competition. You may also wish to consider current trends when choosing products or services to go on sale. The pandemic has meant that demand has shifted slightly with different items currently trending than what was seen historically. ## **Countdown Timers & Item Bundles** Conversion rate is a potentially make-or-break metric for businesses; if you can't convert visitors, this may be indicative of deep-lying issues within your website or sales process and something that will no doubt hinder your profits. Amongst the many ways in which you can boost your website's conversion rate, below are our two recommendations for doing so during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period. - **Countdown Timers - **a great way to put pressure on whimsical buyers, a countdown timer incentivises quick purchases by threatening them with the fear of missing out. When paired with a flash sale, a countdown timer can be especially effective. - **Item Bundles -** already used by some retailers, item bundles look to offer additional discounts to users purchasing multiple products. For businesses that sell smaller, cheaper items, bundles can entice buyers into making multiple purchases. By integrating these strategies within your Black Friday & Cyber Monday selling strategies, you give visitors a gentle nudge pushing them into making a purchase or at least adding something to their basket. ## **Referral Programs** Opinions play a major part in buyer intent and if your business has established brand loyalty, a referral program can introduce the friends and family of your repeat customers directly to your business. It's rare for someone to refer a business or product purely off their own back and it frequently takes some form of incentive in order to persuade them to do so. Due to being one of the most trusted forms of advertising, referrals tend to garner far higher repeat conversions than many of the alternatives and frequently generates loyal customers. Examples of referral incentives provided by businesses include free products, discount vouchers, or even a small sum of money. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Answering The 5 Most Popular SEO Queries URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/10/answering-the-5-most-popular-seo-queries/ **Date:** 2022-10-28 **Category:** SEO, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** advice, seo, seo tips It seems like everyone has questions regarding SEO at the moment. And while there's a lot of information out there, it can be tough to figure out what's most important and how to get started. To help you out, we have compiled a list of the 5 most popular SEO queries, along with answers to each one. So, whether you're just getting started with SEO or you're looking to take your knowledge to the next level, this post is for you. ## **1. What Is SEO and how does it work?** SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It's the process of optimising your website and content so that it ranks higher in search engine results. The higher your site ranks, the more likely people are to find it when they search for relevant keywords or phrases. Since traffic from organic search is one of the most valuable types of traffic you can get, SEO is essential for any business that wants to succeed online. To understand how SEO works, you need to know a little bit about how search engines work. When someone types a keyword or phrase into a search engine such as Google, the search engine scans its index of websites and pages to find any that match the query. Then, it ranks those results according to a number of factors, including things like relevancy and popularity. The most relevant and popular results are shown lower down. To improve your website's ranking in search engine results pages, you need to optimize it for the factors that search engines use to rank sites. That's what SEO is all about. There are hundreds of different ranking factors, but some of the most important ones include things like your website's content, structure, and authority. To make your site more attractive to search engines and improve your chances of ranking higher, you need to make sure that your site's content is relevant and keyword-rich. You also need to make sure that your site is well-structured and easy to navigate. Finally, you need to build up your site's authority by earning links from high-quality websites. SEO is a complex and ever-changing process, but by focusing on the key factors that search engines use to rank sites, you can give your website a good chance of achieving success in the SERPs. ## **2. What Are The Most Important SEO Ranking Factors?** There are hundreds of ranking factors that search engines take into account when determining where to rank a website. But some of the most important ones include factors such as: - Keyword relevance - Site authority - Backlinks - Engagement Search engines are constantly evolving and changing their algorithms, so it's important to keep up with the latest SEO news and trends. For example, Google's recent mobile-first indexing change means that mobile-optimised websites will now be given preference in search results. ## **3. How Can I Improve My SEO?** There are a number of things you can do to improve your SEO. Some of the most effective methods include: **Creating quality content** Creating quality content is one of the most important things you can do to improve your SEO. Your content should be relevant, interesting and engaging. It should also be well-written and free from errors. **Building backlinks** Building backlinks is another great way to improve your SEO. Backlinks are links from other websites to your website. They help search engines to find and index your website. The more backlinks you have, the higher your website will rank in the search engine results pages (SERPs). **Optimising your website for mobile** Optimising your website for mobile is another essential step in improving your SEO. With more and more people using mobile devices to access the internet, it's important that your website is optimised for these devices. This means ensuring that your website is responsive and easy to use on a mobile device. **Using social media** Social media is also a great way to improve your SEO. By promoting your content on social media, you can increase its reach and visibility. This will help to build backlinks and drive traffic to your website. **Doing keyword research** Doing keyword research is another important part of improving your SEO. Keywords are the words and phrases that people use when they search for something on the internet. By targeting the right keywords, you can make sure that your website appears in the search results when people are looking for the products or services that you offer. ## **4. What Are The Most Common SEO Mistakes?** There are a few common SEO mistakes that can hurt your chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages. Some of the most common ones include: **Keyword stuffing** This is the act of filling your content with so many keywords that it becomes difficult to read. Not only will this irritate your readers, but it will also get you penalized by Google. **Using too much anchor text** When you use too much of the same keyword in your anchor text, it looks spammy to search engines. **Neglecting to optimise for mobile** With more and more people using their smartphones to access the internet, it's important to make sure your website is optimised for mobile. ## **5. How Much Does SEO cost?** The cost of SEO varies depending on the size and complexity of your website, as well as the competitiveness of your industry. However, it's important to note that SEO is an investment that can pay off in the long run in terms of increased web traffic, leads and sales. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Biggest SEO Obstacles URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/10/the-biggest-seo-obstacles/ **Date:** 2022-10-20 **Category:** SEO, SEO Ranking Factors | **Tags:** Biggest SEO Obstacles, digital marketing strategy, search engine, seo, SEO Obstacles, seo tips, websites In order to rank higher on the search engine results pages (SERPs), site owners must overcome a number of SEO obstacles. These hurdles can be daunting, but they can be conquered with the right approach. In this post, we'll take a look at some of the biggest SEO obstacles and the changes you may need to implement in order to mitigate them. By understanding and implementing the right strategies, you can improve your website's visibility and organic traffic. ## **Poor Content** One of the biggest SEO obstacles for people to overcome is the creation of high-quality, relevant content. Creating poor content for your website can have a negative impact on SEO for several reasons. Firstly, search engines will likely rank your site lower if it contains poorly written or inaccurate content. This could result in fewer people finding your site when they perform a search. Additionally, people who do find your site are less likely to trust it and may not return in the future if they believe the information on your site isn't completely accurate, or you do not appear to be a verified source. One of the ways in which you can improve your content is by linking to other authoritative websites who have their own high-quality content; if you link to sites with poor content, it reflects badly on your own site. When creating content for your website, try to make most of the content relevant to your website subject. By doing so, you stay on-theme and keep delivering content that enriches the user experience while still being closely linked to the nature of the search query. ## **Keywords** Keywords are an integral part of SEO and one that many people don't always get quite right. Using the wrong keywords for your website can have a number of negative impacts on SEO. It can result in low search engine rankings. This is because if the keyword you've chosen isn't relevant to your website's content, the search engine will likely rank your site lower than it would if you had chosen a more relevant keyword. To avoid these negative SEO impacts, it's important to carefully research and choose the right keywords for your website. Make sure that the keywords you choose are relevant to your site's content, and that they're popular enough that people will actually search for them. Also, be sure to monitor your SEO metrics over time to ensure that your chosen keywords are still working well for you. If you notice any drop-off in performance, it may be time to switch things up. ## **Bad Links** Links are an important part of SEO. They help search engines find and index your website so people can find it when they search for relevant terms. However, not all links are created equal. Bad links, also known as low-quality or spammy links, can actually harm your SEO as well as your reputation. If people see that your website is full of spammy links, they may not trust your site. This can hurt your business in the long run, even if it doesn't have an immediate impact on your SEO. ## **Slow Website** A slow website will have a negative impact on SEO because it will take longer for pages to load, one of the factors that Google uses to rank sites is functionality and poorly performing websites are far less likely to appear high in the search rankings. A slow website also leads to a high bounce rate where users aren't willing to sit out the load times and instead visit a competitor. Therefore, it is important to make sure that your website is fast and optimised for SEO. You can do this by using caching plugins, optimising your images, and using a content delivery network. It is important to regularly test your site speed and make sure that your pages are loading quickly. By doing this, you can avoid the negative impact that a slow website can have on SEO. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Manifest Names Odyssey New Media As One of The Most Reviewed SEO Companies in Birmingham URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/10/the-manifest-names-odyssey-new-media-as-one-of-the-most-reviewed-seo-companies-in-birmingham/ **Date:** 2022-10-07 **Category:** Odyssey New Media News | **Tags:** awards, manifest, odyssey news The importance of having good SEO is hardly even a debate. How to go about it making it effective is a completely different story. There are different ways of going about SEO to make it work for specific clients. This is where we come in. We make the process that works for the specific situation of our individual clients and partners. This approach has proven quite effective for our projects over the years. This is proven in the [**recent report**](http://themanifest.com/uk/seo/agencies/birmingham) published by The Manifest that names us as one of the most reviewed and recommended SEO companies in Birmingham. The Manifest is a leading resource directory to help businesses find the best digital product partners for their project. They accomplish this by creating rankings of the top performers in various industries and award teams that make the biggest impact on their clients. This unique accolade wouldn't be possible without the initiative of our partners and clients in writing and publishing their honest thoughts about our work. This is why we want to take this opportunity to properly thank them for being active contributors to our growth as a company. **"We are delighted to be ranked as a top reviewed SEO company for Birmingham_" _** **~ Rob Stoubos, Founder, Odyssey New Media.** The next logical step for us to take is to take on more complex challenges and expand our horizons. We will undoubtedly run into bigger challenges and our team is ready to embrace that journey. Our team has all the skills and experience to give our clients the results they're looking for regardless of the situation. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Value of Cause Marketing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/10/the-value-of-cause-marketing/ **Date:** 2022-10-07 **Category:** Content Marketing | **Tags:** cause marketing, digital marketing, marketing, tips When it comes to marketing, businesses have a wide range of different options available to them. One option that has become increasingly popular in recent years is cause marketing. Cause marketing is a type of marketing that involves partnering with a non-profit organization or another cause-related group to promote both the business and the cause. In this blog post, we will discuss the value of working with non-profit organisations to help your business. ## **Cause marketing helps businesses connect with their consumers on a deeper level** When done correctly, cause marketing can be an extremely effective way for businesses to connect with their customers on a deeper level. In today's climate, where there is a growing focus on social and environmental issues, people are increasingly interested in supporting businesses that align with their values. By partnering with a charitable organisation or cause that is important to your target market, you can not only show your support for a worthy cause but also build goodwill and trust with potential customers. Studies have shown that customers are more likely to buy from businesses with companies that support causes they care about. It's important though to choose a cause that makes sense for your business and is relevant to your target market. For example, if you sell eco-friendly products, partnering with an environmental protection organisation would be a natural fit. No matter what cause you choose to support, make sure you are genuine in your commitment and can communicate why the cause is important to you and your business. ## **Cause marketing can build brand loyalty and drive sales** When it is done correctly, cause marketing can be a powerful tool to build brand loyalty and drive sales. By aligning your brand with a cause that is important to your target audience, you can create a deeper connection with them that goes beyond simply selling a product or service. Cause marketing can also be used to reach new customers who may not have been aware of your brand before. When people see that you are supporting a cause they care about, they are more likely to check out your products or services. It's important to make sure that the cause you are supporting is relevant to your brand and that you are not just trying to capitalise on current events. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging your existing customer base and damaging your brand reputation. ## **It can help businesses tap into new markets and demographics** Cause marketing can help businesses tap into new markets and demographics. For example, a business that makes environmentally friendly products could partner with an environmental non-profit organisation. This would give the business access to the non-profit's members and supporters, who are likely to be interested in eco-friendly products. Likewise, a business that wants to appeal to socially conscious consumers could partner with a charity that works on issues such as poverty or hunger. By aligning your business with a worthy cause, then you can show that you care about more than just making money. This can attract new customers who are looking for companies that share their values. ## **It may result in reduced costs associated with marketing and advertising** One of the benefits of Cause marketing is that it may result in reduced costs associated with marketing and advertising. This is because businesses can partner with non-profit organisations, which often have pre-existing relationships with potential customers and a built-in base of supporters. As a result, businesses can tap into this existing support network to help promote their products or services, potentially reaching a larger audience at a lower cost than if they were to market and advertise on their own. ## **Can help businesses differentiate themselves from their competitors** Differentiation is key in today's competitive business landscape. And cause marketing can be a powerful tool to help businesses stand out from the pack. By aligning with a particular cause or issue, businesses can show that they care about more than just making money. They can demonstrate that they are committed to making a positive impact in the world. And that can be a powerful selling point for consumers who are looking to do business with companies that share their values. When done right, cause marketing can be a powerful way to differentiate businesses from their competitors and build loyalty among their customer base. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Can Analytics be Used to Improve Businesses? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/09/how-can-analytics-be-used-to-improve-businesses/ **Date:** 2022-09-30 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** analytics, digital tips, seo When it comes to business, there are always ways that analytics can be used in order to improve things. Whether you are looking at your customer base, your sales process or anything else related to your company, analytics can help make things smoother and more efficient. In this blog post, we will take a look at how analytics can be used in businesses and the benefits that come with it. ## **How do Analytic Programmes Work?** There are many ways for analytical programmes to receive data from a website. The most common method is through web scraping, which involves using a programme to extract data from a website's HTML code. Other methods include receiving data through an application programming interface (API) or by directly accessing a database. Depending on the type of data being accessed, different methods may be more appropriate. For example, if a programme needs to access real-time data, an API would likely be the best option. On the other hand, if the data is static and does not need to be updated in real time, web scraping would probably be the more efficient method. A well-known analytical tool called Google Analytics extracts data from clients' websites by the use of page tags. The client would insert Google's page tag into their website's JavaScript code. The client would insert this code into every page of the website so that they can track their conversions, bounce backs and more throughout the website. Every visitor that clicks on the website runs this code through their browser and Google can collect the visitor's data. This data is then sent to Google's data collection servers. ## **Measuring Customer Behaviours** Analytics programmes can help monitor customers' behaviours in a number of ways. For example, analytics can track what pages customers visit on a website, how long they spend on each page, and what actions they take while they are there. This information can be used to improve the customer experience by making changes to the website design or content based on how customers actually use it. Having this data allows businesses to individual see which web pages customers are not interested in. This tells the business that something needs to improve about this webpage to engage the audience, doing so could improve revenue and the overall feel or look of the business's website. Additionally, analytics can be used to track customer behaviour across different channels, such as social media, email, and online advertising. This information can help businesses understand which channels are most effective at reaching and engaging customers. Finally, analytics can also be used to predict future customer behaviour. This information can be used to make decisions about where to allocate marketing resources or to develop new products and services that meet customer needs. ## **Measuring Products Success** When it comes to online businesses, analytics is key to understanding which products are selling well and which ones aren't. By tracking various data points, you can get a clear picture of which products are popular with customers and which ones need to be improved. It allows you to track website traffic, understand where your visitors are coming from, and see what pages they're spending the most time on. You can also use analytics to track sales data. This includes information like how many units of a product were sold, what the average selling price was, and which countries or regions the product sold best in. This data can be extremely valuable in understanding which products are most popular with your customers and where you should focus your marketing efforts. Constantly seeing where your business needs improvement and capitalising on that, makes your business stronger and stronger every day. ## **The Benefits of Analytics to a Business** Marketing is all about understanding your target audience and delivering the right message to them. With analytics, you can segment your audience into smaller groups so that you can more effectively reach them with your marketing campaigns. You can also track the performance of your marketing campaigns and make adjustments to improve their effectiveness. Another way to use analytics in your business is through product development. By understanding how customers use your products, you can make improvements that make them more likely to buy from you again in the future. You can also use analytics to monitor your competition and see what they are doing well so that you can adapt and improve your own products and services. Finally, analytics can also be used to improve your business operations. By understanding where your bottlenecks are, you can make changes that will help your business run more smoothly. You can also use analytics to find ways to save money and increase efficiency. No matter how you use it, analytics is a powerful tool that can help you grow your business. By understanding your customers and competitors, you can make better decisions that lead to more sales and higher profits. So, if you're not using analytics in your business yet, now is the time to start. ## **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Internal Links and External Links - The Importance to SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/09/internal-links-and-external-links-the-importance-to-seo/ **Date:** 2022-09-22 **Category:** Backlink Analysis, SEO, SEO Ranking Factors, Technical SEO | **Tags:** external links, seo Both internal and external links are important for SEO. Internal links help search engines understand the structure of your website and can be used to help boost the ranking of your website in search results. External links can help to increase the visibility of your website to potential website visitors and can also help to improve your website's ranking in search results. In this article, we'll take a deep dive into what exactly internal and external links are, what benefits they provide, what the potential drawbacks are, and how you can use them effectively in your content. ## **What Are Internal Links?****** Internal links are links from one page to another page on the same domain. Internal links are important for SEO because they help search engines understand the structure of a website. ## **Why Are Internal Links Important?****** Internal links are important for two main reasons: - They help search engines understand the structure of a website. - They provide a way for search engines to discover new pages. Internal links help search engines understand the structure of a website by creating a hierarchy of pages. This hierarchy starts with the home page and goes down to the deepest level of pages. The hierarchy is created by links, with the home page being at the top and the deepest pages being at the bottom. The hierarchy created by internal links is important because it helps search engines understand the relationships between pages on a website. This understanding is important because it helps search engines determine which pages are more important than others. ## **How Do Internal Links Help Search Engines Discover New Pages?****** Internal links also help search engines discover new pages. When a new page is created, it is typically linked to other pages on the website. This link provides a way for search engines to find the new page. ## **How Do You Create an Internal Link?****** First, identify the page or post you want to link to. Then, on the page or post you are linking from, type the text you want to use as the link. Highlight this text, and then click the "Insert/edit link" button in the toolbar. In the "URL" field, type or paste in the URL of the page or post you are linking to. Then click the "Add Link" button. You can also link to pages or posts by using their IDs. To do this, first find the ID of the page or post you want to link to. Then, on the page or post you are linking from, type the text you want to use as the link. Highlight this text, and then click the "Insert/edit link" button in the toolbar. In the "URL" field, type or paste in the URL of the page or post you are linking to, followed by # and the ID of the page or post. For example, if the ID of the page or post you want to link to is "123", you would type or paste in https://example.com/page. ## **What are the Benefits of Using Internal Links?****** There are many benefits of using internal links on your website. **1. It helps users to navigate your website** By linking to other pages on your site, you can help visitors navigate your site more easily. Internal links can also help to improve your site's search engine optimisation (SEO) by making it easier for search engines to index your pages. **2. It can increase the visibility of your pages** In addition to making your site more user-friendly and easier to navigate, internal links can also help to boost your SEO efforts. When search engines crawl your site, they follow the links to your other pages. By linking to your most important pages from your home page, you can help ensure that these pages are more likely to be indexed by the search engines. **3. It can help build relationships with other websites** If you link to other websites from your pages, you can help to build relationships with these websites. This can be beneficial for both parties, as it can help to increase traffic to both websites. In addition, if you link to websites that are relevant to your own, you can help to improve your search engine rankings. **4. It can help to improve your website's structure** By linking to other pages on your site, you can help to create a more logical and well-organized website. This can make it easier for both users and search engines to find the information they are looking for. **5. It can be used to promote new content** If you have new content on your website, you can use internal links to promote this content to your visitors. This can help to increase the chances that your new content will be seen and used by your visitors. ## **Are there any Disadvantages to Using Internal Links?****** Internal links are links that connect one page on a website to another page on the same website. They are commonly used in navigation menus and in blog posts to provide readers with additional information or to direct them to other related content. While internal links can be very useful, there are a few potential disadvantages to using them. **1. If used incorrectly, they can negatively impact the browsing experience.** If not used properly, internal links can make a website appear cluttered and confusing. This is because too many links on a page can make it difficult to know where to click or what to read next. **2. It can make your website appear less relevant and untrustworthy.** If a website has too many internal links, it can actually hurt its search engine optimisation (SEO). This is because search engines view a website with too many links as being less relevant and trustworthy. **3. Makes your website more prone to '404 Page Not Found' errors.** Internal links can sometimes cause problems if a website is not properly maintained. This is because if a page that an internal link points to is deleted or renamed, the link will no longer work. Overall, internal links can be a great way to improve the navigation and content of a website. However, it is important to use them sparingly and to make sure that they are used correctly in order to avoid any potential problems. **How Can You Optimise Internal Links on a Website?****** If you're not sure how to get started with internal linking, there are a few things you can do to make it easier. First, take a look at your site's navigation and structure. Identify the pages that you want to link to from your home page, and then add links to these pages from your navigation menus. You can also add links to important pages in the body of your website's content. When adding links to your content, be sure to use keyword-rich anchor text. This will help to improve your site's SEO by helping Google to understand what your pages are about. It's also important to link to pages that are relevant to the topic of your page. If you're linking to a page about cats, for instance, it wouldn't make much sense to link to a page about dogs. Don't forget to add links to your website's footer. This is a great place to add links to your privacy policy, contact information, and other important pages. Finally, don't overdo it with the internal linking. Too many links can be overwhelming and confusing for visitors. Stick to a few key links per page and make sure they're relevant to the content on that page. ## **What Are External Links?****** External links are links from one domain to another domain. It is essentially a link that points to a page on a different domain than the one you're currently on. For example, if you're on a page about cats on the website www.example.com and there's a link to a page about dogs on the website www.dogs.com, that's an external link. External links are important for SEO because they provide a way for search engines to discover new websites and pages. ## **How Do External Links Help Search Engines Discover New Pages?****** External links help search engines discover new pages by providing a way for them to find new websites. When a new website is created, it is typically linked to other websites. This link provides a way for search engines to find the new website. ## **How Do You Create an External Link?****** Creating an external link is just as easy as creating an internal link. The only difference is that you're linking to a page on a different website. To do this, simply use the same code as you would for an internal link but change the URL to the address of the page you're linking to. **For example, if you wanted to link to the Google homepage, you would use the following code:** Google This would create a hyperlink that says "Google" and takes you to the target Google homepage when you click on it. ## **What are the Benefits of using External Links?****** There are many benefits to using external links on your website. **1. They Can Improve Your SEO** If you're linking to a high-quality, relevant website, then this can actually improve your SEO. Google looks at the quality of the websites that you're linking to, and so if you're linking to a site that is relevant and has a high domain authority, then this can actually improve your own ranking in the search engine results pages. **2. They Can Drive Traffic to Your Website** If you're linking to a popular website, then this can also drive traffic to your own site. People who click on the link will be taken to the other website, but if they like what they see, then they may also visit your site as well. **3. They Can Help to Build Relationships** Linking to other websites can also help to build relationships with other webmasters. If you link to a website, then the owner of that site may also link back to you, which can be beneficial for both parties. **4. They Can Improve Your Site's SEO** Links from high-quality websites can also help to improve your site's SEO. This is because search engines use links as a way to determine the quality of a website. If your site has links from high-quality websites, then this can help to improve your site's ranking in the search results. **5. They Can Help to Increase Your Site's PageRank** Links from high-quality websites can also help to increase your site's PageRank. PageRank is a metric used by Google to determine the importance of a website. If your site has links from high-quality websites, then this can help to increase your site's PageRank. ## **Are there any Disadvantages to Using External Links?****** External linking has been a controversial topic for SEOs for a long time. Some people believe that external links are a valuable part of an SEO strategy, while others believe that they can actually harm your site's ranking. So, what's the truth? Are there any disadvantages to using external links? Let's take a look at some of the potential disadvantages of using them. **1. They Can Dilute Your Link Juice** Link juice is the power or authority that a website passes to another website through a link. When you add an external link to your site, you're essentially giving away some of your site's link juice. **2. They Can Send Your Traffic Away** If you're linking to a high-quality, relevant website, then this isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, if you're linking to a low-quality or irrelevant website, then you're essentially sending your traffic away from your site. **3. They Can Hurt Your Rankings** If you're linking to a low-quality or irrelevant website, then this could hurt your own website's rankings in search engines. **4. They Can Increase Your Bounce Rate** Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page. If you're linking to a website that isn't relevant to your own, then this could increase your bounce rate and decrease the amount of time that people spend on your site. **5. They Can Cost You Money** If you're linking to a website that sells products or services, then you're essentially giving them free advertising. This could cost you money if people click on the link and then make a purchase from the other website. ## **Conclusion****** Internal and external links are important for a number of reasons. They help improve your website's navigation, they can help boost your site's SEO, and they can help you share information more effectively with your audience. If you're not already using internal links on your site, now is the time to start. If you need help with your onsite content and you'd like an expert to help you with your SEO strategy, please get in touch with us. Call us on **0121 439 5450** or you can send an email to **info@odysseynewmedia.com.** --- ## Mobile Optimisation Best Practice Tips URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/09/mobile-optimisation-best-practice-tips/ **Date:** 2022-09-15 **Category:** Mobile Search, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** mobile optimisation, mobile search, mobile seo, seo There is no doubt that a mobile-friendly website is essential in today's online world. But what are the best practices for optimising your website for mobile devices? In this blog post, we will explore some of the best tips you can adopt to create a user-friendly mobile experience for your visitors. Whether you are just starting out on creating a mobile strategy, or you are looking to improve your current approach, read on for some helpful tips on how to do so. ## **Clear and Concise Content** One of the most important aspects of mobile optimisation is keeping your content clear and concise. This is because people using mobile devices often have shorter attention spans and are looking for quick and easy answers. If your content is long-winded and difficult to read on a small screen, you're likely going to lose visitors quickly. Here are some tips for keeping your content clear and concise: - Use short, simple sentences - Try to use bullet points/ numbered lists - Get to the point quickly - Avoid using jargon or technical terms - Break up large text by adding images and infographics ## **Check Your Website on Multiple Devices** You should always check your website on more than one operating system, as well as devices that have different screen sizes and resolutions. This will ensure you can accommodate all possible visitor demographics with only a single version of the site design across these various impairments. You'll also want to make sure everything works properly by checking whether links work when clicked or not, if they do but don't produce any content whatsoever (or lead somewhere else entirely), then this might be an indication there was some kind of technical problem during implementation. ## **How will you check your website on multiple devices?** You can use Google's Web Developer Chrome Extension to see how your site looks in many different screen sizes and resolutions. It also offers the ability for you, as well as other users on a computer or mobile device so you can get an idea of what your content would look like when viewed from many angles. ## **Website Speed** We all know that a fast website is convenient for customers and potential clients. A slow website can be frustrating for users, and can even lead to lost business. This makes it a key consideration when looking to implement a mobile solution. There are a few reasons for this. First, most people are using their mobile devices to access the internet more than ever before. This means that if your website is slow on mobile, you're likely losing out on a lot of potential traffic and customers. Secondly, Google considers site speed for mobile searches as a ranking factor. This means that if your website is slow on mobile, it's likely that you're not going to rank as highly in search results as you could be. So, how can you make sure that your website is fast on mobile? - Use a responsive design - This ensures that your website will load quickly on any device, regardless of screen size or resolution. - Optimise images - Larger images can take a long time to load, so make sure that all of the images on your website are optimised for the web. This means compressing them and making sure they're in the right file formats. - Minimize HTTP requests - Every time a user visits your website, their browser has to send an HTTP request to the server. These requests can build up and slow down your website speed. To minimize them, you can combine files such as CSS and JavaScript, or use a content delivery network (CDN). - Use caching - Caching is a way of storing frequently accessed data so that it doesn't have to be loaded from the server every time a user visits your website. ## **Responsive Design** When you have a responsive design, your website will automatically adjust to fit the screen size of the device that someone is using. This means that whether someone is looking at your site on their phone, tablet, or computer, they'll be able to see it perfectly. Since more people are using their mobile devices to browse the web, it's important to make sure that your site is optimised for these users. There are a few reasons why having a responsive design is good for mobile optimisation. Firstly, it means that your site will load quickly and smoothly on any device. Secondly, it ensures that your content is easy to read and navigate on smaller screens. Finally, it helps you avoid having to create a separate mobile and desktop version of your site, which can be time-consuming and expensive. ## **SEO Rankings** Mobile optimisation can have a significant impact on Google's search rankings. There are a number of factors that contribute to a website's mobile friendliness, including its design, layout, speed, and content. A website that is optimised for mobile devices will typically have a responsive design, mobile-friendly layout and easy-to-read content. Having these incorporated into your website will rank your website higher. If you would like to learn more about how mobile optimisation affects SEO rankings [**click here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/09/16/core-web-vitals-what-are-they/)**.** ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450)**, alternatively fill out our **[contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**. --- ## Creating SEO Friendly Content URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/09/creating-seo-friendly-content/ **Date:** 2022-09-08 **Category:** SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** content, seo, website SEO is important, but what is it and why is it important? In this blog post we will talk about what exactly SEO is and why it is important to use it to optimise your website. ## What is SEO? Before we get into how to make your content more SEO friendly, it's important to know what it actually is. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation, and it allows you to increase the visibility of your website. This ensures that you are able to stand out in search results, and in turn increasing your profits. ## 1. Make Sure to Use Relevant Keywords When focusing on SEO it's important to use relevant keywords, making sure that your keywords are relevant to the content you are writing. Also make sure you don't overload the content with keywords just for the sake of adding them, just use them when need be. ## 2. Create Original Content Creating original content that is exclusive to your website can help increase SEO and help your website to perform better and therefore increase sales. If Google recognises that the content on your website is duplicated, this can negatively affect you and your rankings. Websites that have duplicate content get punished by Google by ranking the site lower. ## 3. Don't Make Your Paragraphs Too Long Keeping your paragraphs shorter ensures that the reader stays engaged with the content. Creating longer paragraphs may put people off from reading. Due to more and more social platforms pushing on more shorter form content, meaning that people's attention spans are decreasing, meaning they won't want to read longer content. ## 4. Use Internal and External Links Using internal and external links are important, as this ensures that the readers know that the content is relevant to the rest of your websites content. Internal links are links that link to another page on your website and external links go to a different site to your own. ## 5. Use Images and Optimise Them Images ensure that people are more engaged with the content on your website and don't get overloaded with too much text. Long bulks of text with no images can be overwhelming especially in today's world. Optimising them is also very important from a SEO perspective, adding alt text and correctly naming your [**image sizes**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2022/07/06/the-impact-of-images-on-seo/) are crucial and can make all the difference. ### Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google Helpful Content Algorithm Update - What It Could Mean for Your Website URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/08/google-helpful-content-algorithm-update-what-it-could-mean-for-your-website/ **Date:** 2022-08-30 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** google, google algorithm update, website The people over at Google are constantly looking for ways to hone their platforms and reward websites that constantly deliver positive user experiences. The latest algorithm update - detailed for the first time on the 18th of August and set to begin rolling out in the following weeks - has a specific focus on content and the value it provides to users. ## **The Purpose of The Update** Many of the algorithm updates taking place over the last few years have looked to improve on the efficiency at which Google's search engine identified high-quality content with August's update looking to have a similar purpose. It's pretty much public knowledge that the world wide web is laden with low-quality and spammy content that offers pretty much no value to visitors; Google has gotten pretty good at recognising these websites, however, it's still not all that great at recognising the quality of the content itself. Thereby, you might find that some completely useless pieces of content rank incredibly well for high-density key terms due to being placed on a website recognised as having value. Another key part of the update is that it will place more emphasis on the quality of content rather than that of SEO. This isn't to say that SEO goes completely out of the window, but rather that content having only been written to cater to search engines will be less likely to place highly in regards to queries. Of course, SEO still plays - and will play - a key role in growing the reach and rankings of a website, but it should be less of a focus when writing informative content. ## **How Does Google Do This?** As is the case with most elements of Google, this new update will primarily use machine learning. As such, it may take a little while for the algorithm to become proficient in assigning value to content which may cause some instability in the early days. ## **What Could It Mean for My Website?** The impact of this update depends entirely on the quality of content present on your website. If you're producing highly relevant, highly informative content that successfully fulfils a query, you can expect to see a rise in the rankings for that page, as well as your overall website. On the other hand - if the content you're producing isn't all that relevant or helpful, you might see a drop in your rankings relevant for that query and - if Google finds that many of your pages are similarly unhelpful - you may even see your website being marked down for being spammy or of low relevance. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Many Pages Should My Website Have? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/08/how-many-pages-should-my-website-have/ **Date:** 2022-08-25 **Category:** SEO, SEO Ranking Factors | **Tags:** digital tips, seo, web pages, websites When creating a website, one of the first decisions to make is how many pages it will have. A website with too few pages can feel unfinished, while one with too many can be overwhelming. So, what is the right number of pages for a website? In this blog post, we will answer that question and more about web pages. ## **Is There a Minimum or Maximum Number of Pages?** Many website pages are between 10-30 pages. However, this is not a rule and there are many websites with fewer or more pages. The number of pages on your website should be based on the amount of content you have to share with your audience. It can also, depend on your goals, and your budget. If you have a lot of content to share, then you will need more web pages. If you have a small budget, then you may need fewer pages. If your goal is to generate leads, then you will need more pages than if your goal was just to sell a product. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to how many pages your website should have. It depends on your specific website goals. For example, blog pages will often have more pages because they update their website with news/ information. E-commerce websites may have numerous products and product ranges to sell, as a result, they may have hundreds of product pages which naturally increases the page count of a website. On the other hand, a brochure website would only have a few web pages because it is a service. Brochure websites may only offer a handful of services which means there isn't enough content to have lots of pages, so they will only have a few web pages. Some examples of this would be electricians, builders, photography services, etc. These types of service websites typically don't have extensive product or service offerings and therefore, will have fewer pages. If you're not sure how many pages your website should have, start by planning out the content you want to include. Once you have a good idea of the content you want to include, you can start creating a rough outline of your website. From there, you can start determining how many pages you'll need to create to accommodate all of your content. If you're still not sure, don't hesitate to reach out to a web development company for help. Here at Odyssey New Media, we are always an email or phone call away and we'll be happy to answer any of your questions. If you have any questions about your website contact us [**here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). ## **Do More Web Pages Mean Better SEO?** There's no simple answer to this question - it depends on several factors, including the quality of your content, how well your pages are optimised, and how much competition you're up against. Having more pages doesn't necessarily improve your **[SEO](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/)**, but it can increase the chance of being found for a variety of topics that you cover. Of course, there's no point in creating lots of new pages if they're not going to be useful or interesting to your visitors. So, make sure that any new content you add is high-quality and relevant to your target audience. Don't create low-quality web pages just for the sake of adding more web pages because you'll end up diluting the overall content quality of your website. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Twitter Changes 2022 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/08/twitter-changes-2022/ **Date:** 2022-08-16 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** downvote testing, edit button, super followers While many other social platforms are thriving in 2022 (look no further than the ardent following TikTok now boasts), Twitter has had a bit more of a turbulent year. From coming under fire for facilitating hostile communication, to the whole Elon Musk buy-out fiasco, it's maybe not been the greatest year for the social platform. Regardless of the struggles its faced, Twitter has looked to continuously develop its functionality by adding a plethora of new user features and algorithm tweaks; while many of these are still in the testing stages or have yet to be see a global roll-out, it's anticipated that they'll become commercially available over the coming months. ## **Super Followers** Even though the Super Follower feature was officially introduced to the world in the last quarter of 2021, the follower monetization service is still only available to select accounts within the US or Canada. In 2022, Twitter streamlined the Super Followers service by incorporating a tab for interaction tracking within the notification panel. Super Followers is - pretty much - a paywall imposed by prominent accounts that gives subscribers access to 'higher quality' content, tweets, or sometimes even direct contact with the author. Available at either $2.99, $4.99, or $9.99, Super Followers is being branded as a "_[new way for people to earn monthly revenue by sharing subscriber-only content with their followers](https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/product/2021/introducing-super-follows)_" and will look to offer creators up to 97% of their total revenue up to a lifetime earning of $50,000, or 80% upward of this value. **Those that will benefit from Super Followers include;** - **Small Businesses** - can offer discount codes and information on product stock. May be more suited toward niche stores such a those selling records or other collector items. - **Bands **- something already replicated within certain applications such as the international music social media platform Weverse, bands can provide information on concerts and offer ticket pre-orders for their more hardcore fans. - **Journalists** - be it additional sports analysis, or trending news before it hits the mainstream, journalists can offer industry-specific, tailored information to their followers. - **Celebrities and Influencers - **similar to Patreon, celebrities and influencers can use the platform to keep their fans updated with their latest endeavours as well as discussing ideas for content or providing exclusive trailers/samples. ## **Downvote Testing** Almost every other social media has its own form of expressing a negative opinion toward a post; Facebook reactions, YouTube dislikes, Reddit downvotes, etc. Twitter - for the fact that it definitely has its fair share of controversial content - hasn't implemented anything of the sort quite yet. in looking to give audiences a funnel to release their frustrations, an early version of the downvote button has now entered testing. All social platforms have an algorithm in place to distribute popular posts to users it thinks may have an interest in them. Of course, since this is done by a computer rather than a real human, it's not all that uncommon for a post to get an unprecedented amount of coverage for all the wrong reasons. Many algorithms are notoriously poor at recognising things such as hate speech and you'd be hard pressed to find a Twitter user that hasn't - at some point - come across a racist, homophobic or sexist tweet recommended on their timeline. In the algorithm's eyes, the post is getting a high volume of interactions and should therefore be shown to as many people as possible, right? From this point, unless the tweet itself gets blocked (not exactly the most fool-proof system either), it continues to get shared around to people who probably aren't too keen on its contents. Unlike many of its competitors, Twitter isn't looking to make its downvote figures public, but rather to use them as an indicator for its algorithm to recognise tweets that may potentially use hate speech or contain offensive themes. While this is certainly going to take some honing, a downvote button can potentially help mitigate the spread of hurtful tweets and may even contribute to building a case against the blocking of certain users. ## Spelling mistakes are a wonderful staple of Twitter, and there's a certain comedic charm to seeing a multinational corporation forget to double check a tweet before clicking the post button. ## **The Edit Button** The most requested feature by the Twitter faithful, an edit button has long been a coveted as a change that could really take Twitter to the next level and was one of the features that Elon Musk was pushing for during the early days of the Twitter takeover. Of course, the takeover has all but fallen through, but it has been confirmed that an Edit button is indeed still in development. Spelling mistakes are a wonderful staple of Twitter, and there's a certain comedic charm to seeing a multinational corporation forget to double check a tweet before clicking the post button. Twitter themselves state that you should pin the correction in the comments section in order to not lose out on the interaction the post may have already gotten, but this doesn't really spare the blushes of the author - especially when the mistake gives the entirety of the post a whole new meaning. While most uses of the edit button would be for innocuous changes such as spelling or grammatical mistakes, there are certainly some dangers that are likely the reasons behind Twitter waiting so long to add it; - Alterations made after comment have been made could very easily lead to people being taken out of context. Say you put out a tweet reading "Manchester City are the best football team in the world", your friend Dave could comment "Yes, I agree"; you could now edit your post to say "Liverpool are the best football team in the world" and it suddenly looks like Dave is a proud red. - In instances where online abuse is reported against a user, they could simply go back and make an edit to their hurtful tweet. Online abuse is incredibly challenging to police and post-live alterations will add another layer of difficulty to this process and make it far more likely for trolls or bullies to get away with hateful speech. - Something pretty heavily debated in tech circles is the idea of online transparency, Twitter is - at the moment - great for this and you frequently see celebrities caught out for tweets published years ago. While they can be deleted, if saved to someone else's timeline they can't be removed without the full deletion of the author account. This ensures that people take responsibility for the things that they post. From their communication on the matter, it seems that Twitter is very much aware of the potential dangers of an edit button and is currently looking for ways to mitigate these. Very much just a rumour at the moment, it's been mentioned that edited tweets may have a text extract or key indicating that they've been altered, alongside a 30-minute timeframe in which the author can make changes before the tweet is permanent. ## **Safety Mode** Following the exponential rise of social media usage in 2020 and 2021, Twitter have clearly realised there's a huge contingent of spammy and abusive tweets/users on their platform. Originally unveiled to select audiences at the end of 2021, Safety Mode makes its way out of Beta testing and to roughly 50% of the English-speaking users across the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. For accounts that have safety mode enabled, Twitter will look to automatically block interactions that may be abusive or disruptive in nature. It does so by viewing the content within a message or tweet with AI identifying registered slurs/hateful language; the algorithm also considers the relationship between the sender and the recipient to ensure that it doesn't accidentally block communication from a followed account or one that the recipient frequently interacts with. Automatic blocking lasts for a total of seven days but will display a notification toward the end of this term to give the user an option to permanently block the account or extend the duration of the ban. While the concept behind safety mode is a great one, since all of the blocking is done by the algorithm - you can't really be sure that it'll catch all of the spam/abuse. Alternatively, some accounts may also find that completely harmless communication is being blocked on account of Twitter suspecting it might be of a poor quality. Twitter themselves have admitted that they anticipate mistakes in the system and have therefore added a section in the Settings tab from where autoblocks can be undone. ## **Summary** Overall, Twitter is making considerable changes in 2022. Developments in artificial intelligence as well as the general tech industry have meant that social media platforms have more tools on offer when it comes to refining their user experiences. A lot of the changes look to implement additional security to protect users from the rampant bots and spam accounts that make up a sizeable section of the user base. We have yet to see how effective these changes will be, but from a distance they certainly look like they may help to enhance the platform going into the future. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## ALT Text and their Importance URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/08/alt-texts-and-their-importance/ **Date:** 2022-08-10 **Category:** SEO, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** alt tags, alt text, are alt text important, what is a alt text In the world of website design and development, there are a few key elements that are always worth taking the time to understand. One of these is ALT text or alternate text. This little-known but crucial element can make a big difference for your website and its users. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at what ALT text is, why it's important, and how you can use it to enhance your website. ## **What is a ALT Text** Alt text is a form of description used to provide context for images, videos, or other media. It helps users who have visual impairments or those who may struggle to properly understand what is being presented. Alt text can also be used for search engine optimization (SEO). **When creating alt text, it's important to keep a few things in mind:** - Keep it short and sweet. Alternate text should only be a few words long. - Be specific. Alt text should describe the exact contents of the image. - Use keywords wisely. As with all forms of SEO, use keywords thoughtfully and sparingly to avoid being penalized by search engines. **Here's an example of good alt text:** Alt text: A close-up of a chocolate chip cookie. In this example, the alt text is short, specific, and uses keywords (chocolate chip cookie) wisely. **Bad alt text, on the other hand, would be something like this:** Alt text: A delicious treat. This alt text is too general and doesn't provide enough information about the contents of the image. Alt text is an important part of creating accessible content. When used correctly, it can help everyone understand and enjoy your content, regardless of ability. ## **Why is ALT Text Important?** Alt text is important because it allows people who are blind or have visual impairments to understand what is happening in an image. Alt text is also used by search engines to index images, so it's important to include keywords in your alt text that describe the content of the image. Including alt text is also important for accessibility purposes. When images are added to a web page, it helps screen readers describe the image to visually impaired users. Alt text can help users understand what an image is about even if they cannot see it. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## What is a Link Disavow and Why is It Important? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/08/what-is-a-link-disavow-and-why-is-it-important/ **Date:** 2022-08-01 **Category:** Link Detox | **Tags:** link disavow, links, seo Links are an integral part of any digital marketing strategy; by growing your overall link profile you not only prove to Google that you are an authoritative vendor but you also greatly increase your chances of garnering additional traffic through third party sources. While you may be led to believe that more is always better when it comes to links, this isn't actually the case and an association with harmful or spammy domains is just as likely to result in Google punishing your domain. When you find an abundance of these low-quality websites linking to your own, you may begin to consider strategies for removing that association - this is where a[ link disavow](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/link-detox/) comes in. ## **The Weight of Poor-Quality Links** Since the majority of processes are run through its algorithm, Google can't always tell whether a website is spammy or not. To compensate for the abundance of a real person actually looking through the site, the algorithm looks into the referring domains of the suspected website to see if it harbours links to locations already identified as being poor. This approach is very much reminiscent of - you're friends with someone dodgy, therefore, you must also be dodgy - of course, this isn't always the case and you may simply not have been able to, or not have known to, carry out a sitewide link disavow. ## **Breaking the Chain ** The way a link disavow works is - at its core - incredibly simple: you go through a list of all the referring domains coming into your website, identify the ones that are harmful or not relevant to your industry, and submit a list of the aforementioned to Google. While this doesn't always remove all of the harmful links, or may take months at a time to actually be carried out, you are still likely to see a sizeable drop in the spammy links pointed your way. Let's talk about identifying spammy domains; since even the Google algorithm struggles to do so sometimes, spotting which links may have negative connotations can be a challenge to most users. Of course, there are sites that are very, very clearly spammy (it's not all that rare to be shamelessly advert bombed when visiting a random domain) but even sites that appear far more taciturn may have something insidious lurking underneath a pretty UI. While the link disavow process is free to carry out and can be done completely DYI, not every user is going to have access to the tools required to truly discern a harmless website from a harmful one. Thereby, its always recommended that you seek the assistance of a professional when carrying out the link disavow process; at Odyssey New Media we boast a plethora of experience in providing [link building](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo-analysis/) and link disavow solutions across a multitude of industries and briefs. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Changes in Digital Marketing Over the Last 10 Years URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/07/the-changes-in-digital-marketing-over-the-last-10-years/ **Date:** 2022-07-28 **Category:** SEO, Social Media | **Tags:** changes in digital marketing, changes in social media, digital marketing Whether you realise it or not, the digital marketing sector is always changing and evolving, as people's interests and focus change all of the time. Things online go in and out of fashion and people are interested in newer and updated products and services. In this blog post, we will focus on how the Digital Marketing sector has evolved over the last 10 years. ## **The Early days of Digital Marketing** Before we get into it, let's first answer the question: What is Digital Marketing? Digital Marketing is the use of digital platforms to promote products and services. The term 'Digital Marketing' was first used in the 1990s, with the launch of the Web 1.0 platform. This platform allowed users to search for information across the web, but not share it to other sites. By 1994, this first clickable banner ad was launched by HotWired and this set off a chain reaction of more banners advertising different products and services. In 1994 the Yahoo search engine was launched and ended up receiving almost 1 million hits in the very first year of its launch. The success of Yahoo encouraged changes in the Digital Marketing world, with the need for companies to start optimising their sites to rank higher on search engines to enhance their business. In 1998, Google was launched and over a few years, search engines such as MSN and Yahoo started to become less popular. In 2006 search engine traffic increased by 6.4 billion in just a month, making Digital Marketing more prominent and more useful. The first social networking site to emerge was MySpace, which launched in August 2003. MySpace paved the way for the popularity of social media sites today. Soon after the Launch of MySpace, Facebook was launched. With the emergence of these social media sites, people realised the business opportunities that came with social platforms. ## **Modern day Digital Marketing** In the modern day, Digital Marketing is a very useful tool to help businesses grow and expand. If a business is not using digital resources they could be disadvantaged and get a much smaller reach compared to companies that have a strong digital presence. Today, Digital Marketing is a very useful way of connecting to your customers about the products and services you offer. When using online tools, you are able to connect to people in real-time and at any time of the day, meaning that you can get more widespread business and in the long-term, it will affect your business in a positive way by gaining loyal customers online. In 2021 it was reported that 4.2 billion people were using social media, in 2022 this has increased to 4.62 billion. This means that businesses are able to reach more people worldwide when using Digital Marketing methods, meaning that using digital platforms is the best way to let people know who you are and what you do. One of the best things about modern Digital Marketing is that it doesn't cost anything to set up social platforms online. This advantages businesses with any type of budget, as you don't have to spend anything if you don't have the budget for it. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Why is My Website Underperforming? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/07/why-is-my-website-underperforming/ **Date:** 2022-07-20 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** How to increase viewers to website, Underperforming website, website You've poured your heart and soul into your website, but for some reason, it just isn't performing the way you'd hoped. You're not seeing the traffic or conversions you expected, and you're not sure why. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the most common reasons why websites underperform, and we'll offer some tips on how to fix them. So, whether your website is new or old, big or small, these tips will help you get it back on track! ## **Website Design** Due to the competitiveness of many industries, customers expect business websites to be user-friendly and look attractive. Websites that don't appeal to the consumer's eye, generally perform worse than those that have a great design. Imagine yourself going on an unappealing, dull website, would stay for long? Some people may also assume that your website isn't safe, just from the looks alone. To fix your website design, analysis your website and note down all the bad design elements. Implement a colour scheme that fits your business's colour scheme and design it so that it is attractive to the human eye. Remember that not every section on the website has to be filled up with information, making good use of empty space on a page can make all the difference. Organise your website page by using clear headers and bullet points to space out information. Lastly, remember to use high-quality images and videos, but make sure that their size is small for faster loading times. ## **Is Your Website Mobile Friendly?** Web searches are predominantly done on mobile and if your website is not mobile-friendly, then you are far more likely to see poor results. Google and other search engines rank websites that are mobile-friendly far higher because searches are mostly done on mobile. To increase your traffic, make sure your website is mobile-friendly, this can include; faster load times, a responsive layout, viewport meta tags and avoid using pop-ups. After making your website mobile-friendly, make sure that it is comprehensively tested on multiple different phone models. ## **Not Updating Website Content** Another reason you may be experiencing a drop in performance is due to not updating your website's content. A website that is left alone will soon become outdated; search engines do not appreciate this and will commonly lower your rankings on a basis of outdated information or formatting. Websites that are updated with any of the following; images, videos, blogs, and content offerings at least every two weeks tend to rank higher in the search engines. ## **Improving User Experience** When updating or creating a website, make sure it's designed toward the customer. In many instances a quick conversion funnel that allows the consumer to purchase a product or a service without major hassle achieves far greater results. Ensure that content and pages are kept concise and contain all the information a consumer may need. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form.**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) --- ## The Impact of Images on SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/07/the-impact-of-images-on-seo/ **Date:** 2022-07-06 **Category:** SEO, SEO Ranking Factors, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** Image SEO, Optimising image, search engine optimisation, seo Since the dawn of the internet, images have played a major role in SEO. Every day, billions of photos are uploaded to websites; optimising these photos for search engines is essential for website owners who want to increase traffic to their sites. Luckily, there are a number of ways to optimize your images for SEO, and by following these tips you can improve your site's ranking and attract more visitors. In this blog post, we'll discuss the impact of images on SEO and provide tips for optimizing your images for better search engine visibility. ## **Does Optimising Images Improve Rankings?** Before we jump into answering that question, let's first answer: what is Image SEO? Image SEO is optimising images on a website so that search engines like Google can read the image. If a search engine can read the image because it is optimised, it will improve the content visibility and rankings. Image SEO includes optimisation of image type, image size, load time, keywords, and alt texts. Alt Text stands for Alternative Text. Alternative text is inserted into the HTML document to tell website users the contents of the image. If someone is blind, the computer can read out what the image contains to the user. If you want to improve your website rankings, optimising images is a great way to start. Improving your loading times, adding alt text, and much more shows search engines that your website has gone the extra mile to improve the user experience. Google looks favourably upon websites that do so and this is likely to result in higher overall rankings. ## **How to Improve Image SEO** As we mentioned, search engines are all about improving the user's experience, this is why they recommend adding images to your website, articles, and blogs. Adding a simple image to a blog, will improve your content and rank your website higher. Before you upload an image, make sure you have found the best image that suits your content. Using original images for your website is better than using stock images. For example, if you're creating or updating your meet the team page, use an image of your actual team, not a stock image. For blogs, always use an image that is relevant to your content. If you're trying to rank for a keyword, put that optimised image towards the top of the blog, not randomly placed on the page. The most used image formats are GIF, PNG, and JPEG, unfortunately, they all come with positives and negatives. When uploading an image check the size of the image, if it is over a MB (megabyte) then compress it with a compressor. If you want to optimise the image for speed, any image within kilobytes (KB) is good. But make sure that every image is high quality which will make the website or blog seem more professional and interesting. To improve the image SEO, use the Alt tags properly by describing what is actually in the image. Search crawlers can read this information and process the image. When uploading the image use keywords that describe your image so that it is relevant to your content, do this by adding keywords in the image title and file name. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## 5 Reasons Why SEO is a Good Investment URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/06/5-reasons-why-seo-is-a-good-investment/ **Date:** 2022-06-30 **Category:** SEO, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** 5 reasons why seo, seo, SEO investment There is a lot of talk these days about the importance of SEO and whether or not it is worth investing in. While there are certainly some valid concerns that people have about SEO, there are also many good reasons why it can be a wise investment. Here are five of the top reasons why SEO should be a part of your marketing strategy. ## 1. SEO Improves your ROI As a business owner, you must have many goals and objectives that you want to succeed in, one of those goals might be achieving good ROI (return on investment). SEO can work with a range of digital marketing strategies like content marketing and online advertising. If done right, SEO increases your sales and revenue by helping new users find your marketing campaigns online more easily. This can boost your success in attracting more customers to your website through different platforms. Ultimately improving on your overall ROI. ## 2. SEO can Increase your Business' Long-Term Success Unlike traditional marketing campaigns, SEO is a recurring strategy and can therefore go on for years at a time. Unfortunately, it can be pretty slow at the beginning because it takes a long time to build up a backlink profile and get you ranking for your chosen keywords. SEO can change over time but you can continuously edit your content to keep up to date with the search engines to keep on attracting customers. ## 3. Better Website Traffic SEO can improve a business's online profile in many ways. Arguably, one of the best features of SEO is that it improves the quality of your traffic. High-quality traffic is crucial in ensuring that your target audience can find your brand online. Did you know that [80% of shoppers](https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/81-shoppers-conduct-online-research-making-purchase-infographic/) research online for the product they want? How will they find your product with thousands if not millions of products online? The answer is SEO. A relevant SEO solution will help to place you higher in these searches and greatly increase the chance that your product will be found. ## 4. Improving User Experience User experience is integral in ensuring that customers stay on your website over longer periods of time. SEO allows for optimisation of pages to make their information more succinct and redirect users to where they want to go. Search engines look favourably upon positive user experience and will therefore be far more likely to rank your website higher. ## 5. Improving Brand Awareness SEO is essential for building brand recognition. Establishing awareness is key when it comes to building a loyal customer base for your business. SEO can create credibility for your website which means search engines are more likely to rank you higher. The same can be done through the answering of clients' questions or encouraging online interaction between visitors. ### Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form.**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) --- ## Spotting and Avoiding Blackhat SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/06/spotting-and-avoiding-blackhat-seo/ **Date:** 2022-06-21 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** blackhat seo, seo Not everything in the world of digital marketing is sunshine and rainbows. Just as there are many who do so across other industries, there are people who try to take advantage of vulnerabilities in the system for personal gain. In the instance of digital marketing, the vulnerabilities come in the form of the Google algorithm. Having a person behind a desk at Google HQ grading every website on the internet would probably be enough to drive them mad, hence, Google looks to have this menial task carried out by someone who can't hand in a resignation letter; specifically, the AI algorithm they themselves have created. While the algorithm has been rebuilt and refined countless times, there are still techniques to game the system, techniques blackhat SEO agencies are more than happy to employ. ## **Blackhat SEO - What is it?** At a fundamental level, blackhat SEO looks to achieve the same goal as whitehat SEO: the growth of their client across Google and the digital space. The method that is employed to get them there is what sets the two apart. Blackhat SEO takes advantage of the ranking systems to try and trick Google into awarding their client a higher ranking on the search engine even though their website may not be at an adequate level - or in even more extreme circumstances - not even relevant to the subject they are ranking for. ## **Blackhat SEO - How to Spot it** Spotting blackhat SEO practices isn't all that difficult as they are designed to trick the Google algorithm rather than people. If you type 'digital marketing agency' into Google and click on a site only to find that every third word in the content block is 'digital marketing agency', you're probably not going to assume it's a fancy new writing style. Google on the other hand, might. This blackhat technique is called keyword stuffing and is one of the most common; the idea behind it is that Google is far more likely to rank websites for terms that it mentions numerous times across its content. By absolutely cramming in the keywords, the website gives itself a good chance to cover a broader range of search queries or rank well for high volume searches. Blackhat SEO, however, isn't just limited to one technique and you're likely to come across a whole plethora of ways people try to game the system. Another popular (unpopular?) technique is referred to as cloaking and involves showing two different pieces of content to a user and a search engine, this - just like keyword stuffing - allows a website to rank for key terms that aren't actually relevant to the content on the site. The final of the holy trinity of blackhat SEO tactics are link redirects. Ever clicked on a site only to end up on something completely different? While link redirects are accepted when they lead to new versions of existing web pages or whole updated websites, Google tends to be pretty pedantic about them and tends to quickly punish websites that look to send traffic elsewhere. ## **The absolute best way to avoid blackhat SEO is to hire a reputable agency to take care of your digital marketing.** ## **Blackhat SEO - How to Avoid It** It's always recommended that - unless you're an experienced professional - you shouldn't really be managing SEO. The overall process is very delicate and a mistake could lead to irreparable damage to your website. At Odyssey New Media we have seen multiple users who have paid for spammy links in the past; after multiple link disavows and several years of ethical SEO practices their websites are still lagging behind direct competitors. The absolute best way to avoid blackhat SEO is to hire a reputable agency to take care of your digital marketing. Finding a reputable agency is very simple and you're likely to get a good idea of their legitimacy through Google or other review platforms. In all honesty, you're not really going to stumble onto a blackhat agency unless you go very out of your way to find the cheapest option on the market. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**.** --- ## Getting Your Website Ready for Father's Day URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/06/getting-your-website-ready-for-fathers-day/ **Date:** 2022-06-15 **Category:** Web Design | **Tags:** digital marketing strategy, fathers day, social media, website There is no better time to celebrate all of the father figures in your life than on Father's Day. Many websites across the globe will be looking to take advantage of this celebration by offering up a whole assortment of parental-themed products and services. Even if your website doesn't quite cater to this niche, there's no reason to not get in on the fun and offer your own unique spin on Father's Day. ## **Channelling Hype** While it may not be as big a celebration as - say - Christmas, Father's Day is still a pretty big deal in many households. Retail spending was estimated to be around [**GBP 951 million** ](https://trulyexperiences.com/blog/fathers-day-statistics-uk/)in 2021, showing quite a few people opted for something a little bigger than the classical deodorant gift set. Average spend per person varied across different locations with London and Manchester occupants spending the most (GBP 27.72 and GBP 26,94 respectively), while the lowest spenders - those in Norwich - still spent an average upward of GBP 15 (GBP 15.82). Factor in the fact that there are millions of fathers across the UK alone, you're suddenly looking at a pretty sizeable demographic. ## **Discounts and Feature Sections** Most ecommerce and service provider websites look for any opportunity to put on a sale; look no further than 'store closing - all must go' sales, you come back a few months later only to realise that not only is the site still up, but they are still running the same sale. The point is, Father's Day is an occasion that gives a genuine reason to offer discounts and you should look to capitalise on the opportunity. Of course, maybe consider the industry you're a part of before advertising Father's Day sales; nobody wants to see a half price discount at a divorce lawyer. If you do decide to opt for a Father's Day sale, make sure that people are actually aware you're holding one. Put together a little rebrand with some nice banners on your homepage and show all your visitors you're just as enthusiastic about Father's Day as they are. ### **My wife is really mad at the fact that I have no sense of direction. So, I packed up my stuff and right!** ### **Celebrate Father's Day the right way with our team at **[**odysseynewmedia.com**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/) ## **Social Media Promotions** A great way to get a steady stream of visitors to your website is through social media. Why not run a campaign featuring some of your discounted Father's Day products with direct links to your storefront? A great example of a relevant social media campaign could be something along the lines of 'Best Dad Jokes'. Of course, make sure that there is some scope to link back to your website or product page. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our **[contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/).** --- ## How to Get Reviews for Your Ecommerce Business URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/06/how-to-get-reviews-for-your-ecommerce-business/ **Date:** 2022-06-09 **Category:** Reviews | **Tags:** ecommerce business, ecommerce business reviews, how to get reviews, reviews One way that businesses ask for reviews is by asking their customers. However, you don't want to annoy your customers by asking them too many times. What is the best way to ask a customer for a review and when is the right time to? You might be surprised that 85% of people trust reviews as much as personal recommendations. Read on below to find out the answers as I drive deeper into how to get reviews for your [**e-commerce**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/ecommerce-seo/) business. ## **Ask Customers to Share their Happiness** Businesses usually shy away from asking satisfied customers to review their products or business. Some businesses don't want to be seen as opportunistic or taking advantage of the situation. Did you know that asking for a review is unlikely to bother customers at all? If the customer is satisfied with the business's products, they are more likely to review the business anyway. Asking for the customer's reviews is a sign that you care about their experience. Around 87% of happy customers will tell their friends and families about their experience. One tip is to ask the customer if they would like to review the company online as they are encouraged by their positive feelings. For example, if your customer service team has a positive conversation with a satisfied customer, ask them to review the company online. A satisfied customer is more likely to review the company because they are encouraged by their positive emotions. ## **Follow up Email** After a customer has completed a sales transaction, it's a good idea to send an automated email with the details of the transaction. On that completed transaction email you could have a section, asking the customers if they would like to review the company. Many companies ask the customer for a review after their purchase because the experience is still fresh in their minds. If you don't want to ask your customers to review your company on the transaction email, you can send a follow-up email. This follow-up email will ask your customers to review your company. Only 2.4% of companies send a follow-up email. If done well, this is something to capitalise on when increasing your reviews. ## **Get Reviews from Social Media** If used right, social media is a great opportunity for businesses to build up relationships with their audience. Contests that relate to some form of your business can create noise. Customers will comment on your post and depending on the contest, they may post their stories about the contest. After announcing the contest winners, ask the winners to give the company a review. The winner will be influenced by positive emotions and will more than likely give the business a review. To get more reviews, the winning prize must be more valuable. The more valuable the prize is the more people are willing to do to enter the competition. Your business can create rules around how to enter the contest. The competition rules can ask people to review your company and they will be entered in the contest. If done probably, this can be a good way to get a few reviews from social media. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121 439 5450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Email Marketing Best Practice URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/05/email-marketing-best-practice/ **Date:** 2022-05-30 **Category:** Email Marketing | **Tags:** Email, email marketing Email marketing may not be the best for newer marketing channels and can be a hassle to get right. Little things like the date and time, language, tone of voice, and segmenting of customers can all affect your engagement rates. However, email is still a great way for businesses to generate leads and sales. In the blog below you will find out about some of the email marketing best practice you should always look to enact. ## **Email Size** When sending your emails to your customers, you want the email to show correctly 100% of the time. Sending the wrong size email can make the email look unprofessional and unfinished to the end-user. When creating your email template make it between 500 to 650 pixels wide. If the email is over 650 pixels, the email won't show up correctly on the end user's device. Anything over 650 pixels require the user to scroll horizontally. Something as simple as the size of the email can affect the readability, conversions and experience. ## **Don't Purchase a Contact List** The regulations imposed by the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) look to protect the data of consumers, of course, email addresses are amongst those data types that are protected. Due to this, you should always be careful when it comes to the purchasing of contact lists as some of these may have been collected in an unethical manner. Overall cold-emailing is also less likely to garner leads or conversions as many of the people contacted will have no prior relation to your business. If your emails are continuously being left unopened some email providers may start flagging your address as spam, severely hindering even genuine email marketing attempts. Contacting people whose information you've earned through a previous interaction is more likely to open your email. Doing this can boost your email campaign performance. This means your emails won't get caught by the spam filter. ## **Don't Use 'No-Reply' in Sender's Email Address** To improve your open rate, don't use 'no-reply' in a sender's email address. To some consumers, this can look spammy or in some cases unprofessional. People who think it looks spammy will dis-guard the email altogether. To stop this from happening, use an email address that looks real. For example, luke@yourcompany.com. Using a real name looks more professional and your customers are more likely to trust it. This means they are more likely to open the email which will help to improve your campaign's open rate. ## **Clean Out Your Mailing List Once a Month** To maximise your open rate, each month clean your mailing list. Doing this gets rid of those people who do not engage with your email. I know that businesses what to email as many people as they can to tell them about their sales. But the more people that you email that don't open your email will decrease your open rate. Ensure that you regularly clean out your email list in order to ensure that you aren't repeatedly emailing dead addresses. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121 439 5450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Future of Google Image Tagging URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/05/the-future-of-google-image-tagging/ **Date:** 2022-05-24 **Category:** Image | **Tags:** image, image search With recent developments to the all-round functionality of AI and machine learning, many businesses across the globe have looked to implement these solutions to ease the burden on their workforce. Google is no exception and as a fervent believer in the potential of AI, they are always looking to make use of new systems to grow the functionality of their search engine. While these developments have sometimes been rocky at best, there is undoubtedly a great deal of potential for the use of AI within a search engine. One particularly precarious area is that of image tagging, where correctly identifying key factors within a picture can be massively beneficial in helping people with visual impairments as well as delivering on specific queries through image search. Through the new update, Google is trying to implement skin tone recognition as a feature within their image search, something which - when correctly enforced - can not only help to make search results more inclusive but can also help reduce bias within product marketing. ## **Current Image Recognition** While Google already has an AI image tagging system in place, it does not currently look to identify skin tone, instead focusing on labelling objects in order to discern what the subject of the image is. Having run an image of our MD at [Odyssey New Media](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/) through their current vision AI, we can see that it has picked up on several things; primarily the glasses he is wearing, the laptop he is using, and maybe most important of all, that he is indeed a person (always good to double-check). We can clearly see that the foundations for AI image tagging as here, and that they are - for the most part - pretty accurate. ## **The MST Scale** Skin tone categorisation is nothing new in the tech world, and many companies have been using the Fitzpatrick scale since its introduction in the 1970s. While it may have been a pretty innovative idea at the time, the scale was created to gauge the impact of tanning and sun burn on individuals with pale skin, something that ensured darker tones or those that did not fit within conventional standards were completely unaccounted for. Over the subsequent years, the Fitzpatrick scale was adapted to allow for six different categories of skin tone. While this helped account for more of the global population, it was still pretty limited. The MST scale (or the Monk Skin Tone scale) was introduced to improve on the idea of the Fitzpatrick scale by offering up a larger variety of skin tones across both light and dark. According to thorough research from the Harvard professor who coined the scale as well as Google's own data on the subject, having upward of twelve categories leads to inconsistent results while less than about eight isn't representative of a full tonal range. Taking all of this into consideration, they decided on the happy medium of ten categories. ## **The Benefits of MST** While this may seem like virtue signalling to some, there are genuine positive implications to making MST the industry standard for image recognition. - **Demographics** play a key role in product marketing and it can sometimes be challenging to communicate directly with your target audience. Image recognition will make it easier to target specific skin tones (particularly useful for make-up brands and other cosmetic retailers) as well as making it far more likely that a business offering a diverse range of products can be quickly found. - **Diversity **is becoming more and more important in the digital space, unfortunately, you're still likely to see certain skin tones far more frequently than others with specific key terms (Doctor, Baby, etc...). The MST scale will make it easier to balance the search results as well as providing the option to search specifically by certain skin tones. - **Accuracy **is probably the most useful facet of image search and finding the right pictures to match your brand or content can prove to be pretty challenging. Google has been steadily adding additional search features over the last few years in order to make their results more accurate. Implementation of the MST scale looks to be a great way to find exactly the types of images you're looking for with a fraction of the hassle. Diversity looks to be a key area of focus for Google in the future. We might even see it become an influencing factor for SEO rankings. The world is slowly shifting to recognise the importance of diversity in day-to-day life. While representation is something that is championed within many businesses, the online world is lagging behind. A 2022 [online harassment survey](https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/cyber-bullying-statistics) reported that 36.5% of people report having been bullied online at some point in their lifetime, of these, 61% were due to appearance, and 17% due to race. While Google's new image tagging is a step in the right direction and looks to be a highly beneficial piece of kit for marketers and relevant businesses, there are some deeper societal issues that may need to be addressed in order to truly make the digital world a more accepting place. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Alex Huynh - Meet The Team URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/05/alex-huynh-meet-the-team/ **Date:** 2022-05-18 **Category:** Odyssey New Media News | **Tags:** odyssey, odyssey new media ## **What Got You into Digital Marketing?** _"When I was first introduced to Digital Marketing in my apprenticeship course, I didn't realise that there were so many channels and platforms that we use on a daily basis that can be influenced by digital marketing. Being able to see the technical details behind online marketing and the possibilities was one of the main reasons for my interest in this area."_ _"It's also a sector that is becoming more important as it's constantly growing, especially with an increasing number of businesses making the shift to the online world."_ ## **WHAT MOTIVATES YOU ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS?** _"Being able to make an impact on businesses is one of the main drivers for me. I find digital marketing to be very satisfying, especially when you see good results from the work you've put in. Although there may be days when the work is long, I know that every effort you put in will pay off and that there is never a wasted opportunity. Getting to know clients and building lasting relationships also makes it feel less like a job and more like you are part of the bigger picture."_ _"The digital marketing sector is also always changing, so it's unlikely that things will stay the same and that's another motivator for me. I get to work on different things each day and it's not just the same tasks over and over."_ ## **DO YOU PREFER WORKING IN THE OFFICE OR FROM HOME, WHY?** _"Although I don't mind working from home, I find myself to be more productive working in the office as communicating with the team and collaborating on ideas is much easier (not to mention there are fewer_ _distractions in the office). I like to have a separation between home and work as it helps me focus more in work. It's also good to just get out of the house and see something different and I think the commute helps with this."_ ## **WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS/HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF WORK?** _"Outside of work, I enjoy playing a variety of racket sports, like tennis, squash, and table tennis when I can. I'm a beginner in these sports, but I just like to stay active so I've been trying to spend more time on the weekends enjoying those. I also love immersing myself in films and shows, particularly anything Marvel."_ ## **WHERE DO YOU SEE ODYSSEY IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS?** _"In the next five years, I can see Odyssey with a dedicated property for the business. I think we're currently expanding at a healthy rate and we may need more space to accommodate staff in the future. This is, of course, a long-term vision but it would be nice to one day have a dedicated business property for Odyssey."_ ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Raising Conversion Rates for your E-commerce Business URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/05/raising-conversion-rates-for-your-e-commerce-business/ **Date:** 2022-05-09 **Category:** Conversions | **Tags:** business conversion, conversion rates, ecommerce Conversion rates often directly translate into sales and will benefit your business. Before we find out ways to increase conversion rates, we must understand what exactly a conversion is. In this blog, we will go through what a conversion is and how to increase them. ## **What is a Conversion?** A conversion is a goal, set out by your company. Depending on what sector you are in, your conversion goals may change. For example, if your company offers services, your conversion (goal) is to get the customer to fill out a contact form. Whereas a company that is intending to make sales will count a purchase from the website as a conversion. Actions like clicking on a phone number, downloading a PDF and more are conversions. Remember the business creates the desired goal. ## **How to Grow your eCommerce Conversion Rates** Now that we understand what our goals are, we can now increase them. It might seem simple but to increase your eCommerce conversion rates is to improve the design and feel of your website. No one is going to purchase from a dodgy, unprofessional website. Ask yourself, would you purchase from an unprofessional website? Your e-commerce website needs to be visually appealing and persuasive. Your website needs to be simple to navigate because customers won't use your website if they can't find what they're looking for. In ascending order, the customer will look at the main image, the inlaid text then the call-to-action button. Make the main image interesting while the text and call to action button can be easily seen. Site speed can play a factor in the trustworthiness of a website. Decreasing the data within images and text will help your website improve speed. The more smooth, easy to navigate and professional your website is, the more customers will trust the website and create a conversion. Building up trust with customers is a great way to increase conversions. But how do you do it? A great way to build up trust in a website is by adding a review section. Customers can see other people's experiences and can base their opinion on that. As mentioned in our previous blog '[The Importance of Negative Reviews](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2022/05/04/the-importance-of-negative-reviews/)' an overall score of 4.7 stars will make new customers trust your business. Having this review section will make it easy for new customers to share their experiences too, which will help your business in the future. Making it as easy as possible for the customer to create a conversion means the customer has no excuse. Making it easier and giving options to the customers means they are more likely to convert. For example, giving the customer multiple options to download a file. Different files you can include is PDF, JPEG, Word document and more. Another example if giving the customer multiple payment methods. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Importance of Negative Reviews URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/05/the-importance-of-negative-reviews/ **Date:** 2022-05-04 **Category:** Reviews | **Tags:** negative reviews, reviews Are you working hard to earn great reviews on your products or website? You are not alone; most businesses are trying to do the same thing. But every business owner is terrified of a bad review. How do you address a bad review? Do you delete it or leave it? Did you know that negative reviews are actually good for your business? Today we will go over why bad reviews are important for your business. ## **Why are Some Negativity Reviews good?** The common belief is that all negative reviews are bad. This is true in some cases if you have too many of them. Like everything in life, too much of something is bad for you. Believe it or not, having too many positive reviews can be a red flag to your customers. A study conducted by [ReviewInc](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/negative-reviews-help-seo-reviewinc/444703/) concluded that more consumers will trust a 4.7 rating than a 5-star rating. This may be because some businesses provide exchanges for positive reviews. Customers are aware of this. Other times customers don't believe the 5-star review because they think it's 'too good to be true'. Sometimes having a 5-star rating can affect your business in a negative way. Nevertheless, having a good rating that includes negative reviews indicates to the consumer that the business is authentic. This type of rating works for every platform. This shows that having some negative reviews is beneficial for a business. ## **Responding to a negative review** When you get a negative review a good way of dealing with it, is by responding to the review. When responding to a negative review you need to know how to do it, if you want the best results. How do you correctly respond to a negative review without fracturing your relationship with a client? In 2018 a company called [Review Trackers](https://neilpatel.com/blog/your-business-needs-negative-reviews/#:~:text=Responding%20to%20negative%20reviews%20will,to%20show%20it) found out that 53.3% of people that leave negative reviews expect the company to respond within 7 days. Responding in a timely manner is important as it shows the customer that you care about their bad experience with your company. To start off the review acknowledge the customer's complaint and understand where they're coming from. Doing this shows the customer that you understand their complaint and you aren't apologising for no reason. After understanding their complaint, apologise to the customer and look for ways to make it up to them. Next take responsibility for the company's actions. We can do this by offering the client our sincerest apologies and telling them something along the lines of "Once we have concluded our investigation we will get back to you shortly". If needed provide an explanation of why this has happened. If you want to make a good impression, taking the discussion offline shows the customer that your business is willing to help. By doing this, it shows the customer that your business provides good customer service. The last step is making the situation right by fixing the situation. This can be by replacing the product or offering the customer a refund. Not only will this look good on your business, but the customer can include how you handled the situation in their review too. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Story Behind the Twitter Takeover and Predictions for Its Future URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/04/the-story-behind-the-twitter-takeover-and-predictions-for-its-future/ **Date:** 2022-04-27 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** social, social media, twitter The latest bit of news from the world of social media is the rather unexpected takeover of Twitter. Understandably, Twitter is one of the leading social platforms and it would take a metric shed-load of cash to prise shares from the current ownership, raising the question: who would be adventurous (and wealthy) enough to take over such an established platform? Of course, this comes down to multi-billionaire, business mogul and... Twitter influencer(?) Elon Musk to whom the multiple billions required to fund the purchase of majority global shares seems to be little more than pocket change. Slowly purchasing Twitter stocks across early 2022, as of April 1st Musk owned 9.13% of the company making him the largest shareholder. He has publicly declared that he plans to carry on purchasing stocks with the intention of -one day- owning 100%. The future of the platform seems to very much rest in his hands. ## **Why the Sudden Interest?** While it's not much of a surprise for those that regularly use the platform, those who don't might not be aware quite just how much Musk loves Twitter. From sharing wonderfully random memes about Fromsoftware's newest gaming release Elden Ring, iconic quotes from Lord of The Rings, and general meme-y randomness (which he tends to do quite frequently) Musk seems either unaware or uninterested in the fact that most other people with followings of 86 million tend to be rather mindful about what they post. For many of his followers, having a global personality who openly challenges Putin to single combat for possession of Ukraine is rather refreshing if not slightly strange. Having established himself across various tech businesses and start-ups Musk undoubtedly has the necessary experience to improve on the overall Twitter experience having even publicly commented on the platform lacking an edit button and other basic features. While refining the platform does seem to be one of his long-term goals, he seems more interested in changing the very dynamic of Twitter to encourage free speech for its users. Musk himself is someone who has suffered the repercussions of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time with his Twitter post of 'Tesla stock price too high' knocking $14 billion off the value of Tesla. ## **The Battle for Free Speech** A key point in Elon Musk's Twitter takeover bid seems to be the focus on free speech, having held a poll in late March asking 'Free speech is essential to a functioning democracy. Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this principle?' Overall, over 70% of the 2,035,924 voters stated that this was not the case. Musk himself is someone who has suffered the repercussions of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time with his Twitter post of 'Tesla stock price too high' knocking $14 billion off the value of Tesla. Due to its sheer size, Twitter is very difficult to properly moderate and while people are getting banned, you're only ever really a few clicks from finding something pretty dubious. To compensate for this fact Twitter tends to ban high-profile accounts such as that of Donald Trump or Marjorie Taylor Greene in order to make it appear as if the job is being done properly. What level of free speech Elon Musk intends to implement is unclear as of yet but it is certainly likely that we will be seeing some of these banned accounts making a return in the future. ## **Changes for The Future ** While he hasn't specified exactly what changes he plans to make going into the future, by piecing together some of his tweets as well as public statements we can make a series of predictions as to the changes he might make once he officially becomes the owner of Twitter. **The Edit Button ** Carrying on with the theme of Twitter polls holding major power, Musk created a poll in early April asking if users wanted to see an Edit button, 4,406,764 votes later with 73.6 percent in favour, it looks like an edit button will be making an appearance at some point down the line. In what is either a cheeky dig from a man with an off-key sense of humour or a meticulously-timed bit of irony, Musk has in fact misspelt both the yes and no options in the voting section to say 'yse' and 'on'. **Reversal of Bans** As mentioned in the 'battle for free speech' section, numerous high-profile people have been banned from the platform, If Elon Musk truly plans to implement free speech we can expect to see most - if not all - of these people making a return to Twitter. If we take this further, bans themselves wouldn't really match the whole free speech ideology and we might even see the option to ban someone be removed entirely or altered to only be valid for harassment or spam accounts. **User Verification** Coming from another of his tweets, Musk has stated that he's committed to 'defeating the spambots. A great idea since Twitter is absolutely packed with them and there seems to be no strategy for getting rid of them from the current leadership. It wouldn't be a surprise if we saw some additional verification procedures be implemented in order to prove that users are in fact real people. Any developments in this field are bound to become widespread across the other social platforms since both Instagram and Snapchat have their fair share of struggles with spambots. **Advertisements** Ahead of their deletion, Elon Musk put out several Tweets discussing his desire to remove advertising from Twitter altogether. His reasoning for this was that corporations had additional power to dictate policy when heavily reliant on ads, he's certainly not wrong but with [roughly 90% of Twitter's income](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/120114/how-does-twitter-twtr-make-money.asp) coming directly from advertising, the profits from the platform would certainly nosedive. **Content Rules** If Musk wishes to fully support free speech on Twitter, he will have to alter content rules. While they are horrendously implemented, the rules are there and actively look to discourage people from posting about high-tension topics. Whether he removes these rules entirely under the premise of completely free speech or alters them to allow for more opinionated content is very much up in the air at the moment, but we are certainly likely to see at least some changes in Twitter's content rules. ## **Twitter Going Forward** The next few months spell a crucial time for Twitter, the changes implemented over this time will no doubt greatly alter the platform as well as the general landscape for other social media services. The funding and resources that Elon Musk has at his disposal will certainly allow him to create something truly special. The path will likely be rife with resistance from those opposing his ideologies and the platform may suffer at his hands before it sees any semblance of success, but as the man himself once said 'Twitter's next board meeting is gonna be lit'. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## 5 Biggest SEO Myths URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/04/5-biggest-seo-myths/ **Date:** 2022-04-21 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** digital marketing, odyssey new media, seo Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) can be complicated, especially if you're getting your information off people who don't understand SEO properly. They might think they know what they're talking about as they used to use SEO however, it has changed over the years. Ask any Digital Marketer. Debunking SEO myths can help your business move forward in rankings and conversion rates. Read on below as we debunk 5 SEO myths. ## **Which is Better for Links? Quantity or Quality** One myth of SEO is that a higher quantity of links on your blog or website will improve the trustworthiness of your content and improve rankings. Although that used to be the case with SEO, it isn't anymore. While using lots of low-quality links that connect your content to different pages may seem like a good SEO strategy, doing so will drag down your content and threaten your trustworthiness. Google and customers will grow weary of these excessive links and won't trust your content. How do you make sure you link correctly? 3 high-quality links are better than 100 low-quality links. When it comes to SEO authority matters. For example, the BBC is a trusted website that has a lot of authority. A link from the BBC will show Google that you're a trusted website due to the fact of their authority. If you link the BBC in your blog, it would be a high-quality link because you're linking to a high authority and trustworthy website. If you were to link to a spam website, then it would be a low-quality link because Google sees that website as low authority and untrustworthy. For digital marketing services bound to deliver, [visit Odyssey New Media here](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/). ## **A High Keyword Density Will Improve Ranking** Including relevant keywords many times in a piece of content will improve ranking. Right? Actually, using a high keyword density will inflict search penalties on your website or content. If you use as many keywords as you can in your content, search engine algorithms will see this as 'keyword stuffing'. If a search engine like Google catches you doing this, they will demote your website in rankings or even remove your website altogether. How do I use keywords properly? If you want to rank for a keyword on a search engine, you can, but you must do it properly. For example, if you were writing a blog about Carbon Filters, you can't help but use the keyword 'Carbon Filters' lots of times throughout the blog (try to keep it to a minimum). If you're writing a blog about the world's health organisation then there are a few keywords you can play around with, instead of just using the world's health organisation. Google doesn't have an ideal keyword density. But remember, mentioning keywords a few times will boost rankings in your content. But do it too many times then Google sees that as keyword stuffing. ## **Page Speed Shouldn't be Important** Visitors are always in a rush because they want access to information quickly. Websites that load slowly will make the visitor lose interest swiftly. This debunks the myth that page speed isn't important. Slow loading speeds for your website will affect your SEO as search engines use page speed as a factor in ranking your website. How do I fix this? Test your website on 3G and 4G networks. If after testing your website and it is still slow at loading here are a few tricks to speed it up. Decompress all your images on your website, optimize images, improve server response time, reduce redirects, and remove render-blocking JavaScript. ## **You Only do SEO Once** One myth people believe in, is that once you've created an SEO strategy and set it in place, you don't have to touch it again. This isn't true. SEO is a constantly evolving task that shouldn't be left alone. SEO should be tested, monitored, analysed and modified throughout the year due to the numerous changes that occur as a part of Google updates. Staying on top of this task will benefit your rankings and visibility to your customers. You or a Digital Marketing agency like [Odyssey New Media](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo-services/) will tweak your SEO strategy to gain the best results. ## **SEO is Expensive** These days there are a variety of digital marketing tools available at different prices. The word expensive depends on the size and assets of your company. A smaller business will have a smaller budget for digital marketing tools or digital marketing agencies. But depending on what service you use, cost-effective SEO strategies from agencies or tools will achieve the right level of SEO for everyone. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Dealing With Online Stress URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/04/dealing-with-online-stress/ **Date:** 2022-04-13 **Category:** General | **Tags:** online stress, social media In recognition of April being the official stress awareness month, we should all look for ways to better empathise with the online pressures of our peers, co-workers, and other occupants of the so-called digital space. The sheer size of said space means that a regular person gets constantly pelted with societal expectation and general unpleasantness across any platform that they choose to use. Choose is the key word here as the use of online platforms is very much a choice, and before saying anything else, I would highly recommend taking a break from any online spaces if you find that they regularly boost your stress levels. There is no shame in simply taking a break from, or limiting your access to, the online world as it can sometimes feel like a multi-pronged attack on your mental wellbeing, trust me, many of us have been there. There are, however, several ways in which you can limit your own exposure to the nasties of the internet, we've picked out some of our favourites to talk about below. ## **Understanding What Stresses You Out** By coming to understand what directly causes you stress within a digital space will better enable you to combat it. The chief offender in most cases will be a form of social media through which you might encounter trolling or negativity as well as posts pertaining to the ideal self rather than reality. As mentioned in our [link between social media and mental health blog](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/10/08/the-link-between-social-media-and-mental-health/), this can cause long-lasting damage to self-esteem as well as additional stress. While avoiding altered and staged social posts is very difficult to do, especially on picture heavy platforms such as Instagram, filtering the accounts that you do follow can help to mitigate the number of stressful posts you encounter. ## **Limiting Your Active Time** The internet is huge, like absolutely ludicrous amounts of huge, like so huge that you're likely to feel light headed just trying to imagine the [1.17 billion](https://siteefy.com/how-many-websites-are-there/#:~:text=Currently%2C%20there%20are%20around%201.17,active%2C%2083%25%20are%20inactive.) websites that currently exist (so try not to). The point I'm trying to make is that you can spend a lifetime browsing websites and social profiles without seeing all that is there to see. In almost Lovecraftian style, the more you focus on collecting knowledge and trying to see everything, the more your mental health will suffer. Spending all your time online will only serve to distance you from others, basic human necessities such as eating, sleeping, and sometimes briefly seeing the sun are all pretty important in the grand scheme of things - certainly more so than what an influencer on the other side of the world thinks about the latest designer clothing launch. There are numerous applications on the app store that allow you to create self-imposed limits that look to lower time spent online but even something as simple as a timer can help you to cut down if necessary. ## **Talking to Someone** While it may not always be a perfect solution, there is a reason why so many people encourage each other to speak about their issues or anxieties. While the exact mathematics of a problem shared is a problem halved are yet to be proven, discussion with a trusted individual can help to alleviate feelings of hopelessness as well as offer you some insight into addressing the matter at hand. Yet again, it is important to emphasize that not everyone is a mental health professional, and their advice should not always be taken at face value. However, if you do wish to speak to a professional, there is plenty of information as well as contact number available on the [National Stress Awareness Month](https://www.stress.org.uk/national-stress-awareness-month/) website. --- ## Will Facebook Ads be Impacted by Meta? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/04/will-facebook-ads-be-impacted-by-meta/ **Date:** 2022-04-08 **Category:** Facebook, Social Media | **Tags:** seo, social media When Mark Zuckerberg changed the name of the organisation that oversees Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, it was arguably the biggest digital marketing news of 2021. Exhibiting a movement in focus for the brand, the rename better suits the company's visions and ethos moving forward. The brand-new vision seems to be devoted to the metaverse, which is an experimentally new social media channel that relies on VR technology and augmented reality to deliver a unique experience for its users. Metaverse has the potential to completely change the digital marketing industry forever. ## **What are Facebook Ads?** As an essential tool for [social media marketing](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media-advertising/), Facebook Ads allow brands to advertise their products and services, enabling them to increase their reach and potentially boost conversions. This form of advertising is useful for businesses as they offer more options compared to other advertising platform such as Google. Facebook obtains user characteristics and then can show ads to users with your target characteristics. For example, if your company sells coffee machines, you can target an older audience that are homeowners that have expressed their interest in coffee and coffee machines. Facebook ads do cost money; however, we have found that it is often cheaper to get traffic compared to other advertising platforms. There are different payment methods that your business can choose from. The most popular way is pay-per-click (PPC), which means that you only get charged when a user clicks on your ad. Many digital marketers will choose this strategy because you only pay when you engage with your customers. ## **Changes to Facebook Ads** There was a lot of criticism when Facebook rebranded because of issues with privacy credentials. However, the criticism increased when Zuckerberg promised that their privacy policy would be tightened up, as this hadn't happened before the rebranding. Once the metaverse was introduced to us, Facebook announced that they would be restricting some advertising options which removes the ability for advertisers to target sensitive factors. This was not welcomed by some businesses as it meant that advertising could become more difficult. They implemented this change on the 19th January 2022 and have removed some commonly used targeting options. These included sexual orientation, religious practices, political beliefs, and health causes. ## **There are changes to Facebook Ads, Will Others Follow?** Currently, there have only been changes to Facebook Ads so far and it has been confirmed that the changes that they have made to Facebook will not be the same across the Metaverse ecosystem. This indicates that the privacy changes may not be part of a wider plan to make advertising less targeted. It may just be a plan to improve the reputation of Facebook as a lot of users were pushing for. On Instagram, there are currently no adjustments to how their advertising works. However, Meta has been working on increasing its privacy across all its channels including WhatsApp, where they are pushing for a marketing campaign to boost users of its encryption protocol. As Facebook has strengthened its privacy policy, other social platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter will most likely follow suit. Meta's reputation came under threat the most regarding privacy, however, now these changes have been made, the focus will now be on others to improve their privacy credentials. ## **How will these changes Impact your Facebook Ads?** This will depend on your target audience and the product or service you deliver. Like the example, we provided earlier, a coffee machine shop isn't likely to be affected and is expected to continue to run ads to Facebook users. However, businesses like vegan restaurants, LGBT awareness organisations, and political parties are likely to be heavily affected and won't be able to reach their target audience easily. These types of businesses will have to review their social media marketing campaigns to ensure that they can still run Facebook ads. ## **Conclusion** It will be interesting to see how the changes that the Metaverse has made will impact digital marketing. Meta has provided these changes because the targeting options that they have removed can be seen as sensitive characteristics of an individual. Advertisers could potentially discriminate using the targeting and removing them can make the social media platform a safer place for all. ### **Contact Our Team for Social Media Advertising Strategy** Get in touch with our team of [Social Media Strategy](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media-consultancy/) specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Robert Stoubos - Meet the Team URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/03/robert-stoubos-meet-the-team/ **Date:** 2022-03-29 **Category:** Odyssey New Media News | **Tags:** odyssey, odyssey team Welcoming the director of Odyssey New Media, below are some of the questions that will help you in getting to know Rob and his outlook on digital marketing. ## **What Got You into Digital Marketing?** _"I originally studied a degree in Computer Science so my background wasn't in marketing, however my very first job offer was as an SEO executive for a small web development agency in Birmingham City Centre; I was fortunate enough to be employed the next week after I'd graduated. I quickly became fascinated with digital marketing and in particular Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). I loved how websites could be optimised both onsite and offsite to get them to rank higher for target search terms within the search engine ranking positions. Over the last 16 years, I've continued to learn and develop more knowledge and experience in order to become a cross-channel marketer with experience across most major channels of Digital Marketing._" ## **What Motivates You on a Day-to-Day Basis?** _"In more recent years, I am motivated by the challenge of running and growing Odyssey New Media whilst maintaining the very best service we can for our customers. Our customer's success equals our success so it's important not to get complacent and to stay self-motivated and disciplined. I also still enjoy getting involved in project strategy, planning, reporting and doing hands-on work alongside the rest of the team in order to help our clients get amazing results."_ ## **Do You Prefer Working in the Office or From Home, Why? ** _"Personally, I prefer working in the office. I find it a lot better to have a home-work divide as well as it helping me stay focused mentally. I also enjoy physically travelling to work and seeing the rest of the team members. I found working at home during lockdown 2020 to be very monotonous and gave me a sense of cabin fever - hopefully, we never have to do that again!"_ ## **Where Do You See Odyssey in The Next 5 Years?** _"Our reputation in Birmingham and the Midlands has grown, over the next 5 years we aim to make the agency every more well known throughout the UK. We are also aiming to grow our client base sensibly and to make the agency more attractive to outside investors. Another ambition is to purchase our own premises which we can call our own and for it to feel like home."_ ## **What are your Interests and Hobbies Outside of Work? ** _"Outside of work I have several passions and hobbies which include music, watching films, exercising, reading and travelling. On the music side, I'm also a self-taught acoustic and electric guitar player; I enjoy playing hard rock music mostly such as Guns N Roses, Bon Jovi, Led Zeppelin and so on. Travel wise my last major trip was back in December 2019 when I went to Iceland which was an amazing place, especially given it had snowed so it was very picturesque and the people were all really friendly and spoke English which was a bonus! I'm hoping to travel more again next year when hopefully the quarantine restrictions have been lifted; destinations I'd love to visit include the US, Australia and Japan."_ ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google on Keeping Maps Information Reliable URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/03/google-on-keeping-maps-information-reliable/ **Date:** 2022-03-25 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google, google maps, online If you're anything like I am, Google Maps is your designated go-to when trying to find a location, but have you ever actually wondered how reliable Google Maps is? Surely Google can't have eclectic information on every single tiny pizza place in Birmingham and since registering a location is so easy and completely free, there have got to be people out there who have created a business profile just because they could. Quite a productive use of their time. Don't panic though! Google is -probably more than anyone- aware of the negative implications of online trolls and have their own strategies in place to combat fraudulent business profiles and the edits of those already present. ## **How Does Google Recognise Spam?** For all their ever-so-slightly dubious client data kafuffles, Google does seem to genuinely care about keeping business data secure. This has meant they needed to identify a way to spot fraudulent business profile edits since changing the profile data is as simple as clicking 'manage your business profile'. Businesses that have claimed their profiles have it considerably better since Google has acknowledged the link between the profile an email address, demanding identity verification ahead of enacting any changes. For businesses that aren't officially claimed, Google makes use of a combination of algorithms, machine learning, and user reports to identify dubious changes and block them before they get a chance to go live. In 2021 Google saw an increase of 30% to the number of business profiles that were being edited signifying that more and more businesses were recognising the importance of the online world to their marketing solution. 30% is pretty huge and a chunk of those are guaranteed to be businesses trying to move their leading competitors to some remote island far, far away. Luckily, this is picked up on more often than not and Google reports that[ less than 1 percent of all of the content viewed on Google Maps is fraudulent or abusive](https://blog.google/products/maps/how-we-kept-maps-reliable-2021/). ## **How Successful Has This Been?** Less than 1% is a pretty impressive figure showing that whatever the people at Google HQ are doing, its working. As important as the total amount is, it's also key that they can keep it up, below are a list of the things they have achieved in 2021; - Removed a total of 7 million fake profiles, of these over 630,00 were flagged through user reports, - Prevented 12 million attempts to create a business profile, - Prevented 8 million attempts to fraudulently claim a business profile, - Disabled more than 1 million accounts due to violation of the guidelines. These figures indicate that Google has been incredibly successful in protecting the information of its Maps platform and that people all across the world can carry on using it knowing that almost all of what is present is reliable and up-to-date. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## What Is The Ideal Blog Length? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/03/what-is-the-ideal-blog-length/ **Date:** 2022-03-17 **Category:** Guides | **Tags:** blog, content, content length A content development strategy is at the heart of many a marketing campaign. Google states that "[the freshness of content plays a bigger role in answering queries](https://www.google.com/search/howsearchworks/algorithms/)" and what better way is there to regularly implement fresh, relevant content than by making use of a blog? Not only can they be used for fresh content, but can also provide relevant information on your business and products. All in all, blogs are pretty awesome. A question that stumps many marketers and businesses worldwide is "how long should a blog actually be?". It's super easy to type up a 300-word piece of content and just throw it onto the website, but how well will this actually perform in terms of search rankings? On the contrary, we've also seen businesses pump out thousands of words worth of content, spending hours at a time, but is longer truly better? ## **Is There a Perfect Content Length?** As is the case with most things Google, nobody really has any idea (except maybe the programmers cackling as they add to the algorithm). There are experts across the industry who swear by certain lengths but have little evidence apart from their own experiences and performance. The experts at Google themselves are coy on the issue and have refused to actually comment on what the ideal blog content length is, although it is highly suspected that word count is one of the ranking factors when it comes to SEO. The consensus within the industry is that Google is more likely to recognise long-form content of 1000+ words as being industry-relevant and of a high quality. Having conducted eclectic research into the subject, digital marketing advice company Backlinko have reported that the average first-page result on Google contained an average of [1,447 words](https://backlinko.com/search-engine-ranking). Whether this is the reason for their first-place ranking or just another plus amidst their high-quality website is a mystery, but there does seem to be a positive trend between content of over 1000 words and overall search rankings. ## **How Do I Decide on Length?** Let's be completely honest about it, not all the content you're ever going to write is going to be on an engaging subject, (good luck writing 1000+ words on an announcement that the office is closing for a week due to plumbing issues) and hitting the desired word count might not really be practical without the use of some high-level waffle. This could potentially harm your website more than it helps by completely imploding your keyword count. There are several factors you may wish to keep in mind when choosing how long to make your blog content. ### **Consumer Intent ** Not everyone wants to read something that officially classes as a short novel every time they search something into Google, but on the other hand, sometimes short novels' worth of information is exactly what they are looking for. Usually, you should be able to gauge the desired length of content based on how meaty the search query is. A search such as "How to build a website?" is bound to deliver more word-heavy content than for instance "What is a blog?". Keep this in mind when writing and you should be able to adjust accordingly. When I submitted the search query "how to build a website", the first position (that wasn't an ad) was this absolute behemoth of a blog. Even though it's labelled as being a beginner's guide it racks up a very considerable count of 7320 words, not too surprising since whole books have been written about the subject. On the other hand, "What is a blog" produced a much more reasonable 1436, a figure which is probably more than adequate for a subject on which there isn't that much to say without going off on a tangent. ### **Keyword Coun**t Another element that may tie in with word count and play a part in SEO rankings are industry-relevant keywords. When writing any piece of content for your website you should keep an eye out to ensure that keywords on the subject of the piece as well as your industry are mentioned frequently as well as having a natural density. This indicates to Google that you haven't just created a blank page for Hairdressing in the West Midlands and filled it with the term "west midlands hairdressing" thousands of times with no other content present. While this may be a somewhat extreme example, there are genuinely websites that have done this, Google is -of course- not a huge fan and now leads a crackdown on spammy sites like this. By having more words overall, you get more space to naturally work in keywords and tailor the densities to a point where the content not only reads well, but is also clearly relevant to the subject. If you find that you're either struggling to include enough keywords while also making it read naturally, or are including too many keywords because there is little else to write about, you might want to think about altering the length of content. Prepare yourselves, this is going to get pretty meta. Having written a fair deal of content (1478 words to be exact) we're pretty close to what is referenced as the ideal blog length. As well as using this section to cram in some extra keywords, I've included a considerable number of subject-relevant phrases which -to the best of my knowledge- are written in pretty naturally. To put this into perspective, if I were to use the word 'content' 30 times in a blog post of 500 words, it would constitute for roughly every 16th word. Best of luck trying to make that sound natural. ### **Competitor Length ** The internet is a pretty big place, there is a good chance that the subject you are covering has been tackled before (maybe even many times), there's no shame in checking out the competition and some of their closest rivals. While you're there you might also want to look into their keyword densities and take note of some of their better points to bolster your own content. If they are a reputable source, they will have likely considered content length and keywords while writing. You know what they say, the enemy of my enemy is someone I can inspire my content around... or something like that. ### **User Friendliness** You don't have to be a programmer or a web specialist to recognise that a jumpy website filled with pop-up ads is annoying; what you might not be aware of, however, is that Google wholeheartedly agrees with you, or at least its algorithm does. What is commonly referred to as [Google Core Web Vitals](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/09/16/core-web-vitals-what-are-they/) references the multi-faceted approach Google takes when gauging the overall quality of a website. Every page of your website is measured individually as well as part of the whole, meaning that a single low-quality blog can actively hurt your overall quality ratings. This probably sounds scarier than it actually is, most of the search quality criteria are pretty much basic net etiquette and as long as you don't actively spam ads or create frustrating user experiences, you will probably be fine. Content is one of the web elements Google looks at fondly and you're unlikely to lose ratings even when creating a sea of text. In fact, if you were to create a website that fully adheres to Google's regulation you would actually end up with nothing but content, no images, videos, etc. That's not to suggest that your blog should be a glorified Notepad page, but you should keep in mind that almost everything other than content slows down a website and should therefore be used sparingly if possible, but as far as content goes - length shouldn't really hurt you either way. ## **Our Recommendation** [Our blog site](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/blog/) has been up for quite a while (since 2015 to be exact) and in that time we have created a great deal of content, on a great deal of subjects. Our general experience matches that of many other digital marketing agencies in the sense that there isn't really an upper limit for how long is too long for a blog. We have, however, established that the minimal wordcount at which you can still meet a decent keyword density and convey necessary information on some of the simpler subjects is roughly at 500 words, this isn't to say that you should aim for 500 but rather that by surpassing it you will open up your content to a whole new world of ranking potential. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Facebook Reels, The Competitor to TikTok? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/03/facebook-reels-the-competitor-to-tiktok/ **Date:** 2022-03-03 **Category:** Facebook, Social Media | **Tags:** facebook, social media Whether you're an ardent follower, a fan keen to keep their addiction on the down-low, or even a hater who isn't a fan of the silly trends, it's hard to deny the meteoric rise of TikTok. While it's been around since 2016, it wasn't until the 2018 merger with the ever-cringy lip-synch platform Musical.ly that it began to garner global acclaim. As of March 2022, TikTok has a grand total of [3.7 million](https://cybercrew.uk/blog/tiktok-statistics-uk/) active users across the UK, and is downloaded over [1 million](https://cybercrew.uk/blog/tiktok-statistics-uk/) times every month. Growth figures that are -quite frankly- absolutely ridiculous with no signs of slowing down. As is frequently the case in the world of social media, when one platform implements a change, the whole gang soon follows. As was the case with the integration of Facebook Stories in line with the growing popularity of Snapchat, the creatively named Facebook Reels has seen some strangely familiar updates since its inception in September 2021. ## **TikBook or FaceTok? ** While change is a staple of life, and even more so of the digital world, Facebook has implemented some very TikTok-y changes to their video counterpart. - TikTok recently extended their video length to 3 minutes from their previous 60 seconds, Facebook is playing catch-up and has gone up to 60 from their base 30. - Drafts and Video clipping are being added to encourage editors who publish long-form content to make use of the platform. - Remix, akin to TikTok duets, is also being added. A tool which will allow for the creation of a reel alongside another, publicly available one. Think reaction videos. ## **A Genuine Competitor? Or Just a Hop on The Hype Train? ** Calling Facebook anything short of a powerhouse would be an insult to its [2.91 billion](https://blog.hootsuite.com/facebook-statistics/) monthly users. In full honesty, if they doubled down on Facebook Reels, they could likely create a much better platform than anything TikTok would be able to offer due to their substantial resources and greater potential transferable audience. Whether they do decide to double down is another question entirely. Meta currently holds a very comfy seat at the social media table with [77% of internet users](https://blog.hootsuite.com/facebook-statistics/) using at least a single one of their platforms (Facebook, Instagram, FB Messenger, and WhatsApp), meaning that pretty much every TikTok user was a Meta user first. To further complicate matters, since December 2020 Facebook has been locked in conflict with the FTC (a US government agency guarding against predatory business practices and encouraging competition within industries) regarding the monopoly that they hold over the social media market. To simplify a court case that has been active for over a year, the FTC is saying Facebook holds a monopoly over the market since they have no legitimate competitors, Facebook's response was to point out that Snapchat, Twitter, and TikTok exist. While these are '_kind of' _competitors, they hold nowhere near the market sway that Facebook does and the entire situation can easily be likened to a professional athlete claiming a fair victory over the other parents at a sports day. It's also worth noting that in recent years Facebook has tried to acquire both Snapchat and Twitter. While its pretty clear that Facebook could probably seize TikTok's market share - and quite easily at that - there are a plethora of reasons as to why they might not want to. Their façade of competition with TikTok is of great value to them and protects their bottom line from US legislation-imposed market equality, or as they see them, sanctions. In classical evil movie villain style, they may also be cackling in their unconventionally designed offices under the belief that no competitor can touch them. For the moment, they would be right. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Does SEO Work the Same Way in Different Languages? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/02/does-seo-work-the-same-way-in-different-languages/ **Date:** 2022-02-24 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** google, language, search engine, seo The invention of the internet has closed the distance between people in a monumental way, no longer do you have to send inconvenient letters or align your schedules to speak over the phone. One wall in particular that the internet has absolutely bulldozed is one of language. Speaking to someone across the world without needing to understanding the same language is pretty incredible when you think about it, how often have you scrolled past a post in a different language on social media and with a click of a button had it be translated into your own? This is something that simply would not have been possible several years ago. Many businesses worldwide use the internet and search engines as a way to market their businesses and interact with their client base, which prompts the question; Does SEO work the same way in different languages? ## **The Internet Covers Thousands of Miles in a Split Second** Being an American company at its source, Google was created primarily to be used in English but as it grew into a global phenomenon, more languages were consistently added. They currently sit at [149 supported languages. ](https://thewordpoint.com/blog/worlds-most-translated-website#:~:text=As%20of%202020%2C%20Google%20offers%20its%20search%20engine%20in%20149%20languages.) The tool that has sway over SEO rankings is the Google Algorithm which gauges the quality of websites based on its [search quality criteria](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/09/29/google-search-quality/). The foundations of the algorithm - as well as its function - is more or less the same across all languages. Where we start to see some of the differences is in the language which the algorithm is designed to recognise. Some languages don't use the Latin alphabet, others don't use spaces, and some are written right to left as opposed to left to right. If the Google algorithm we use in the UK was to be used on one of these languages, I imagine it would get pretty confused. Due to this, Google has had to implement some slight changes in order to assist its algorithm with the recognition of keywords and search terms. This also means that Google can't really recognise the same content if written in different languages and thereby relies on the content creators to identify the language through the use of the Hreflang tag. There are simply too many language combinations for Google to discern which language is which. When looking to carry out SEO, its important to keep in mind that the fundamentals of the algorithm are the same, even if you may be required to optimise toward keywords in a different language as well as learning some of the colloquial terms to get the most out of your strategy. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Value of Having Your Business Work with a Google Accredited Agency URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/02/the-value-of-having-your-business-work-with-a-google-accredited-agency/ **Date:** 2022-02-17 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google, Google Accredited, Google Partner Making the most of all the marketing options available to your business is what separates you from your rivals and ensures that every penny you spend will provide a positive impact on your overall reach and conversions. Serving as the centrepiece of the digital marketing world, Google is the producer as well as the supplier of many top-of-the-range marketing services that need to be correctly utilised to successfully grow your business. Due to the broad range of services they offer and the complexity of the platforms, Google has introduced an accreditation that labels a business as a Google Partner. There are a multitude of benefits to having your business work with an agency that is Google Accredited. ## **Product Knowledge** Every search engine has its own, slightly different way of doing things. Unfortunately, this means that fluency on one platform does not always translate to another. Luckily Google is the largest and most widely used of the search engines meaning that a company with comprehensive knowledge of the Google platforms and services can offer an eclectic marketing strategy. An agency like Odyssey New Media that has extensive knowledge on Google ads can help your business maximise its marketing campaign. ## **Staying Updated** Its common knowledge that Google can be whimsical at times and downright random at others, a Google accredited agency makes it their primary goal to stay up to date with the latest goings-on and developments within the field. This is key when looking to build a long-lasting marketing strategy that won't be weathered by algorithm updates and changes to platform functionality. By keeping up with the latest news an agency can also offer ongoing advice that keeps your business in line with Google's preferences and can help to avoid the dips in performance that Google algorithm updates often cause. ## **Access to Additional Features** There are always new services and products that Google is testing, many of these with the intention of simplifying marketing strategies or boosting the growth of businesses that meet certain criteria. While these may not see the light of day for several years, Google Accredited Partner agencies often get the chance to try these out and sometimes can even -if ready- integrate them into a client's marketing strategy. Usually the new developments that Google is introducing are in some way linked to the algorithmic changes they plan to make in the future, this allows your business to stay ahead of the curve and predict changes before they actually occur. ## **How to Recognise a Google Partner** Recognising a Google accredited agency is very simple as Google actively provides partner badges to organisations that have qualified. You're likely to find these badges present on their websites and social profiles, if you can't seem to find them anywhere you may wish to ask the agency directly. **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Is Your Website Ready for Valentine's Day? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/02/is-your-website-ready-for-valentines-day/ **Date:** 2022-02-11 **Category:** Advertising, Email Marketing | **Tags:** valentine's day, web development, website The first e-commerce goldmine of the year is the ever-popular, ever-daunting Valentine's Day. Sources report that we could see rough spending of around [1.37 billion](https://www.finder.com/uk/valentines-day-statistics) in the UK alone, quite a bit more than just a box of chocolates and some flowers. Whether you're planning to celebrate or not, Valentine's Day is a major opportunity for online businesses to make a tidy little profit from couples buying gifts, due to this you want to ensure that your website is functioning and looking 100% once the clients come rolling in. ## **Thematic Images and Colours** The common colour association for Valentine's Day is bright pinks and gentle whites, colours that are nice and fluffy and let you forget that you're about to spend a shedload of money. You may find that websites sporting dark colours don't really attract the Valentine's Day crowd and may actively drive potential clients to rival websites that look more engaged in the occasion. Why not put up some cute Valentines pictures? The quintessential cartoon heart, a bouquet of flowers, and gift boxes are pretty commonplace and should be your first port of call when looking to decorate. Generally, the images you pick don't really matter all that much as long as they match the cutesy theme, why not include some pictures of a fluffy llama? Fluffy llamas are universally adorable. ## **Sweet, Sweet Discounts** Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy Valentine's gifts, which might make your partner happy, for a little while. Gifts are pretty expensive and the nicer they are, the expensive-er they tend to be, by presenting a Valentine's Day discount- regardless of how small- you may be able to get a leg up over competitors and incentivise those that may feel a little unsure into a purchase. ## **Safe Hosting and Speed** Depending on the industry within which your business functions, you may see a huge influx of website visits around the fateful day. At this point, the last thing you might want is for your website to go down. If you've got a reliable hosting service that can cater to the increase in visitation, you can rest easy knowing that unless you suddenly start competing with the sales figures of a major jewellery brand, your website will probably be fine. If you're not confident about the visitation load your website can manage or are aware of several websites hosted under your IP address, you may wish to speak to a member of the [Odyssey New Media](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) team today. ## **Social and Email Marketing** Unless you're a direct seller of Valentine's Day necessities, nobody is going to know you're offering discounts or products. The best way to let them know? Email and [social marketing](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/). Engaging with your audience ahead of time will likely lead them directly to you on the day itself. Keep in mind that not every business matches the tone of Valentine's Day, if yours doesn't, it may be best to simply stay clear. Nobody wants to see Valentine's Day discounts from a divorce lawyer. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## What is Crawling and Why Does Google Do It? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/02/what-is-crawling-and-why-does-google-do-it/ **Date:** 2022-02-03 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** digital marketing, website There are estimated to be [1.5 billion](https://hookagency.com/blog/web-design-statistics/) active websites as of 2022, to put that into perspective with the approximate global population being at just under 8 billion, roughly every 5th person has their own website. The size of the internet is nothing short of colossal and in the seconds you've taken to wrap your head around just how crazy these stats are, several new websites have popped up at the rate of [2 or 3 a second](https://siteefy.com/how-many-websites-are-there/#:~:text=As%20per%20our%20calculations%2C%20approximately,are%20created%20every%20day%20worldwide.). Discovering new websites is Google's role as the leading search engine and it carries out this process through a piece of software that is referred to as a crawler. ## **What is a Crawler? ** A crawler is a piece of software that looks to visit as many websites as possible discovering new ones and reporting back information on those that it visits. The information it collects is then used to create an index of websites on the internet allowing for easy retrieval of data and access for users. Crawlers can also be referred to as spiders, ants or indexers. Google uses this information to gauge the overall quality of the website in turn boosting or lowering its SEO position. The key factors that influence this decision come under the ['core web vitals'](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/09/16/core-web-vitals-what-are-they/) measurement criteria which encompass; LCP (Largest Contentful Paint), FID (First Input Delay), and CLS (Cumulative Layout Shifts). To find out more about what each of these measurements cover, visit our [core web vitals blog. ](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/09/16/core-web-vitals-what-are-they/) ## **The Two Types of Crawlers ** While the function of a crawler is pretty straightforward, the work they do is anything but. Even though the complexity of their task, there are only actually two different types of web crawlers. The 'discovery' web crawlers' function is to find new pages on your website, it does this by following links - usually from your home page- to different sections of the site looking for any changes that may have been made since the last crawl was carried out. You also have the 'refresh' crawler which revisits pages that have already been crawled to take new data readings and update the information that Google has on the overall site. ## **Why Does Google Do This?** Google isn't the only search engine that makes use of crawlers. Bing, Baidu, Duck Duck Go and all the other search engines you're likely to ever use have their own versions of the common web crawler which generally do roughly the same thing. The information that the crawler collects is key to the search engine, this information determines the overall quality of the website and plays a huge part in SEO rankings. Through the use of crawlers, Google can quickly identify harmful or spammy websites making them more difficult to find for users while also boosting the reach of websites that do meet the criteria. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Impact of Low-Quality Backlinks on Your Website URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/01/the-impact-of-low-quality-backlinks-on-your-website/ **Date:** 2022-01-26 **Category:** Guides | **Tags:** links, seo, trustflow SEO is a multi-faceted marketing strategy that amalgamates several techniques to grow the reach of a website thereby making it easier to find online. Whether they're trying to sell something or not SEO is incredibly important to most websites, links especially tend to play a major part in Google's algorithm and can hold great sway over how easy your site is to find. If you find that your website isn't performing well in the digital space and struggles to attract visitors, low-quality backlinks may have a considerable part to play. ## **What are Backlinks?** In their simplest form backlinks are links that lead from an external or third-party source directly to your website. Attaining backlinks (especially good ones) is challenging and has to be mostly done through inter-company partnerships or on specific directory sites that may charge to incorporate a link. These links can be placed pretty much anywhere on the website as Google's crawlers are incredibly efficient at discovering backlinks. ## **How Can Low-Quality Backlinks Hurt My Website?** Based on what you've read so far backlinks may not seem too daunting, but believe me when I say they can cause a big dent in visitor numbers. Google sees a backlink as a partnership between websites or as a vote of confidence. When the linking website is recognised as being spammy or relating to a taboo subject, Google will negatively weigh that link against the remainder of the links you may have on your website. Having too many low-quality links can lead to your website being penalised in the rankings or -in extreme cases- even being removed from the search altogether. ## **Trustflow ** There are several online tools that gauge the overall quality of the links entering your website and give you a score out of 100, this is referred to as trustflow and is thought to be how Google ranks websites. Accumulating a high trustflow is indicative of your website linking to several other reputable sites and will likely lead to a boost in its overall Google rankings. ## **How Do I Improve my Backlink Profile? ** In theory, improving your backlink profile is pretty simple, get some good links in and raise that overall trustflow. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, and attaining links to quality websites is usually very challenging or expensive. There are several online directories that do offer links for an affordable price and are instrumental to growing your backlink profile, however, it is very easy to dilute your trustflow and you should therefore avoid linking to any websites that have a lower trustflow than your own. Removing poor links can be equally challenging as they are often to spammy sites that haven't requested permission to link back to you and while you can ask them to remove it, there is little chance that they will be willing to do so. In order to remedy this Google has created the backlink disavow tool which accepts submissions of harmful websites that you would like removed, while this does usually take an absolute age and doesn't result in the removal of all the listed sites, it can still help to crack down on those lower-quality links. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Psychology of Effective Marketing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/01/the-psychology-of-effective-marketing/ **Date:** 2022-01-19 **Category:** Guides | **Tags:** consumer psychology, seo, social media, tips, website Getting a user to visit your website is only the first part of the sale process, from that point the culmination of all of your content, social profiles and products come together to help the user make a decision of whether to actually go ahead with the purchase. The percentage of users who make a purchase or carry out a desired action over the total number of visitors is referred to as a conversion rate. Online conversions are pretty important when it comes to ecommerce websites and several percent can potentially be the difference in thousands of pounds worth of stock sale. Many online retailers spend a lot of time trying to deduce the psychology of their consumers and while knowing exactly what a customer base is thinking is pretty much impossible, there are several psychologic factors that are shared between demographics. ## **Reciprocation** Isn't it awesome when you feel valued by a business? The idea of reciprocity states that when a consumer is made to feel special or valued when purchasing a product or carrying out an action, they will be inclined to spend more as well as developing brand loyalty. Recent years have encouraged many businesses to hire trained sales teams who look to resolve issues or provide support in their classical 'sickly sweet' way, this is especially effective as it forms a relationship between a consumer and a representative who is viewed as a microcosm of the business. There are several ways in which reciprocity can be encouraged with the consumer; - Outstanding customer service - Prizes or online shout-outs - Offers and promotions - High-quality products or service. ## **Scarcity ** Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a relatively new facet of psychological marketing but due to how effective it can be is now widely utilised. Clear out sales and limited time offers are prime examples of FOMO as they make the consumer feel like they may miss out on a product or service if they do not act quickly. You may have seen stores market products as being almost out of stock (even though they may have plenty) in order to sell stock quickly. ## **Authority** Nobody is going to want to spend money on a product or service where its business can't prove its own authority within the sector. It's super easy to create websites and sell products or services online which has led to consumers being more cautious about who they purchase from. Content is key when looking to boost the authority of your website, quality content that shows comprehensive knowledge on a subject goes a long way in providing an air of authority. Websites that have a good deal of industry-specific content will subconsciously boost trust within consumers and spur them toward a purchase. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Digital Marketing Trends to Keep an Eye on in 2022 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/01/digital-marketing-trends-to-keep-an-eye-on-in-2022/ **Date:** 2022-01-14 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights, SEO, Social Media, Video, Video Advertising | **Tags:** content marketing, digital marketing, digital tips, ppc, seo, social media The year 2021 was pivotal for digital marketing, the constant looming threat of the pandemic incentivised a plethora of business owners to newly consider the potential of digital as a part of their wider marketing solution. 2021 is (fortunately) now over and as we slowly move towards the greener meadows of market and political stability, we can prepare ourselves for the modicum of normality that 2022 will hopefully bring. No doubt that just like last year, 2022 will bring with it its own assortment of trends, fads, and unexpected news headlines which will need to be closely monitored in order to reap the greatest benefits from digital marketing campaigns. Here are some of the digital marketing trends to keep an eye on in 2022. ## **Search Intent ** Finding out why someone might search for the things that they do and in turn, exactly what they wish to find in doing so is generally referred to as user or search intent and is a field in which Google holds substantial vested interest. Have you ever found that after searching a specific term or query, Google has produced a completely irrelevant result? Google wants to know exactly what you were looking to find in searching thus alongside your reasoning for doing so in order to improve its overall user experience. The best example of search intent can be found when the terms "how-to" or "how do I" are used. Google takes these terms to mean that the consumer is trying to learn something and therefore prioritises rankings for guides and tutorials. [Search Engine Optimisation](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/) (SEO) is an instrumental part of digital marketing and looks to boost the rankings of a webpage through eclectic yet defined search terms. Meeting search intent has become key to delivering a comprehensive SEO solution and looks to become even more vital as Google looks to develop it further. At Odyssey New Media, we are specialists in providing comprehensive digital marketing solutions that encompass search engine optimisation as well as other areas such as website hosting and development, PPC, and social media management. ## **Marketing Privacy** March 2018 was a huge landmark for online privacy and data protection. Several news sources reported that Facebook was collecting private data from millions of people without requesting permission to do so before proceeding to sell it. This naturally led to major outrage from the public and a widely televised legal trial which ultimately led to increased awareness on data protection and privacy. Having been a relatively recent event (generally speaking) we don't yet fully comprehend how much this changed the landscape of social media and digital marketing. Since 2018, many social media platforms and websites have had to implement changes to meet the far stricter data protection and privacy acts implemented by the EU and governments worldwide. Facebook themselves are currently implementing changes to their advertising options in order to make their platform more regulation compliant. Where there have previously been options for advertisers to select specific demographics as the primary audiences, some of the more sensitive selections are currently being removed to prevent harm or offence. The filters that are currently being removed are; - Health-centric causes such as chemotherapy, cancer awareness and days dedicated to certain ailments. - Information on sexual orientation and posts detailing subjects such as same-sex marriage and LGBT culture. - Religious practices and affiliated groups alongside posts discussing subjects such as churches and ideologies. - Political beliefs and social issues that may lead to the causing of harm or offence to other users. It's fair to say that removal of these filters is only the start of seeing more advertising regulation imposed across Facebook and other websites, advertisers that market products or services specifically to one of these demographics will have to revamp their whole marketing strategy. There are bound to be more changes on the advertising filters in 2022 which may disrupt the overall functionality of many campaigns, this is definitely an area to keep an eye on. To find out more about the changes in Facebook ad targeting,[ check out our blog.](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2022/01/05/changes-to-facebook-ad-targeting-in-early-2022/) ## **Video Marketing** The social media market has been shaken by a new arrival this year. The platform Tiktok has gained huge traction during the pandemic and has become a pillar of the industry. Tiktok is primarily a video-based app and just like Vine before it, it offers nicely packaged blocks of video content. This demonstrates the power of video marketing in captivating the attention of the consumer and keeping them engaged across several posts. There is also a psychological benefit to utilising video marketing with researchers noting that consumers build better associations between brands and products/services as well as making them infinitely more memorable. Video has become a popular advertising medium for marketers with Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat all offering stories alongside YouTube which almost entirely uses video. The use of video across social is mirrored across traditional websites and is used heavily to convey information or display the use of products and services. We are anticipating that video marketing will only grow in popularity with more digital marketers realising its value. This may lead to new compliance rules or changes within the medium. Change is inevitable when it comes to the world of digital marketing and as processes and platforms develop, so does the psychology of the consumer. When carrying out digital marketing of any form, knowledge about the latest developments is required in order to keep up with the competition and ensure compliance. If Google, Facebook, and other leading websites are pushing a medium or trend there will always be a reason behind it. Video uploaded onto the Odyssey New Media Facebook ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Changes to Facebook Ad Targeting in Early 2022 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2022/01/changes-to-facebook-ad-targeting-in-early-2022/ **Date:** 2022-01-05 **Category:** Facebook, Social Media | **Tags:** digital marketing, facebook, meta, social media One of the most frequently covered subjects of 2021 was the nature of Facebook's ad targeting with many users considering them downright intrusive. In order to try and mitigate the fallout caused by an unhappy consumer base Facebook and its umbrella corporation Meta is looking to implement some changes in early January that will endeavour to remove some of the more sensitive subjects that are currently available as ad targeting options. ## **Which Targeting Options are Affected?** As mentioned within their own press release announcement, the key targeting options that will be removed from the platform ["relate to topics people may perceive as sensitive"](https://www.facebook.com/business/news/removing-certain-ad-targeting-options-and-expanding-our-ad-controls). The primary fields they have outlined include health, race, ethnicity, political affiliation, religion or sexual orientation and have offered a series of topic examples on the ["detailed targeting options"](https://www.facebook.com/business/news/removing-certain-ad-targeting-options-and-expanding-our-ad-controls) that will be the first to go as a part of this update; - Health-centric causes such as chemotherapy, cancer awareness and days dedicated to certain ailments. - Information on sexual orientation and posts detailing subjects such as same-sex marriage and LGBT culture. - Religious practices and affiliated groups alongside posts discussing subjects such as churches and ideologies. - Political beliefs and social issues that may lead to the causing of harm or offence to other users. ## **What is the Purpose of These Changes?** The sectors experiencing change are all intrinsically linked to subjects those certain users may find personal, Facebook and Meta are therefore looking to improve the experience of those that may belong to one of these groups by not making them available to be specifically targeted by advertising campaigns. Facebook and Meta simply do not have enough manpower to individually manage and check each unique advertising post and therefore a good portion of the campaigns on the platform are automated leaving the nature of the post mainly to the creator's discretion. This has led to advertisers abusing the targeting options available to them and potentially exposing these groups to posts that may have negative implications. ## **These Changes Will be Implemented Starting January 19th 2022 and Serve to Kickstart a New Era of Advertising on the Facebook Platform. ** ## **Changes Going into the Future ** The removal of sensitive ad targeting options is but the first step in the changes Meta has in mind for the Facebook platform with it being stated in the [Ad control press release](https://www.facebook.com/business/news/removing-certain-ad-targeting-options-and-expanding-our-ad-controls) that they are ["working to expand the control that allows people to choose to see fewer ads about certain types of content."](https://www.facebook.com/business/news/removing-certain-ad-targeting-options-and-expanding-our-ad-controls) This would further serve to make the consumer's experience more pleasant through the avoidance or limitation of unpleasant or irrelevant ads and if implemented properly can help to make the platform safer for users of all ages ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Google Product Review Update - December 2021 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/12/google-product-review-update-december-2021/ **Date:** 2021-12-16 **Category:** Google, Google Algorithm Updates | **Tags:** digital marketing, google, google algorithm, Google update Welcome to the busiest e-commerce shopping season of the year, how does Google decide to celebrate? Bam, algorithm update. In the past we've seen genuine sites lose authority and rankings on the back of algorithm updates through a lack of acclimatisation with the new imposed rule set. Luckily, Google has seen sense and rolled out an update that shouldn't have a major impact on websites carrying out legitimate business practices. ## **What's Changing?** Google have honed their focus on low-quality review content during this month's update with the intention of cracking down on the amount of fake or bogus product/service reviews online. This update directly follows on from the Google product review update of April 2021 which looked to reward review content that _'[provides insightful analysis and original research, and is written by experts or enthusiasts who know the topic well](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/04/product-reviews-update)_'. The December update is of the same vein and implements more of the feedback they received gauging the quality of the review. ## **Who Will Be Affected?** The prime parties affected will be individual product reviewers and sites focusing on ranking products, if approached from a place of knowledge and reliability utilising a high quality of writing (akin to that you may find in an Odyssey blog) they are actually likely to observe higher SEO rankings. ## **How Can We Meet the Criteria?** Meeting the criteria necessary to experience SEO growth in the product review update is actually surprisingly simple and a fair portion can be met simply by writing content at a high level. As a part of the first [product review update](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/04/product-reviews-update), Google has detailed some of the questions you may want to ask yourself ahead of submitting a review: - _'Express expert knowledge about products where appropriate?_ - _Show what the product is like physically, or how it is used, with unique content beyond what's provided by the manufacturer?_ - _Provide quantitative measurements about how a product measures up in various categories of performance?_ - _Explain what sets a product apart from its competitors?_ - _Cover comparable products to consider, or explain which products might be best for certain uses or circumstances?_ - _Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of a particular product, based on research into it?_ - _Describe how a product has evolved from previous models or releases to provide improvements, address issues, or otherwise help users in making a purchase decision?_ - _Identify key decision-making factors for the product's category and how the product performs in those areas? For example, a car review might determine that fuel economy, safety, and handling are key decision-making factors and rate performance in those areas._ - _Describe key choices in how a product has been designed and their effect on the users beyond what the manufacturer says?'_ ## **When Will It Be Implemented?** As stated by Google, this update would take roughly 3 weeks to implement. When taking the date of the post (1st December) into account, the completion of the rollout should fall roughly on the 22nd making it a lovely early Christmas present (Exactly what I was hoping to find under my tree). ## **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## 5 Ways to Improve SEO for Your Business This Christmas URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/12/5-ways-to-improve-seo-for-your-business-this-christmas/ **Date:** 2021-12-08 **Category:** SEO, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** christmas, seo, seo tips Christmas is an extremely busy time for businesses, optimising on the hype train of excitement and gathering plentiful interest in your business can really give you a colossal boost gong into the new year. However, some businesses may get so caught up in clients and workload to the point where they may neglect their SEO. This will negatively impact them significantly in the long run, so it is vital for your business to improve your SEO up until and during this festive period. This is so you do not miss out on the growth opportunities that may occur. ## **Engaging With Customers on Mobile** There are not enough superlatives to describe the sheer importance of having a mobile friendly and well optimised website. In fact, as of the last 6 months, 79% of all UK smartphone users have made an online purchase through their mobile. This means that most of the country are now buying online through their mobile phone. If your website is not mobile friendly, then you could be denying your business a massive opportunity. Additionally, mobile phones are a useful function for local shoppers who are Christmas shopping. Being able to offer your services in person, through mobile and through desktop will ensure you have maximised your business for consumers and influence them to choose your business this Christmas! ## **Link Building Will Help** SEO does not happen overnight as you most likely already know, it is a process that can take several months to show the fruits of its labour. So, if you were thinking of gaining page 1 on Google at Christmas for your business and you haven't started SEO then we have got some bad news for you! For this to be possible you should be prioritising building links from around June, this is very much a long-term strategy, and it will pay off massively if done right. If you have already begun to build links across a mix of websites 6 months prior to Christmas, then this will give your pages the chance to be found organically. ## **Display Opening Hours on Google My Business** You should set up your Google My Business listing no matter what time of the year it is. It will not only enable customers to find your stores and opening times yet also build a level of trust and ownership around your brand. Ensure that all the information is correct, this is even more important at Christmas as you will have to update your 'Holiday Hours' meaning Christmas Day & Boxing Day as most businesses are closed on these days, if you do not alert your consumer that you are closed then you may get a welcome phone call on Christmas Day, and it will not be from Santa Claus! ## **Try to be Descriptive** It is a must for your product descriptions to be detailed and optimised for Christmas if you are going to truly succeed in the most wonderful time of the year! Try to use the most relevant and descriptive keywords for your products that relate towards Christmas. For example, instead of listing a 'Rudolph Jumper' you could list it as 'Red Rudolph Jumper for Men'. This way you are zoning in on a target audience of men who like red coloured Christmas jumpers. This will also enable that product to show up in someone's Google Search if they are looking for red, Rudolph jumpers or male Christmas clothing. It is all about ensuring your products gain the highest engagement possible. ## **Integrate Paid & Organic Ads** Now there is always this debate amongst business owners of which ads are better, paid or organic. We say, why not both? The best way to optimise for a search engine results page is to make the most of both techniques. SEO and PPC work hand in hand and when paired with a great keyword strategy you may achieve search engine domination! If you are looking for the best quality SEO services, then why not visit our [dedicated page](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo-services/) on our website. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Importance of Link Building URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/12/the-importance-of-link-building/ **Date:** 2021-12-01 **Category:** SEO Link building is an integral part of the SEO process and when it experiences a boost, it also leads to an uplift within all the other SEO fields. Link building by its very nature is a simple in theory, difficult in practice process and can vary greatly depending on the target websites through which the link creation is taking place. In order to help your business or website develop, carrying out link building is a must which is why we're looking to lift the vail on the rarely discussed subject. ## **What is Link Building?** The idea behind link building is pretty simple, Google looks at your backlink profile (all of the links coming into your website) when deciding on search engine placements with websites boasting a good number of high-quality links deemed to be trustworthy and enjoying higher placements; link building is the process of adding new links to your website to boost your SEO ranking. The difficulty of the link building itself differs greatly depending on the target website onto which you would like to place a link, higher-quality websites often demand considerable financial compensation or refuse to accept links altogether, however, there are still a plethora of directories, blogs and forums that are happy to accept links for free or at affordable prices. ## **Tips When Link Building ** Link Building isn't quite as simple as going around and adding links to any site that is willing to take them and there are several tips you may want to keep in mind when doing so; - The websites that link back to your own will have their own trustflow which dictates their quality, by deciding where Google ranks your website it first looks into the quality of all of the links. A good number of high-quality links will lead to a rise in the general quality of your own website while an abundance of harmful ones will make your website appear less trustworthy and may suffer in the rankings. - Quantity of links isn't always the priority and by having too many you risk a diluted overall trustflow, while this isn't a huge problem it can take away some of the value of your higher quality links. - You seldom see links to random businesses on the apple homepage, keep in mind that there are many companies that may not have the space to host your links on their website or simply might not be willing to. ## **The Importance of Link Building** The quality of links going into your website hold substantial sway over Google's rankings and thereby looking to add quality links even at the cost of annual subscriptions or feature blogs may pose a huge benefit to your business. Link building can be carried out to different levels with our process at Odyssey New Media also incorporating competitor analysis (looking to add links to websites where competitors are also present) and creation of a link on our list of high-quality general directories. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How to Optimise Your Meta Description in 2021 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/11/how-to-optimise-your-meta-description-in-2021/ **Date:** 2021-11-24 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** seo A meta description is a tag that is written as a character summary of the content of a webpage. They are great for SEO as search engines like Google or Bing, will include any keywords within the meta description that are being searched for and they will also appear in the search results. Although the title of your page is a huge ranking factor your meta description is not. Instead, it acts like an advertisement for users and encourages them to click on your webpage. This is an extremely effective SEO strategy. You may have even been influenced to click on this very blog due to the meta description we have optimised for it! Read on below to find out how you can optimise your meta description in 2021. ## **How Should You Format a Meta Description?** As we have already mentioned, meta descriptions are vital to get users to click on your search engine results page (SERP). It is because of this that you need to make sure the formatting of your meta description is done properly. Your meta description should read well, meaning that it should be able to be read intelligently in a natural way, without any struggles. If you are just filling your description with keywords that make no sense, then this will look unprofessional and spammy and no user will want to visit that page. It must also be compelling and interesting as the pure intention is to attract the user to clicking on your webpage, ensure the content is relevant to the page it is describing as if not it will deter the user from visiting any more of your pages. It would also be damaging to your SEO as you may begin to rank for the incorrect keywords. ## **How Long Should Your Meta Description Be?** In order to optimise your meta description, you should stay within a range between 150-160 as Google will trim it down to around the same number of characters. Be aware that the 'optimum' length may vary depending on the content you are writing about, you may get away with writing 130-150 characters for example. Overall, however, we would suggest going within the 150-160-character mark. ## **Effect on Google Rankings** Although Google did announce in 2009 that meta descriptions are not taken into account in their ranking algorithm for web search this does not mean that your meta description is completely useless when it comes to Google Rankings. In fact, meta descriptions can affect the click-through rate (CTR) of a Google page and have a positive impact on its rankings. ## **Avoid Double Quotations** When writing your meta description, try to avoid using double quotation marks. Quotation marks tend to be used in the HTML of the meta description and the problems that could occur from this will be that Google will cut the description at the quotation mark when it appears in the SERP. The best way to prevent this happening is to just only use alphanumeric characters within your meta description. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How to Avoid Spammers/Hackers During Website Development URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/11/how-to-avoid-spammers-hackers-during-website-development/ **Date:** 2021-11-18 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** digital tips, online, website The digital world has completely changed how we perceive the physical one, we are now able to connect with people across the world, learn new skills from the comfort of our bedrooms and market our products to a completely unique audience, all the while having every little aspect of our lives streamlined for convenience. Our modern-day lives are better (if not easier) than ever and to hear the older generations refer the way things were in their day has become a joke amongst many. The intricacies of the digital world do, however, carry with them a different kind of threat, the kind of threat that the UK government is funnelling [2.6 billion](https://www.thinkdigitalpartners.com/news/2021/10/28/uk-government-investing-millions-to-improve-its-own-cybersecurity/) over the next three years into preventing across its own digital space. Hackers and Spammers cost the world [$2,900,000 every minute](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckbrooks/2021/03/02/alarming-cybersecurity-stats-------what-you-need-to-know-for-2021/) and are revered as a major threat to the functionality of the world we have come to know. While a full-fledged cyberattack on your website may be unlikely, ensuring that you are well protected during the website development process can help avoid unwanted attention from hackers or scammers. Read on for tips on how to keep your website safe during its development. ## **Make Use of Security Plugins** A certain level of security is present for all websites making use of the HTTPs protocol with an SSL (or TLS) certificate, both of which are required in order to receive private information from users and serves as a secure connection between the server on which your website is placed and the online browser the user is accessing your website through. This is the minimum level of security that should be present on your website. Companies that make use of eCommerce websites or those regularly dealing with confidential information should look to implement security plugins through their CMS (content management system), many of these are free with each CMS having a plug-in tailor-made to work in tandem with each other. Google also heavily favours websites that are shown to be secure and if your website has adopted HTTPs, SSL and is protected by security plugins, you are likely to get a boost in your SEO rankings. To find out more about the criteria Google uses to rank your website please refer to our '[Google Search Quality'](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/09/29/google-search-quality/) blog. ## **Choose a Proper Password** Simply by mentioning this, I have likely offended someone, passwords usually serve as the first and sometimes only line of defence between someone who should have access to an account and someone who shouldn't, and yet more than 23million people still use the [password '123456'](https://hostingtribunal.com/blog/password-stats/#gref). There are several things you should keep in mind when picking a secure password; - Longer is better and with every extra character your password becomes that much more difficult to guess (and remember). The perfect length toes the line between being easily memorable yet difficult to guess. - When making an account online you may have been asked to specifically include upper- and lower-case lettering, this is due to the fact that by incorporating both you significantly increase the number of possible combinations. By having several characters in each cap type your password suddenly becomes exponentially more secure. - Let's run with the assumption that the hacker trying to get into your website is a planned attack, if this is the case, they may be aware of your identity and have information on you from the about us page or even your social profiles. Purely because of this you should avoid using things like children or pet names, dates of birth or any other pieces of identifying information within your password. If you are using multiple admin accounts, please keep in mind that you may need to change all the passwords as only one being compromised can lead to a potential security breach. Password managers are also available to those looking to securely store all of their passwords in one place and are heavily encrypted to prevent hacking attempts. ## **Keep Website and Plugins Updated** While this point may sound silly, you may be surprised to find how many websites run out of date plugins or software. Updates usually contain additional security enhancements or aim to remedy vulnerabilities within the previous version, there is a good chance if the update is being offered to you it may be in your best interest to accept it. The digital world is constantly adapting and as software changes and develops so do the hackers and spammers trying to profit from it, the exploits that are commonplace today would have dismantled even top-level cybersecurity systems several years ago. Where possible make sure your software and plugins are updated to the newest version and endeavour to check for updates regularly. ## **Enforce Regular Backups ** The ultimate security solution will always be time travel and while it's unfortunately not a service we offer at Odyssey New Media, we can offer you a regular website backup so that if something were to go wrong you can go back in time to a point where it hasn't. Regular automatic backups have become a popular choice for businesses heavily investing in their websites due to the simplicity of the process and the peace of mind offered by knowing you can always turn the website back. In order to avoid the potential fallout of a website or network issue, the backups should be stored separately, somewhere such as a hard drive at home or even on the cloud. A website can be particularly vulnerable during the development process as all the pieces come together, this however can also be the perfect time to instil good cybersecurity habits by making positive change to both the back end of your website and within your own local network. By using all of the aforementioned tips in tandem you ensure that it will be that much harder for hackers or spammers to breach the security of your website and if something does happen to go wrong, you've always got the option of winding your website back. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Instagram Shop Can Benefit Your Ecommerce Business URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/11/how-instagram-shop-can-benefit-your-ecommerce-business/ **Date:** 2021-11-11 **Category:** Instagram, Social Media | **Tags:** instagram, instagram shop, social media Instagram is one of the biggest social media outlets on the globe with over 1.386 billion active users! Due to this, the social networking powerhouse is one of the best places for businesses to advertise their products and gain popularity for their brand. Although Instagram is known for being a social networking service, it is slowly becoming one of the biggest e-commerce platforms for small and large businesses. The main reason for this was the introduction of Instagram Shop in 2020, this enabled several ecommerce businesses pages to advertise their products within a product catalogue where any user can search for a specific category and find the product they are wanting to buy. Read on below to see how Instagram Shop can benefit your Ecommerce Business. ## **Simple for Consumers** Now when it comes to buying products online, Instagram Shop is extremely easy to navigate around. It is a dynamic platform which is perfect for reaching a target audience as well as building customer relationships. For these reasons it is the perfect place to integrate products within its content. Having an integrated storefront as a tab on the app is perfect for consumers as it does not require skipping from link to link as all you need is to just click the 'Shop' icon on your phone or desktop. It will then show you a few targeted products that you may like and display a search bar in order to find the product you are looking for. Instagram Shop will not only do wonders for sales, but it will also take some pressure off content marketers as consumers no longer have to scroll around a specific ecommerce business Instagram page in order to look for a link away to the products. ## **Increased Chance of Impulse Buying** We are all guilty of impulse buying! Instagram of course knows this, and this is a major reason as to why Instagram Shop was created. Enabling the consumer to view a range of targeted products before they have even searched for anything will catch a few eyes. Sometimes you may see a product for the very first time and just think 'I need this' even if this is not the case! You may regret the purchase in the future but by then the ecommerce business has already gotten the sale. The products are perfectly displayed in the eye line of users that will automatically influence them and make them want to buy something straight away. Impulse buying is a strong marketing strategy as the consumer usually does not take much notice to the product itself but what it can bring them and the impact it can have on their life. This is a prime reason why many ecommerce business products are based around productivity, lifestyle, or status as these are what consumers care about the most. ## **Marketing Directly to Consumers** Whether you are a tech company or a fashion brand, users will get a first glimpse at your products through Instagram Shop. By creating a storefront on the platform, it allows brands to directly market to consumers through organic content. This process is known as B2C marketing (business to consumer) and the reason for it is due to the potential higher ROI (return on investment) that it brings to an ecommerce business. The B2C strategy is full of benefits with examples of these being an increased customer satisfaction rate and increased opportunity to expand your ecommerce business. It is important to realise that you should already have a strong brand personality within your business as you cannot simply optimise marketing from nothing! ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Getting Your Website Ready for Black Friday & Cyber Monday URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/11/getting-your-website-ready-for-black-friday-cyber-monday/ **Date:** 2021-11-05 **Category:** Web Usability | **Tags:** black friday, cyber monday, marketing, website Friday the 26th of November heralds the start of the frantic Christmas shopping period and is aptly referred to as Black Friday with the following Monday being colloquially referenced as Cyber Monday. During the course of Black Friday and Cyber Monday many digital and physical businesses offer huge discounts on their many services and products in what can only be described as a period of capitalist spontaneity and with a total UK spend of [GBP 5,988,444,539](https://www.finder.com/uk/black-friday-statistics) last Black Friday (2020) you can understand why so many e-commerce sites and online storefronts act like Christmas came early. In order to capitalise fully, your website has to be able to meet the increased demands of the busy period and adhere to a comprehensive and thorough preparation plan. ## **Surviving Traffic ** In 2020 during a particularly hectic Black Friday, the online storefront for tech and electrical supplier Currys PC World dropped due to high traffic, naturally this caused an uproar with consumers, leading to the company being repeatedly called out publicly on Twitter. The traffic quantity that your website can functionally maintain very much depends on its hosting and build quality with outside factors such as errors within the code, heavy weather in your server location or even expiry of domains all playing part in a website going down. If you're unsure of the traffic load that your website can maintain, [get in touch with our specialist team at Odyssey New Media](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) to find out about our web hosting options. ## **Online Market(ing) ** Every once in a while I open my email only to find emails promoting product sales for companies I have not used in years; would I buy from them right away? Probably not, but when considering purchasing a product that they offer at some point down the line, regular communication ensures they are the first ones to pop into my mind. Even the most devoted of clients are unlikely to check your website every day and therefore may not even realise you are offering discounts; advertising campaigns do not have to be expensive sitewide expeditions with many businesses opting to utilise their client banks to send out email marketing campaigns in order to give their clients a nudge and remind them; "we are still here". ## **Keeping It Mobile** Based on your target audience, you may find that a considerable chunk of your consumers originate from mobile platforms with younger generations especially favouring purchases through their phone rather than desktop, tablet or laptop. The speed of the medium ensures that switching websites has never been so easy leading to a [bounce rate](https://contentsquare.com/blog/2021-digital-experience-benchmarks-by-industry/) of 49% in stark contrast to the 42% of tablet and the 45% on desktop signalling that if your website is not mobile compatible or adequately functional, consumers are that much more likely to look elsewhere. Maintaining mobile functionality on your website is also a key part of the [Google Search Quality](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/09/29/google-search-quality/) process which ensures that your site ranks favourably within search engines. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Common Content Marketing Mistakes to Avoid URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/10/common-content-marketing-mistakes-to-avoid/ **Date:** 2021-10-29 **Category:** Content Marketing, SEO Content Writing | **Tags:** content, content marketing, content writing At Odyssey we understand that content marketing is by no means an easy job. There are many factors that you must keep on top of in order for your company to reap the benefits of content marketing and along this path you may encounter and end up making a few common marketing mistakes. These mistakes however can be avoided, there are ways that you can prevent them from happening to your business, read on below for a few examples of common content marketing mistakes to avoid. ## **Ignoring Emails** We do realise that you will get a lot of spam in your inbox as a business. We too get frustrated with this and are tempted to just delete our inbox and call it a day! However, we cannot do this as emails are vital to your content marketing strategy. Around 319 billion emails are sent everyday worldwide as it is the most used method of communication amongst businesses. A successful email marketing campaign can help to attract a large following to your business as it keeps your products and brands fresh in the consumer's mind. For every 70p invested in an email the average return on investment is around GBP 30! This means that if you were to ignore the email side of your content marketing strategy you are missing out big time. ## **Inconsistent Blogs** This should be common knowledge for a business, if you are not creating consistent content then you will not see a larger increase in engagement from your consumer. There are over 1.8 billion websites active with 500 million of these being blogs! Although this is a huge percentage, less than 200 million of these websites are active. This is sometimes due to companies and businesses not showing enough commitment to their blogs and so end up giving up on the idea in total which is a huge content marketing mistake. Having a consistent blog will be a great asset to your content marketing strategy and offer many benefits such as; - Organic web traffic will increase - Easy to share on social media - Increases exposure on search engine results pages ## **Under-Utilising Social Media** This can be a common content marketing mistake for businesses as they may be slightly out of touch and not understand the true importance of social media. If you are a business which is not utilising social media, then you should get onto it ASAP! Social media content marketing offers a variety of free ways to promote and advertise your business to new customers. It will also help you to engage easier with your consumers to see what their preferences are and how you can cater your business to sustain their interest. If you do not do this, then you will not have a complete understanding of your consumer and your current business practices could actually be drawing away customers instead of attracting newer audiences. ## **Failure to Proofread** This point should go without saying, you cannot be successful in content marketing if the content is full of grammatical errors, then it will just look unprofessional, and this will draw consumers away for your business. When creating content for your business be sure to read over your work after it has been completed, you can even decide to place it through several spell and grammar checkers to ensure that your content will have no mistakes and look as professional as possible. Something as simple as misusing the words 'there, their and they're' can deter customers from your business as although it is a very little grammatical error it will set a subconscious seed of doubt in their mind over your credibility as a business. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Tailored Advertising, What Is It and Why Does It Matter? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/10/tailored-advertising-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-matter/ **Date:** 2021-10-22 **Category:** Advertising | **Tags:** ads, advertise Over recent years the marketing medium has experienced a seismic shift, the age of newspapers and flyers has given way to the highly bespoke targeted ads of today. Finding a website that does not sport any form of advertisement is a rarity with many opting to make use of all the free space they can muster to deliver a series of ads on a variety of topics. In order to better adhere to their clientele, many marketing companies have looked to tailor their advertising. ## **What is Tailored Advertising?** Many of us would have likely experienced tailored advertising without being aware and depending on your own online privacy settings you may be more or less exposed than others. Have you ever visited an online storefront in search of a product, left the website to browse elsewhere, or maybe look through social media and find that ads for the product are now plastered everywhere? This is a form of tailored advertising and works via accessing your past search history and areas of interest to provide ads specific to products or services that you have previously demonstrated interest in. ## **Who Can be Targeted?** Online traffic within this form of marketing campaign is segregated into a plethora of demographics, these may encompass anywhere from basic characteristics such as gender and race all the way to purchase history and online activity. There are also instances in which certain products or websites may follow you across the web or social platforms on the back of you having to access them initially. Certain demographics of the audience will be selected in tandem with whom the marketing team believe the product or service will most resonate with. ## **How Is This an Improvement on Regular Advertising? ** The defining difference between tailored and regular advertising lies in the targeting of the ads. Regular ads - by their very nature - are pretty random, you may constantly experience ads for products you have zero interest in or see services offered that you simply do not need. Tailored ads aim to remedy this and will in turn offer to show you products or services bespoke to your interests or demographics. Targeted ads are beneficial to the user (once they get over the initial shock of having a product follow them across sites) by supplying interesting and relevant ads which are increasingly likely to result in a purchase. Businesses also benefit from this with tailored ads more likely to lead to sales whilst also funneling potential recurring clients into their sector. Different online users have varying opinions on privacy and data protection with tailored ads being something that worries some. Luckily, this section of the industry is heavily moderated with data privacy being a prominent subject within the news and we are slowly moving toward a world where data is truly private even with the presence of tailored advertisement. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy ** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Tips for Creating Mobile-Friendly Content URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/10/tips-for-creating-mobile-friendly-content/ **Date:** 2021-10-15 **Category:** Mobile Search | **Tags:** content, mobile, mobile friendly Have you ever visited a site on your phone only to find it completely dysfunctional? Many who use their phones regularly would have experienced this to at least some level and with the influx of people using their phones for daily browsing, issues don't tend to stay hidden for long. As referred to in one of our previous blogs discussing Google Search Quality, mobile-friendly content can serve to elevate a website's ranking within search engines thus growing its online presence, for a selection of the top tips for creating mobile-friendly content, read on below. ## **Paragraph Structure** Getting ambushed by a sea of text isn't pleasant regardless of what device you're using, a mobile screen, however, makes it oh so much worse. Most modern phones have screen sizes varying between [5.1 and 6.3](https://www.phonearena.com/news/Average-phone-screen-size-resolution-storage-RAM-report-AnTuTu_id106725) inches making them fairly impractical as reading devices with large bodies of text making this especially evident. Using proper paragraph structure to separate the text can give the impression that there is less overall text while images create space within the content. ## **Create Summaries** Keeping with the theme of text, longer pieces of content should always contain a summary at the end. This is simply due to the fact that not everyone using the website will have the time (or patience) to read everything on the page. By providing a succinct conclusion or a set of aforementioned points the content becomes infinitely more practical to those in a rush and those who can't really be bothered to read all the way. ## **A Powerful Introduction** The audience retention rate on mobile platforms is significantly lower than that on desktops, this is partly due to the speed at which users can switch between sites meaning that if an introduction doesn't instantly capture the attention of the user, they may already be on their way to a different site. Crafting a strong introduction can be a challenge but by getting to the point quickly and only including relevant information any introduction can serve to engross a user. ## **Double Check Everything** Before anything goes live on a website it needs to be double or even triple-checked, this method is true with any and all forms of content and should be a technique ingrained within the minds of content creators everywhere. There is nothing more embarrassing than having to deal with the repercussions of providing incorrect information, offering an unavailable service, or simply misleading the audience. Double-checking content will allow for last-minute alterations alongside the fixing of any mistakes within the content. Optimising a website to be mobile friendly is a benefit to many companies with many large corporations already incorporating the latest in mobile technology within their websites. However, due to the simplicity of the process making your website mobile-friendly is a viable option for businesses of all sizes. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Link Between Social Media and Mental Health URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/10/the-link-between-social-media-and-mental-health/ **Date:** 2021-10-08 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** Mental Health, social media There are many in today's world who do not remember a time before the mainstream social media platforms, a time before the social interconnection that we consider quintessential today. With the domineering size of the leading social platforms, you would be forgiven for thinking they've been a mainstay within the digital sector since its inception, however, this is not the case. It wasn't until the early to mid-2000s that sites like Myspace and later Facebook emerged as early forms of social media platforms, much has changed in the subsequent 15 years but retains its title as a relatively new medium. The last few years have been plagued with online abuse, trolls, and even racism, this clearly demonstrates that these platforms are heavily lacking in both moderation and regulation. Beneath the surface, beyond the sounds of the major well-documented issues, rest a set of potential mental health red flags just as harmful as those heavily documented ones, in order to help spot these and in turn come to understand them, I have compiled some of these red flags you may encounter while browsing social media. ## **Isolation** Akin to real life, many social media platforms can be compared to a large room filled with people sat around tables. Many of them are communicating, some only with those at their own tables while others are shouting across the room, social media encourages this kind of interaction and there is always someone -be it near or far- with whom a conversation is possible. This does not mean that everyone is always communicating, there are times when you're may not be comfortable talking to anyone or may even be watching those at your table interacting amongst each other without being involved. Due to social platforms heavily encouraging interaction, the moments where you are not are blatantly apparent and serve to make you feel disconnected from those around you. ## **Ideal Self** Presenting oneself online is worlds apart from doing so in person, have several pairs of branded clothing? Take turns wearing them every time you post and the people on your timeline may just start to believe you wear nothing but branded clothing. Family member has a fancy car? Take a picture next to it every once in a while and people may believe it's yours. Altering perceptions on social media can be a shockingly simple endeavour, albeit one born from low self-esteem. An issue that when underlined in tandem with an online presence, will only further hurt the mental health of the user. ## **Compulsion** There is no such thing as a closing time for social media platforms and with their sheer size, it would be completely viable to spend whole days connected. This may seem like an exaggeration but with the worldwide daily average of [2hours and 25 minutes](https://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/new-global-social-media-research/) spent on social media per person, you can certainly see that there are people who spend huge quantities of time online daily. With the online accessibility of mobile phones, it is now easier than ever to access social media platforms while out and about with many even reporting that they check their online feeds during social gatherings, on public transport, and even during work hours. Social platforms are built from the ground up in order to be as addictive as possible and when they get to the point where they intersect private lives it may be time to call it quits. Contrary to much of what's been mentioned in this article, social media does have a multitude of benefits and when used in moderation with an understanding of the potential red flags can be used constructively. Unfortunately, it still lacks the level of regulation needed to cement It as a force for good for all users, these changes are ones we can hope are implemented into the future. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Does Google Rank Websites? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/09/google-search-quality/ **Date:** 2021-09-29 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google, google search quality, search engine Google is by far the most dominant search engine, since its inception in 1998, it has covered a multitude of subjects across a plethora of countries. Currently, it covers an average of [40,000 search](https://www.internetlivestats.com/google-search-statistics/) queries every single second, this translates to a stunning [3.5 billion searches](https://www.internetlivestats.com/google-search-statistics/) a day. The sheer amount of people using Google daily ensures that subjects you've never even heard of are constantly being accessed on websites that didn't even exist several minutes ago, the internet is constantly changing and evolving in order to meet the demands of its users making you ponder the subject: "How does Google even decide how to rank all these websites?". There is a document of over a hundred pages produced by Google that states exactly how and why they rank websites the way that they do. In order to save you the effort of having to look through over a hundred pages of fancy internet jargon, I've compiled some of the documents' key points below. ## **Search Raters** Fully judging the quality of a website through the use of technology does not offer a complete picture of its overall quality, this is why Google employs search raters. Search raters are, in essence, third-party workers with a deep understanding of Google's guidelines who submit feedback on the changes Google can implement in order to improve user experience. Since it would be a colossal task to have their raters check every single task on the internet, Google doesn't actually use the feedback provided to specifically rate the website they received feedback on (stick with me here) but rather the rating of every website. Based on the feedback itself they can isolate which parts of the page the raters look upon favourably and implement that within their algorithm to rank the websites that incorporate this. ## **Page Design ** Every website has its own niche design so categorising what's better and what's worse is a slight challenge even for Google, since it's unable to actually go from page to page and gauge the quality of the website by hand it employs a series of checks. In order to judge the quality of the page, it looks at; the amount of adverts present is the main piece of content at the top of the page and even the geographical location of images and videos on the page. Funnily enough, this isn't actually a measure for the quality of page design but rather one for page functionality where if a website has pages that guarantee a quality user experience, they naturally place themselves higher. ## **Advertising** Aggressive advertising strategies have become a prominent part of many websites and having to click the cross on a pop-up ad when visiting a website has become the norm, Google is not too keen on this and will actually lower the search quality rating if there is no clear distinction between ads and content or if the ads themselves negatively influence the overall user experience. Google even goes as far as to state ["The presence or absence of Ads is not by itself a reason for a High or Low quality rating"](https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/guidelines.raterhub.com/en/searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf) even though ["we will consider a website responsible for the overall quality of the Ads displayed."](https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/guidelines.raterhub.com/en/searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf) As Google themselves state, this was not implemented to disrupt ads but rather ensure a high-quality user experience regardless of their presence. ## **User Needs** The needs met section of the search quality grading is dictated by the mobile functionality of the website, websites that do not have mobile support are instantly given the dreaded 'fails to meet' grade hurting their overall score. Needs met is scored on a 5-part scale ranging from 'fully meets' to 'fails to meet'. ## **Your Money or Your Life (YMYL)** The affectionately named 'your money or your life pages' are the most polarizing within Google's quality rankings as they envelop the most influential websites on the internet. Websites that have been classed as YMYL have a focus on high importance subjects including; medical information, financial help, job search, child adoption, news, current events, shopping, government/law, etc. Due to the massive impact any of these website types could have on the safety and wellbeing of the user, they are held to very high standards which when failing to meet, leads to them being ranked considerably lower than a website with a focus to a less impactful subject of similar quality. As Google themselves state: ["We have very high Page Quality rating standards for YMYL pages because low quality YMYL pages could potentially negatively impact a person's happiness, health, financial stability, or safety"](http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/no-nonsense-guide-using-ymyl-and-e-t-seo#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWe%20have%20very%20high%20Page,factor%20for%20all%20searches%20now.) ## **EAT Quality** EAT encompasses expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness, even though there is no sure-fire way to grade a website on these elements via Google's algorithm, these factors will certainly hold sway over search raters. Google encourages their search raters to look favourably on well-written pieces of content that show clear expertise even though their creators may not have official qualifications in the field, these people are referred to as having 'everyday experience'. Authoritativeness, on the other hand, looks almost solely at the qualifications and experience of the creator, this is especially potent in YMYL websites where poor content can be especially harmful. Encompassing both expertise and authoritativeness is trustworthiness, if a website comfortably demonstrates expertise and authoritativeness then it is likely also trustworthy. By meeting the EAT criteria in its entirety a website guarantees higher search quality scores. Google's search quality criteria are unbelievably in-depth in order to be transferable across all the websites you are likely to find online but by following the aforementioned tips and adhering to them websites are guaranteed to see an increase in their overall rankings. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Core Web Vitals, What Are They? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/09/core-web-vitals-what-are-they/ **Date:** 2021-09-16 **Category:** SEO, SEO Ranking Factors | **Tags:** core web vitals, google site speed, site speed Whether you're the owner of a business running an online site, a content writer uploading online, or even just a casual internet user with a fervent interest in website functionality, chances are sooner or later you will run across the terms Core Web Vitals without really knowing what they mean. Core web vitals are an essential aspect of website management and lacking knowledge on the subject can harm your website SEO rankings, on the other hand, the reason behind why your website may not be performing as well as it potentially could is likely down to incorrect or a lack of utilisation of Core Web Vitals, read on to find out what they are and their uses. ## **What Are They?** Core web vitals are a form of measurement metrics imposed by Google that in essence, grade a website based on how good it is with several key elements being monitored in order to produce a mark (to learn more about the criteria itself, read the "How are They Graded" section) Scoring highly within this grading system can help retain or even boost the website's SEO rankings above competitors who score poorly. By being a gauge for functionality this can also give you the peace of mind that visitors to your website are likely happy with the experience. ## **How Are They Graded?** There are several elements utilised within the measuring process in order to gain a rounded idea of how good a website actually is; ## **Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) ** LCP is the criteria focusing heavily on load times, in a world where the average website bounce rate within e-commerce is 47%, having a speedy website is a must. This is measured from the instant the website is clicked to the point at which the largest block on the page is fully loaded, the timeframe to achieve a good score is 2.5 seconds or quicker. ## **First Input Delay (FID)** As the name implies, this element of the core web vitals classification focuses on the input delay for the first interaction on the website, to simplify - how long does it take for the website to react the first time you do something. Having a poor first input delay makes the website seem slow and sluggish which may drive away some of the less patient users, the time needed in order to achieve a good rating is 100 milliseconds. ## **Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)** Possibly the most frustrating of the core vitals is a poor cumulative layout shift and many have probably actively noticed a lack of this without actually being sure of what it's called. CLS represents the visual stability of a page while you are browsing, low-quality pages will have layout moving as you scroll or ads popping up during loading making pressing a button a massive hassle! Good websites will look to maintain a CLS of 0.1 or lower. In order to provide the highest quality user experience websites should look to be good in all aspects of core web vitals, this will also provide a ranking boost hence likely also increasing visitor flow. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively [fill out our contact form.](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) --- ## Advanced Google Search Operators. What Are They? And How to Use Them? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/09/advanced-google-search-operators-what-are-they-and-how-to-use-them/ **Date:** 2021-09-07 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** google, search operators The Internet is large. Ridiculously large. Searching something as niche as "digital marketing" produces a total of 2,760,000,000 results via Google and while a fair few of these are likely nothing but low-quality spam or websites only loosely connected to the subject, we're still left with what can officially be described as more than a couple of search results. In order to remove the strain on our collective sanity, Google has integrated advanced search operators within their search engine as a set of tools to assist both users and content creators in understanding what is actually going on behind the scenes. ## **What are Google Search Operators?** Google search operators are the first line of defence when it comes to your parents inputting entire sentences into the search bar, making sure the text entered is concise and contains specific keywords helps Google find exact content which -at its most basic- is the purpose of search operators. Search engine operators look akin to short lines of code with keywords accentuated with punctuation or abbreviations, see the "shortcuts" section for some examples and basic commands. ## **How to Use Them?** Using search operators is very simple, by inputting the correct shortcuts directly into the search bar Google will then display the results matching your search - this is much the same as using the Google search engine normally when browsing. ## **Shortcuts ** **"Digital Marketing"** - When using quotation marks any text placed between a set will cause an exact match showing only content featuring the exact text. **Digital OR Marketing** - Using OR will cause a search between either of the words or phrases (digital and marketing in this case) but not both. **Digital - Marketing** - The minus is used as a tool to remove specific words/phrases or even URLs, in this case we would get results matching Digital but only if they exclude Marketing. **Digital + Marketing** - Used as the opposite to minus, a plus acts to add words into the search. **Site: odysseynewmedia.com search operators** - A Site: produces a site-specific search for any additional content within the search, in this case, the shortcut will lead straight to this article through the Odyssey website. **Intitle "digital marketing" - **Intitle searches for the text in the quotation marks but only when it's placed in a title, this is often used to find specific articles or blogs on large sites. **Inurl "digital marketing" - **Searches for the text in quotation marks within the page URL. **Intext "digital marketing"** - Similar to Intitle, searches for the content within the quotation marks in the body of the text. **Filetype:pdf** - Looks for any documents of a specific file type, especially useful when looking through directories of uploaded files. By fully utilising search operator shortcuts you can save yourself copious amounts of time that would otherwise be spent searching through websites, by combining different shortcuts you can also mitigate time spent looking at websites not relevant to your search. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively [fill out our contact form.](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) --- ## What is Twitter's New 'Super Follow' Feature? And How Will It Impact Content Creators? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/09/what-is-twitters-new-super-follow-feature-and-how-will-it-impact-content-creators/ **Date:** 2021-09-03 **Category:** Social Media, X | **Tags:** content marketing, social media, twitter The monetisation of social media certainly isn't anything new, Youtube's integrated follow feature where fans receive additional benefits for a monthly tier-based subscription, and Twitch super chat whereby donating during a livestream they receive the privilege of a highly sought after pinned comment (usually used to reference memes or make profane jokes), monetisation has been a mainstay in the industry for years. With many of the social media colossuses looking to add paid options themselves, Twitter's recent announcement over its 'Super Follow' feature becomes a gauge of what to expect from the remaining platforms currently lacking paid features. ## **What is a Super Follow and How to Qualify** Twitter boasts a follow feature whereby subscribing to a creator their content shows up on your timeline and super follows are thought to work in the same way with the only difference lying in the access of additional 'behind the scenes' content that regular follows would not be able to. The implementation of super follows is designed to serve as a money-making medium to encourage content creators to market primarily to Twitter. In order to make use of this feature the author has to hold 10k or more followers, be over the age of 18 and have posted at least 25 times in the last 30 days. ## **Pricing Options and Twitter's Cut** In qualifying for the aforementioned criteria, the author can choose a price point for their subscription with the current price points listed as $2.99, $4.99 and $9.99 based on the quantity and quality of the content they plan on producing for their super followers. Twitter have stated that creators will be able to claim up to 97% of any payments received up to a value of $50,000 at which they can claim up to 80% after third party fees. These price points seem relatively vague and will likely change based on the profit and following of the author themselves post review of the feature itself. ## **What Impact Will This Have?** No doubt this feature is intended to rival third party companies such as Patreon through which content creators can receive funding from their fans, by taking a chunk of this market they increase their own profits while also integrating regulation into what is currently a relatively chaotic market. From the perspective of content creators this is a fantastic opportunity to cater to their hardcore audience while also making some additional money. The monetisation of Twitter is in line with that of several other social media platforms and while currently a new untested function which will no doubt change multiple times before released openly to the public, it can act as a positive change to content creators, hardcore fans and even Twitter itself. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out [our contact form.](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) --- ## Apple Spotlight, What is it? And What Does it Mean for Google? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/08/apple-spotlight-what-is-it-and-what-does-it-mean-for-google/ **Date:** 2021-08-26 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** apple, google, search engines Google's domination of the search engine market is an all-encompassing one, even with direct competitors such as Bing, Yahoo and Baidu, Google is directly responsible for [over 70% of all](https://www.impactplus.com/blog/seo-statistics#:~:text=In%202021%20(to%20date)%2C,searches%20are%20new%20to%20Google.) global desktop search traffic and with nearly [93% of all web traffic](https://99firms.com/blog/search-engine-statistics/#gref) coming through the medium of search engines, they hold a prevalent stake on the worldwide online market. There have been a plethora of challengers to Google's search engine throne but due to their locale or niche specific natures haven't managed to amass the following required to pose a threat, this changes with Apple's entry into the market. Read on to find out about Apple Spotlight and ripples it may create in the search engine world. ## **What is Apple Spotlight?** Spotlight serves as one of the integrated applications within the Mac OS and IOS operating systems and was first [released in April 2005](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotlight_(software)), you may find yourself wondering why now, over 15 years after its inception has only just begun to act as a direct competitor. The answer to that question lies directly in the nature of the application. Induced as a file/device search its role as an internal search engine didn't pose an issue to Google since it lacked any online elements preventing encroachment on the market Google had captured. As many analysist at Google likely predicted, Spotlight has introduced more online search results with subsequent updates now presenting an array of Google-like images, query resolutions and general information you would be expectant of finding within a search engine. ## **How is Google Combating This?** As the current market leader Google is likely very aware of its current predicament and by looking at news from yesteryear, we can gauge this has been thus for a while. Over the past few years Google has been bidding billions in order to retain its role as the primary search engine on Apple devices with the figure set to rise [to $15 billion](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-reportedly-paying-apple-15b-to-stay-default-search-engine/417461/#close) in 2021 with investors stating payments could approach $18 - $20 billion by 2022. The current Safari browser market share in the [UK is at 33.16%](https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/all/united-kingdom) which would be a sizable chunk of the market to lose if Google decided it did not wish to continue with its multi-billion dollar yearly payments, at the very least they have the satisfaction of knowing they pay one of the most expensive yearly subscriptions on the planet. The deciding factor behind many verdicts will lie in the search engine's ease of access and with Apple's conglomerate being built off of its unmatched simplicity it's highly unlikely that device users would look to an external source when considering which search engine to employ. However, the aforementioned yearly subscription that Google pays seems to mitigate Apple's advancements into the search engine market and as long as Google are willing to pay, and Apple are willing to be paid Spotlight will not become a direct competitor to Google search. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form.](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) --- ## Email Marketing - 10 Mistakes You Should Avoid URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/08/email-marketing-10-mistakes-you-should-avoid/ **Date:** 2021-08-18 **Category:** Email Marketing | **Tags:** digital marketing, digital tips, email marketing Email marketing has long been embraced as a quintessential way to keep your captive audience updated on products, services and general changes within your business, albeit its frequent use has led to some poor utilization of the medium more likely to cause consumers humor or even cringe. Read on for 10 of the key mistakes you should avoid when email marketing. ## **1) Subject Line** Hence the name, the subject line is intended to contain little else other than the subject of the piece. Too often has the subject line been utilised to provide copious amounts of information rather than discerning the direct subject of the content, keep your subject line short and concise to boost engagement and understanding. ## **2) Sending a Test Email** Your audience will use a plethora of devices to read the email and thus the email needs to be checked, the best way to do so is to send out a test email to visualise its appearance on different size screens and operating systems. This is also a good way to ensure the functionality of your links, buttons and images. ## **3) Proof Reading** Sending an email only to find a minor spelling or grammatical error within is a source of frustration for many, it's such a simple mistake to make and yet it may severely harm your standing with clients. Getting an external source to proofread is a timeless technique and mitigates the chances of finding a minor error, unfortunately this does not mean that some errors may not get through the net, ensure that several people read through your work if possible. ## **4) The Personal Touch** A personal connection goes a long way in business and something as simple as citing your client's name can make the impact in making sure they stay with you; email automation allows for many customizable options and its likely that with a bit of playing around a way to make your emails more personal will become apparent. ## **5) Generic Email Addresses** Using a generic email address such as one that features info@ or enquiries@ can reduce your open rate and will more likely lead to it being filtered into Junk Email folders or ignored entirely. A particularly vigilant email security provider will make it difficult to get your emails through regardless but by keeping your address relevant you can increase the chance of being seen. ## **6) Missing Call-To-Actions** Your email needs to link back to your site or provide some other form of contact back to you, without a call to action they may not know how to get in contact with you even if they do decide to use a service or buy a product. ## **7) Skipping the Pre-Sending Checks** Pre-sending spam checks can be the difference between going straight to the spam folder and getting an enquiry, making sure you do this before sending an email is sure to help you boost your engagement over the long term. ## **8) Information & Graphics** Information and Graphics are critical when utilised correctly and their use is likely a dominant factor in your current email marketing, their use is heavily encouraged but when they are used in excess your email becomes too long, turning away consumers with little time. ## **9) Target landing page links within your Email** As mentioned in the 'call to action' section, giving your audience a call to action is important and will often come in the form of 'click here to visit ...'. Using this is vital but it can be easy to put many links into the email turning it into a mess of hyperlinks and confusing interconnection. Using only several links keeps the email simple and easy to navigate. ## **10) Follow up on Click Reports** The final and one of the most important tips is the use of click reports, you may be familiar with click reports if you use external tools such as google analytics to measure your website reach and a click report will provide you with the same essential information. By using click reports you discover what elements of your email attract engagement leading you to better optimize future content. By using these email marketing tips you ensure that your audience gains a positive view of your business and allows you to keep building on the content that you create. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Top Facebook Video Tips to Boost Your Engagement URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/08/top-facebook-video-tips-to-boost-your-engagement/ **Date:** 2021-08-11 **Category:** Facebook, Video | **Tags:** facebook, facebook video, marketing tips, video Facebook is the undisputed champion amidst the plethora of mainstream social media platforms, the opposition in the form of Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc are strong but fall short of [a 59% reach](https://www.oberlo.co.uk/blog/facebook-statistics) amongst all social media users. In light of its unyielding rise, many corporations have looked to incorporate Facebook and Facebook Video Marketing into their advertising strategy to captivate a portion of the [500 million users](https://99firms.com/blog/facebook-video-statistics/#gref) who watch [100 million hours](https://99firms.com/blog/facebook-video-statistics/#gref) of video content on Facebook daily. Breaking into the aforementioned market can be a colossal task without the utilisation of the tools and techniques available, read on for Facebook video tips guaranteed to help boost your social media interaction. ## **Choose the Right Name** Video content with a descriptive title will not only allow for easier location via the search but will also meet the keyword criteria aiding in the classification it will have amongst other similar content narrowing down to exactly what the user is searching for. ## **Portion of Content** When deciding whether to watch a video many will look to the caption or description, hence, there is no better way to appear unreliable than by leaving this blank, misspelling words, or just plain not making sense. Preferably a description should encompass the subject of the video without being a word-for-word copy, as mentioned in the 'choose the right name' section a description catering to sector-specific keywords will help categorise the content while fructifying reach. [](https://www.facebook.com/odysseynewmedia/videos/928506984545821)A video uploaded onto the Odyssey New Media Facebook ## **One Shape Does Not Fit All** As opposed to videos applied in separate mediums, Facebook utilises a 1:1 square ratio as a part of their video content creation. Unfortunately, videos created via third-party content creation apps commonly come in landscape form potentially leading to some dubious Facebook sizing, and seldom is simply cropping the content sides a viable solution. Endeavouring to address this at step one is the best way in ensuring this issue does not propagate. ## **Use Captions** By making use of captions Facebook videos diversify their potential audience, I have yet to experience someone blaring out a sector-specific marketing video on public transport in a desperate bid to catch every syllable. When a video is relevant and practical, people will watch it when given the opportunity. [As of 2016 85%](https://animoto.com/blog/business/add-captions-facebook-videos) of Facebook videos were watched on mute and ensuring they can be understood thus is an enormous draw for many. ## **Tag, You're Linked** Corporate marketing videos are scarcely the creation of a lone individual; the knowledge, editing, voiceovers, scriptwriting, proofreading, content planning, etc are aspects which's management is delegated amidst multiple people within a team. Tagging team members or external businesses that have played a part in the creation process enables access to their followers or friends lists for further content transmission. Facebook video serves as a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that, through its versatility, can be utilised to fit a plethora of purposes within a corporate environment regardless of the sector within which it lies. The use of the above tips is a fundamentally simplistic way of naturally growing content engagement. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Using Video Marketing to Increase Engagement with Blog Posts URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/08/using-video-marketing-to-increase-engagement-with-blog-posts/ **Date:** 2021-08-03 **Category:** Content Marketing, Video, Video Advertising | **Tags:** content, content marketing, video The medium of Blogging has undergone a revolution in recent years with [77% of internet users](https://optinmonster.com/blogging-statistics/) confirming that they read blogs. The expansive audience that this generates serves as a prime target for businesses looking to expand their reach and consumer base with companies that blog getting [97% more](https://optinmonster.com/blogging-statistics/) links to their website, leading to a higher trust flow and SEO placement. The best way to make yourself stand out amidst the plethora of blogs circulating the internet is to incorporate video. Before you scoff and tell me that a blog is text-based content and by using a video it ceases to be fundamentally a blog, let me offer you the super medium of video blogging. The culmination of video and blogging takes the benefits of both, assimilating them into a singular page free of the shackles of cliched obscurity, read on for ways to use video marketing within blog posts. ## **Split the Text** Have you ever opened a blog only to be ambushed by a wave of text so insurmountable that you just say: "no thanks" before closing the page? Yeah, me too. Writing about a complex sector may lead to a deluge of facts, stats and acronyms served together and presented in the form of a headache-inducing cocktail, small chunks of digestible information are the way to go with blogs and the use of video to split the text may make it seem like this. ## **Stop that Skim** [43% of people](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/business-blogging-in-2015) admit to skimming blogs with [55% only reading articles](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/business-blogging-in-2015) for 15 seconds or less. The presence of a video can help increase that time [by 105% ](https://blogs.oracle.com/marketingcloud/post/video-interactivity-and-personalization-for-effective-content-engagement)giving you the time to display your product or deliver a striking text segment convincing the reader of your vast superiority amidst your competitors. You can't force the reader to actively study your blog but a frequently used way to increase the probability of them grasping the content within the text is to summarise it through the use of a video. In order to utilise a blog, you first have to have something to say, making sure that your audience is tuned in to hear your message is the challenge at the heart of many blogs, a challenge that can be lessened through adopting video marketing. ## **Create Original Content** With the birth of YouTube and other video-based social media platforms, many have realised just how simple it is to create video content, a mobile phone or a digital camera, a webcam or a camcorder, there is an assortment of different devices you can use to create video without going out of your way or breaking the bank. Homemade sector-specific tutorial videos are vital to many in educating themselves about a product or service before they look to invest capital, presenting you with the chance to win them over. On the other hand, if you find yourself servicing ongoing clients why not deliver market updates or information directly via the form of video to add a personal touch. The medium of video incorporates itself flawlessly alongside a blog, its usage allowing for another dimension of consumer engagement delivering with it a plethora of benefits to capitalise on your blog writing. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to boost the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Emotional Hooks That Will Make Your Content Much More Engaging URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/07/emotional-hooks-that-will-make-your-content-much-more-engaging/ **Date:** 2021-07-28 **Category:** Content Marketing, Content Writing, Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** content marketing, content writing, seo The average person [spends 144 minutes](https://www.digitalmarketing.org/blog/how-much-time-does-the-average-person-spend-on-social-media) on social media every day, in that time they expose themselves to thousands of posts from a sector originating from a range of content creators. So, why is it that only a miniature fraction of these posts get any interaction or are memorable enough to stick in your brain for longer than the few seconds it takes you to read the post? The secret lies in the connection to your audience that the post elicits. Read on for a deep dive into how you can captivate your audience through the power of (almost) nothing but words. [](https://www.facebook.com/odysseynewmedia/photos/a.671616576250914/4240693989343137/)_Image of an example of a piece of content with a fun fact._ ## **The Element of Surprise** Nothing gets the heart racing quite like an unexpected surprise or plot twist, I'm not suggesting you work a jump-scare into your content (unless your field absolutely demands it) but rather a revelation basing itself around a common misconception within your sector or a 'fun fact' with just enough wow-factor to make your [audience question its authenticity](https://www.facebook.com/odysseynewmedia/photos/a.671616576250914/4240693989343137/). In light of the greatest invention of the 21st century: the online troll, you may find yourself being fact-checked so endeavour to double-check your content before it goes live. _Image of a group of friends laughing._ ## **Sense of Humour** A search engine walks into a bar, the bartender says "What are you doing here? You're banned, SEO yourself out". Good humour can make your brand seem approachable and light-hearted while bad humour makes you feel like you probably shouldn't upload this article. Laughter is a fantastic way to form an instant connection with your audience helping to spruce your content up if it's been a little dry as of late whilst making sure that it doesn't encroach on the authenticity of your brand. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/07/28/emotional-hooks-that-will-make-your-content-much-more-engaging/attachment/stories-matter-image/)_Image of a typewriter with the words 'Stories matter' imprinted on a piece of paper._ ## **Tell a Story** The emotional investment comes naturally through the utilisation of stories. If your company or brand has had a dramatic rise or faced adversity at some point down the road, chances are, your audience would love to hear about it. Knowing that a business is more than just a high-resolution logo and a marketable product is a major pull for many potential clients. Providing case studies for current or past clients is a great way to engross your audience while appealing to people in a similar position to those mentioned. _Image of a pop culture reference on a wall._ ## **Incorporate Pop Culture** Addicted to a TV show or a book? Good, chances are, so is a certain demographic within your audience that is looking for absolutely any excuse to talk about it. Using this hype can help you boost audience interaction while bringing attention to your products with [28% of the most successful](https://marketscale.com/industries/retail/brands-pop-culture-relevance/) businesses incorporating references to pop culture at some point in their marketing campaigns. It is important to make sure any pop culture references are relevant to your sector/products in order to both build common ground and start to funnel clients toward your business. Emotional reaction is the key element behind some of the most successful marketing campaigns, surprise, humour, stories and culture references tap into that emotion in order to try and elicit a response without breaking the bank. Using these techniques will allow you to boost your reach while also building a personality to go with your brand. ## **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Services** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing specialists who have the knowledge and expertise to fully optimise your website, helping you to generate more traffic and conversions for your business. Call our team on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450)**, alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Facebook Algorithm 2021: How Can It Help Your Online Reach URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/07/facebook-algorithm-2021-how-can-it-help-your-online-reach/ **Date:** 2021-07-20 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights, Facebook, Social Media | **Tags:** digital marketing, facebook, facebook algorithm, reach, social media Facebook is one of the most popular social media outlets to ever exist. With over 2.8 billion active users in 2021, it is vital that you use its algorithm to increase your online reach. If you can grasp an idea of how it works, then this will be hugely beneficial for your social media presence and attract more engagement in your social posts, whilst also gaining followers and online reputation with the more time that passes. Read on below to find out how you can use Facebook Analytics to increase your online reach. ## **What Exactly Is The Facebook Algorithm**? In essence, the Facebook algorithm decides what posts people see, and the order that these posts are viewed in your Facebook home feed. Obviously, if you are an aspiring business, new to Facebook then you would like to rank your posts as high as possible to increase the level of engagement in your online business. Facebook 'predicts' which posts are the most valuable and useful to a user and so ranks these higher. They apply this filtering system to every single user's Facebook feed, meaning it is vital that your posts align with their criteria as otherwise it will be lost in the almost 3 billion shuffles of active users! The more engagement you receive on your social posts, the higher Facebook will rank you in user's feeds. ## **How Does it Work in 2021**? In 2021, the algorithm works as mentioned above, predicting how posts will rank and scores them accordingly based on how recent the post is, the content of the post, and how relevant they perceive it to be. Alternatively, the posts that Facebook determines as irrelevant and unhelpful will be demoted in social feeds, this includes posts containing inappropriate content, spam, repetitive clickbait, and any other post that Facebook deems unnecessary. For the remaining posts, the Facebook algorithm runs a thorough assessment and scores them accordingly to what they see fit for an individual's Facebook feed. Everyone's feed is different because not everyone enjoys the same topics. For example, they would not recommend a butcher to a vegetarian! However, Facebook will ensure that there is variety in social feeds as this provides an overall greater user experience and increases attention and engagement. ## **Tips for Optimising Facebook's Algorithm ** When it comes to using the Facebook algorithm to increase your online reach then they are a few tips to follow. These are great for newer and older businesses to increase their online reach and their overall social presence. Some of the tips include: - Try and encourage conversation. If your post causes debate or discussion in the comments section, then this will increase your engagement. The occasional open-ended question or conversation starter will spike your comments. You may also get friends of these users seeing your post through 'action-bumping logic' as they may get it recommended to them. - You can also directly skip the algorithm through Facebook Stories. As they are not part of the news feed and are placed above it, they cannot be governed or filtered by the algorithm. It was also found by Facebook that 58% of users find a company or brand using stories. Meaning these are great for increasing your social and online reach. - Stick with trends. If it is a certain time of the year, Christmas for example. Try and cater your posts around that theme, use related hashtags as well as implementing keywords that are associated with Christmas. This will increase your engagement and attract new eyes to your business, therefore raising your social and online reach. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Importance of Embracing Social Media for Businesses URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/07/the-importance-of-embracing-social-media-for-businesses/ **Date:** 2021-07-09 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** branding, facebook, instagram, snapchat, social media With the inception of Facebook in 2004, nobody would have believed that it would develop into what it has become today. 17 years and [2.85 billion active users](https://bit.ly/36nIBKq) later, it has eclipsed what anyone thought possible becoming the largest social platform and the third most searched term trailing only to Google and YouTube. With potentially billions of prospective clients, there is no reason why your business can't utilise the platform that Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, etc offer you in order to grow your audience. ## **Reaching Potential Clients** Social Media is built around the idea of unifying people from all different cultures and walks of life with who you may never interact in person. Marketing to somebody across the world if you fit conservatories for example, may not be the best use of your time and as important as it is to have a prominent reach, it's absolutely vital that you target your specific audience. This can be done through things like Facebook groups specific to your area or using industry or area dedicated hashtags on Instagram. ## **Consumer Engagement** One of the major draws for a smaller business is its ability to interact with clients personally, retaining this is vital even through a social media profile. Clients may utilise social media to enquire about products or services and if they are met with a friendly and quick reply, it fosters a bond of trust which can lead to a sale or even long-term loyalty. ## **Building a Brand** By taking a business into the online world, you are exposing the brand to hoards of new consumers. These may be people who are local but are not aware of where your premises is located and what services or products are offered by your business. Social Media is the perfect platform for getting your logos, banners, and product pictures out into the world, starting to build a visual association between your brand and your business. Building a brand is simple, requiring you to stay active on your social platform of choice with content that can vary from product pictures to business information and even news loosely related to your sector. ## **Building a Presence is Easier Than You Think ** Many associate social media with large tech conglomerates that dominate across multiple pages steamrolling smaller companies that offer similar products and services. Luckily modern-day social media covers such a plethora of niche products and services that finding that gap in the market or the specific location of your audience may be a lot simpler than you first anticipated and through the correct utilisation of your social media presence, your target audience will be that much easier to reach. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How Google's Core Algorithm Update Could Affect Your Website Rankings URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/06/how-googles-core-algorithm-update-could-affect-your-website-rankings/ **Date:** 2021-06-29 **Category:** Google, SEO | **Tags:** google, seo Google announced its core algorithm update for June 2021, and this is being carried out throughout the month. Yet how exactly does the update to Google's algorithm affect the website rankings and SEO of companies worldwide? Read on below to see how the enrolment of this update could go on to affect your website rankings. ## **What is included within the update?** As a part of this update, Google has implemented a system referred to as core web vitals. Core web vitals is, in essence, a tick-box exercise that Google carries out for each page of your website in order to dictate its SEO standing in line with the functionality that it offers the user. Multiple factors have sway on if the page fits the criteria imposed, which are as follows; - Loading performance is how quickly each page takes to load and is decided by the duration between the initial click on the page to the completion of the loading on the largest image or block on the page, - Interactivity depends on how quickly the website responds in the wake of a click (preferably sub 100 milliseconds), - Visual stability relies on the website to not shift rapidly while in use. Through utilisation of these three factors, Google decides the level of functionality that the website offers thereby ranking it more or less attractive toward potential users by changing its SEO standing. ## **Why is This Important? ** This core algorithm update is important as it could potentially lead to a drop in your website traffic for your business. This could be a major change for your rankings as simply dropping one position could lead to losing up to 13% of your website visitors! Thing could potentially get even worse than that as if your website begins to rank outside of the top 3 sites, you could lose up to 60% of clicks. If you are unfortunate enough to drop out of page 1, you may lose almost all your organic traffic that you have spent years building up. These are some of the reasons as to why this update is vital and you should check out Google's June and upcoming July algorithm updates. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/06/29/how-googles-core-algorithm-update-could-affect-your-website-rankings/attachment/google-search/) ## **How Can You Prepare ** The best way to prepare for these changes over this month and July is to purely focus on your business and what you are doing instead of Google. This may sound strange as you would think that focusing on what Google is doing is more important as they are making the changes, right? Well, whilst it is true that these changes to your website rankings could be altered by Google's core update. Maintaining and focusing on your business and working out had to add value to your visitors will most likely maintain your website traffic anyway, and this way your ranking cannot be washed away like many other websites. ## **Impact On SEO ** Whilst we may have perceived Google's core algorithm update as an evil entity that is determined to destroy the rankings that people have worked years to achieve, this is not the case. In fact, due to many businesses losing their rankings, your website may take their place in fact. As long as you have an understanding of what Google are looking for then you could even push your website rankings into the top 3, this will change your business astronomically with your website traffic pretty much nailed on to skyrocket as you increase your engagement with many new visitors. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/06/29/how-googles-core-algorithm-update-could-affect-your-website-rankings/attachment/seo-2/) ## **How to Tell if Your Website Has Been Impacted? ** There are in fact some tell-tale signs of checking to see if Google's core algorithm update has directly affected your website. Some examples of these blatant signs are: - Exploring your Google Analytics and Google Search Console, be sure to look at the data and you will be able to see possible increases or decreases in visitors to your website as well as newer search terms. - Keyword search tools are great at analysing the key data for your website. Sites such as [SEMRush](https://www.semrush.com/) for example, can update you on your website trust flow as well as updating your competitors and reviews the total backlinks off your website. ### **Contact our SEO experts** Get in touch with our team of SEO specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How does Instagram's Algorithm Actually Work? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/06/how-does-instagrams-algorithm-actually-work/ **Date:** 2021-06-18 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights, Industry News, Instagram, Social Media | **Tags:** instagram, seo, social media, social media strategy Since its launch in 2010 Instagram has quickly become an integral part of our day-to-day lives. Everything from catching up with old friends to keeping up with the latest news and football scores, it's through its versatility and wide range of content that it has grown at an exponential rate appealing to consumers all over the world regardless of interests or hobbies. As a part of its recent 'creator week' Instagram has provided us with insight into how its internal processes dictate content reach. ## **Signals and Content Interaction** The content that is given to you by Instagram verges on multiple factors which they use to decide how interesting the post may be to the consumer and thereby how likely it is to appear in feeds. Image Showing Instagram Interaction Tab **Popularity of the post:** Larger amounts of people interacting with the post over a short duration of time signifies that the post most likely appeals to a wider audience and is therefore more likely to appear. This often happens with people who have large social media followings such as influencers. **Who posted it:** The general amount of interaction that the author has received on their recent posts shows their current relevance within Instagram, the world changes at a breath-taking pace and as certain authors become more relevant their content may gain greater reach, an example would be someone running a fan account for a TV show only in order for it to get a new season. **Interaction History:** Repeated interaction with either a certain author or a specific type of post will flag to the algorithm that the consumer has interest in the content and will therefore show them more posts that are similar to the ones being interacted with. This can be further swayed by liking or commenting on posts, in instances like this if for example you repeatedly click on posts about a certain video game, your chances of seeing posts about that same video game or one from the same developer or genre rise exponentially. ## **Hashtags** The use of Hashtags ensures that content is marked as being within a group of other similar posts that all share the same Hashtag making each more discoverable to those interacting with a post sharing the same hashtag. Hashtags are also clickable and when selecting a certain one it will take you to a full page showing all the posts for which that Hashtag has been mentioned, they can also be directly followed meaning that they may see the author's post even if the author is not directly followed. Hashtags can be a great way to increase post reach and using more niche ones will lead to the post being in a more refined group showing up to those that are searching for something specific. [](https://www.instagram.com/odysseynewmedia/)Image of Odyssey New Media Instagram Post Using Hashtags ## **Why Is There a Need for the Algorithm? ** As of 2021 Instagram has a potential advertising reach of 1.16 billion users with over 50 billion photos having been posted since its inception, many of these photos will be of absolutely no interest to many users and by narrowing down their interests the Instagram algorithm can gain better insight into which of those 50 billion photos the user actually wants to see. On the business side, many businesses use Instagram to market their products, 200 million users visit at least one business profile daily and through the use of the Algorithm Instagram ensures that those are the audience members that have interests in line with the products that are being offered. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** If you are interested in developing your overall digital marketing strategy, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in and have worked in a wide range of sectors. Call us on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450)** or you can [contact us here](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Announcing Your Reopening - A Checklist for Your Digital Assets URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/05/announcing-your-reopening-a-checklist-for-your-digital-assets/ **Date:** 2021-05-28 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights, Email Marketing, Guides, Social Media | **Tags:** banner design, email marketing, seo, social media As we seem to be nearing the end of lockdown and are still on track for the complete re-opening from June 21st, it is important that businesses use this time to take advantage of their digital assets. There really is no better time for doing this than alongside the re-opening of your business. This is because with a good enough marketing strategy, you will be able to promote and create demand for your business. Below, we have created a useful checklist for optimising your digital assets. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/05/28/announcing-your-reopening-a-checklist-for-your-digital-assets/attachment/open-sign/)_Image of a business open sign._ ## **Website Banners** This digital asset will draw the eyes of customers and clients to certain parts of your website, your banner should stand out with a contrasting colour to the rest of your homepage to give it the best chance of being seen and read. The banner could contain key dates for the re-opening of your business and also highlight certain products and services that you may want to promote to your customers. They may contain clickable links that would take the customer to the desired area of your website. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/05/28/announcing-your-reopening-a-checklist-for-your-digital-assets/attachment/social-network-image/)_Image of social media icons on a phone._ ## **Social Media** Using the digital asset of social media to announce the re-opening of your business is a no brainer. Creating posts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter will allow you to reach a large number of people and engage with clients online. You could create polls on Twitter to gauge what people do and do not want from your business. You can promote the re-opening date on several social posts, this will remind your clients of the date and keep it fresh in their memories so that they will visit your website and engage with your business services. Creating a YouTube channel may also be beneficial to your business, you could create videos that showcase your products and services as well as personal 'Meet the Team' type videos to engage with your audience. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/05/28/announcing-your-reopening-a-checklist-for-your-digital-assets/attachment/discount-image-2/)_Image of a shopping bag with discounts._ ## **Exclusive Offers** As lockdown has caused the loss of many jobs, expensive services aren't exactly the biggest appeal! You could try and promote exclusive offers online, through emails or on multiple social media platforms to your customers in order to increase engagement with your business. You could link these offers to sign up fees and purchases from your website meaning that once someone has used this offer, they will still be connected to your business and could become a recurring customer. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/05/28/announcing-your-reopening-a-checklist-for-your-digital-assets/attachment/mail-icon/)_Image of a mail icon on a phone._ ## **Email Marketing** To reach out to more clients and businesses you may want to try out the digital asset of email marketing. Leaving professional emails in clients inboxes will also inform them of key dates and promotions of your business services. A lot of people still don't use social media and so with email marketing, you will be able to expand your demographic for your services and promote them to a greater amount of people. ## **Contact Our Experts for Search Engine Optimisation Services** If you're interested in [SEO](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media-management/) Management Services and would like an SEO expert to take care of your social channels for you, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in search engine optimisation. Call us on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450) or you can [**send us an email here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Image Optimisation - The Forgotten Factor in SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/05/image-optimisation-the-forgotten-factor-in-seo/ **Date:** 2021-05-21 **Category:** SEO Basics, SEO Tips & Advice When was the last time you uploaded an image onto your website? You probably downloaded an image from a stock image website, uploaded it onto the media file and inserted it onto the web page. You may feel like this is the correct way to do things to optimise your images, there is more to it than just uploading the image. This has added a heavy load onto your website and it has slowed the page speed down. Furthermore, the search engines cannot read the images without ALT tags being present. In this blog, we'll be going through ways to make your images SEO friendly. ## **Importance of Compressing Images** Web pages that don't have compressed images are the same as when you have just eaten a three-course dinner and you're trying to do exercise on a full stomach, you cannot move as fast. The webpage is trying to move as fast as it can, however, it's not working to its full potential because the images are slowing things down. On average, images make up 20% of a total webpage's weight. Here at Odyssey New Media, we recommend using WP Smush for WordPress websites. This is a plugin that compresses the image file size, while not compromising the quality of the image. There are also ways that you can see how the images on your website are impacting the speed of your website by using [Google's PageSpeed Insights Tool](https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/). [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/attachment/pagespeed-insights-image/)_Image of Google's SiteSpeed Insights_. ## **Choosing Original Images** It's important that when you upload images on your website, they should be unique. If you are flooding your website with generic stock images, this will look unoriginal to the search engines and this may impact your rankings. When you decide to build a new website, we recommend you get a professional photographer to take some pictures of the business. This will also add a personal feel to your website. You may have stock images on your website that are perfectly optimised, however, it won't have the same effect that original photographs will have. The more unique images you have on your website, the more enhanced the user experience will be. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/attachment/image-selection/)_Image of an image library._ ## **Writing Optimised ALT Tags** An ALT tag is an HTML attribute used in HTML & XHTML documents to stipulate alternative text that is extracted when the image cannot be rendered. The alt attribute describes what the image file is showing. When an image doesn't load, an image box will show with an alt tag in the top left corner. You need to ensure that your alt tags are relevant to what the image is showing. It provides the search engines with information about the subject matter of the image. They use the information to determine which is image is the best to show for the user's search. It is important to write optimised alt tags as it helps both the user experience and search engines. It helps users with visual impairments to be able to understand what the image is showing. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/attachment/alt-tag-example/)_Example image of adding 'Alternative Text' to an image._ ## **Mobile-Friendly Images** There is little worse than images that do not render for mobile. It destroys the mobile user experience, that is why it's important that not only your images need to be mobile friendly but your whole website needs to be mobile-friendly. This is something that your web developer should be aware this, it is worth asking them about how they're going to implement a mobile-friendly website and how they are going to make the images mobile-friendly. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/attachment/mobile-image/)_Image of a photo on a mobile device._ ### Contact Our Experts for Search Engine Optimisation Services If you're interested in [SEO](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media-management/) Management Services and would like an SEO expert to take care of your image optimisations, please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in search engine optimisation. Call us on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450) or you can [**send us an email here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Tips on Improving Your Email Marketing Strategy URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/04/tips-on-improving-your-email-marketing-strategy/ **Date:** 2021-04-22 **Category:** Email Marketing | **Tags:** email marketing, mailchimp, marketing tips Email Marketing as a marketing strategy has been around for many years now and is still an effective form of digital marketing. It is still a great way to reach your customers and encourage them to engage with your business. In this blog post, we'll be giving you some tips on how to enhance your business' email marketing strategy. ## **Developing Your Contact List** Before even thinking about starting to send emails, you need to develop an audience to whom you'll be sending your emails to. It's no good sending your email to people that won't be interested in your business. There are multiple ways that you can build your audience: - If you have been collecting your customer's emails when they have been buying your products or when they sign up to be a client, you can use all of these emails in your audience. - Another technique is to add a form onto your website, whereby people can fill out their details for them to receive emails from the company. - You can also share it on social media, whereby you can push your followers to sign up for your email newsletters. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/attachment/mailchimp-contact-importing/)_Image of the audience import feature on Mailchimp._ ## **Segmenting Subscribers** Instead of sending all of your emails to the same people, you should look at segmenting your audience. Once you have a segmentation strategy in place, your email campaigns will be much more targeted to your audience. For example, you're offering 15% off your trainers for customers that you have already bought from your shoe shop. How can you pinpoint these users? The simple answer is through segmentation. The most effective way is to filter your audience list for people that have previously bought from your store and send this email to that audience list. _Image of the segmentation feature on Mailchimp._ ## **Getting Personal Works Well** Whenever there is an opportunity to add some form of personalisation to your email, take that opening. Whether that's remarketing e.g., they have left something in their basket, so you can remind them about the product or simply addressing them with their name. Most email marketing tools allow you to enter shortcodes that will be then swapped with the individual's name. _Image of the 'Personalised Fields' feature on Mailchimp._ ## **Make Sure That Your CTAs Stand Out** As an email marketer, you work tirelessly to ensure that your subject titles and email copy is perfect, however, you need to ensure that you have the relevant call to actions in place to get users to click through onto your website. Instead of using generic CTAs like 'buy now' or 'view online' try and come up with CTAs that will catch the reader's attention. For Example, 'Buy Now and Get 20% off at Checkout' _Image of a 'Call-to-Action' button on the Odyssey newsletter._ ## **The Importance of Mobile** The majority of people now open their emails on their mobile, it's a lot more straightforward than opening your laptop and waiting for it to boot up. 85% of users use smartphones to access their email. For those aged 25-34, [this rate is even higher at 90%](https://99firms.com/blog/mobile-email-statistics/#gref). This data just shows the importance of mobile when thinking about email marketing. You may ask, how do you tailor your email marketing strategy to mobile users? - Producing responsive email design which focuses on reader experience. - CTAs need to be clear and concise, ensure that the buttons you use are easily visible to the reader. - Optimise subject line for mobile users - keeping your subject line short and precise allows the user to understand exactly what the email is about. _Image of the mobile preview on Mailchimp._ ### **Contact our Email Marketing Team** Get in touch with our team of Email Marketers who have the knowledge and know-how to develop an effective email marketing strategy, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Can You Boost Web Traffic with Google Search Console? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/04/can-you-boost-your-traffic-with-google-search-console/ **Date:** 2021-04-01 **Category:** Google, Guides, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** google search console, seo One of the main goals of digital marketing is to increase the amount of traffic coming to your website and this can be achieved in numerous ways. The great thing about online marketing is that you have so many channels and tools that you can explore and utilise in order to maximise your traffic. Amongst these useful tools is Google Search Console, one of the most versatile SEO tools available and it's free! Many people tend to use Google Search console as an analytics platform for viewing their website metrics such as the total clicks, total impressions, and average positions. However, it's actually capable of much more than just that. Did you know, [90% of web pages](https://ahrefs.com/blog/search-traffic-study/) do not receive any organic traffic from Google? If your website isn't receiving much organic traffic and you haven't tried utilising Google Search Console yet, you may be missing out on a valuable tool. In this article, we explain what Google Search Console is and how you can use this tool to increase your website traffic. ## **What is Google Search Console?** [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/welcome) is a web service created by Google which enables you to measure your website's performance. Up until May 2015, this tool was called 'Google Webmaster Tools'. Since then, Google has introduced the new version of 'Search Console' which brought along new updates to the tool, including new features, functionalities, user interface tweaks, and it also removed old deprecated features which helped to streamline the tool. **Key Features of Google Search Console:** - Measure your website's traffic and performance. - View your website's coverage and indexation status. - Check your website's mobile performance and speed. - Identify any potential security issues. - Analyse your external and internal links. Now that we're more familiar with Google Search Console, how do we use this tool to increase website traffic? If you haven't set up Google Search Console yet, [read our easy guide here](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/25/how-to-set-up-google-search-console/) which will walk you through the setup process. ## **Making Use of Google Search Console** If you're new to Google Search Console and don't know how to effectively use this tool, we'll be going through some of the main checklist items that will be beneficial for your website and its performance. ### **Analysing your Keywords** One of the most useful features of Google Search Console is its ability to provide performance data for your website. This includes data about how many clicks your website gets, which pages get the most clicks, which visiting countries are the most popular sources, which devices people visit your website on, and many more. You can view performance data by clicking on the '**Performance**' tab on the top left of the page. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/attachment/img1/)_Image of Google Search Console's **'Performance**' tab._ While it's useful to see how many clicks and impressions your website gets, it's equally as important to analyse your keywords to see where you can improve your SEO. Search Console shows data on click-through rates and the average ranking position of each page. To see this information, we'll need to add a couple of extra columns to the Performance page by clicking on the '**Average CTR' **and '**Average Position'** boxes at the top. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/attachment/image1/)_Adding the '**CTR**' and '**Position**' columns on Search Console._ You should now see the '**CTR**' and '**Position**' columns appear further down the page. With this information, we'll be able to see the rankings of each keyword and also the performance in terms of click-throughs. What we want to do with this data now is to see which keywords are receiving high volumes of impressions but are ranking low. To do this, click on the '**Impressions**' column to sort highest impressions to low. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/04/01/can-you-boost-your-traffic-with-google-search-console/attachment/image7/)_Filtering the keywords by '**Impressions**'._ You should now see all of the keywords with the highest impressions and on the right, you'll also see the 'Position' of each keyword. On Google, most of the clicks tend to go towards to top 3 search results and if you're not ranking highly for your target terms, then you could be missing out on a significant amount of traffic. Whilst it's unlikely that you'll be able to rank at the top of Google for all of these high impression keywords, you can select a few of the main relevant keywords to focus on. The impressions tell us that we're being seen for these keywords, but we want to boost our visibility by increasing the ranking of these keywords. As the rankings for these high impression keywords increase, we would also expect the click-through rate to increase as more people are seeing our website. To make things easier, you may wish to start off by skimming through the list and finding keywords that you are ranking just outside of Page 1 (Positions 10 and higher) for. As you are just outside of Page 1 for these keywords, you may find you'll see quicker results by optimising the relevant pages for these quick win terms. To see which pages a particular keyword is ranking for, click on the keyword and then click on the '**Pages**' column. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/attachment/image-2-2/)_Viewing the '**Pages**' for the keywords._ With this information, you'll be able to identify which pages you can improve on and which keywords you should focus on optimising for. ### **Checking for Indexation Issues** Another important checklist item on Google Search Console is to check your website's indexation. If all of your website pages have been 'indexed' by Google, this means that Google's crawler bots have successfully found your website and they have indexed information from your website. This is an automatic process and Google will automatically detect and update pages for its index. If your website hasn't been indexed by Google then this could mean that there is something blocking crawlers from finding your website which means people are also unlikely to find your website on search engines. To see your indexation status, click on '**Coverage**' on the left column. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/04/01/can-you-boost-your-traffic-with-google-search-console/attachment/image3/)_Image of the '**Coverage**' tab on Google Search Console._ What you need to look for in the '**Coverage**' section are the pages that are classed as 'Valid', 'Valid with warnings', 'Error', and 'Excluded'. - **Valid** means that a web page has been successfully crawled and indexed. - **Valid with warning **means that the web page has been crawled and indexed, but an issue has been found. - **Error **means that the web page couldn't be indexed. - **Excluded** means that the web page wasn't indexed because it had identified something that signals the page shouldn't be indexed. Valid URLs are good as this means that Google has successfully found and indexed these pages. However, if you see that there are 'Errors', Valid with warning', or 'Excluded', then these are the pages you should have a look at. You can click into these errors and search console will show you all of the affected pages for you to have a look at. You may see various status types as shown in the image below and it can be quite difficult to understand what the error message means and how you can resolve the page. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/04/01/can-you-boost-your-traffic-with-google-search-console/attachment/image4/)_Example image of indexation errors on Google Search Console._ To learn more about what these status reasons mean, Google has explained all of these [status types here](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7440203?hl=en#zippy=%2Cabout-validation). It's important to note that page indexing can take a few days for Google to process and it isn't an immediate thing. Once you have resolved these indexation issues, it may take a few days for the errors to resolve in Search Console. ### **Ensuring your Pages are Mobile Friendly** Google has placed a greater emphasis on websites needing to be mobile friendly as most people tend to use their phones and tablets to browse the internet these days. It's now also one of the ranking factors that Google considers as part of its algorithm when ranking websites. If users have a bad mobile experience on your website, they are less likely to return which means less traffic. One of the useful features that Search Console offers is the ability to check if your website has any issues with mobile usability. To see this section, click on '**Mobile Usability**' on the left column. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/04/01/can-you-boost-your-traffic-with-google-search-console/attachment/image-6/)_Image of the 'Mobile Usability' tab on Google Search Console._ Search Console breaks down the information into two sections, one section for 'Error' issues and one for 'Valid' pages. Valid means that these web pages have little to no issues with mobile usability. Error means that there is an important issue to address on these web pages. **The most common types of errors are:** - **Text too small to read** - **Clickable elements too close together** - **Content wider than screen** If you see any other errors and you're unsure about what they mean and how you can go about resolving these, you can [learn more information here](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9063469?hl=en). If you see any of these errors, you can click on the error and it will display a list of pages that are affected by this. You can then navigate to your pages and make any amendments necessary. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/04/01/can-you-boost-your-traffic-with-google-search-console/attachment/image-5/)_Image of mobile usability issues on pages with '**Text too small to read**'._ Once you're happy that these usability issues have been addressed, you can go back to search console and click '**Validate Fix**'. This will begin a validation test and Search Console will send you an update email once these changes have been validated. Google Search Console offers many more useful features other than the ones that we've covered above. It's also important to periodically check on Search Console for these issues so that you can stay on top of your website's performance. ## **Contact Us for SEO Services** Get in touch with our SEO experts if you're interested in developing your online marketing strategies. We have years of experience in building bespoke digital marketing strategies for a variety of businesses. Call us on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450) or you can use our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us). --- ## How To Set Up Google Search Console URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/03/how-to-set-up-google-search-console/ **Date:** 2021-03-25 **Category:** Google Webmaster Tools | **Tags:** google, google search console, google webmaster tools, seo Google Search Console is a versatile tool that offers a variety of data for your website. Not only is this a free tool, but it can also be integrated into various platforms such as Google Analytics and other reporting tools. With Search Console, you can see how many clicks your website has received, what keywords people search for when they find your website, how mobile-friendly your web pages are, the indexation status of your pages, and many more features. If you have a website and you're not currently utilising Google Search Console, you could be missing out on some valuable information that could help you make informed decisions. In this article, we'll go through the different ways you can set up Google Search Console and link it with Google Analytics. ## **Getting Started** Before we begin setting up Search Console, you will need to [sign up an account](https://search.google.com/search-console) if you haven't already. It's completely free to register an account and there are no paid services or upgrades. Once you've registered an account and you have signed in, you should see a welcome screen with two main options as shown below. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/attachment/gscmain/)_Image of the Google Search Console welcome screen._ On this welcome screen, you can choose to either set up Google Search Console with the entire website domain or you can choose to track specific URL prefix properties. With a domain property, you can cover all sub paths and subdomains. Whereas, with URL prefix properties, this enables you to individually analyse specific sections of the website which may be useful if you have multiple location pages, for example. It's important to note that you can only verify a domain property with DNS record verification. However, with a URL prefix property, you can use a variety of methods of verification. We will be explaining these below. ## **Verifying Your Ownership** ### **Domain Property Verification** If you've chosen to add a domain property to Google Search Console, you will need to verify your ownership of your website by either authorising Google to access your DNS account or adding a TXT record to your DNS configuration through your domain name provider. Although this may sound confusing at first, it actually only takes a few steps. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/attachment/verifysign/)_Image of the DNS record verification method on Google Search Console._ Upon entering your domain property into Google Search Console and clicking '**Continue**', a pop-up box will appear with more information. Depending on who your DNS provider is, you can change the instructions via a dropdown box to receive tailored instructions. (if you're unsure about who your domain name provider is, you can [read more information here](https://support.google.com/a/answer/48323?hl=en#zippy=)). - **If your DNS provider is on this list,** you can select them and click '**Start Verification'**. This should take you to the login area for the domain provider which you can then sign into. Once you've signed in, you will need to authorise access to your DNS account (this may take up to a day to verify). - **If your DNS provider isn't on the list, **you will need to manually add the TXT record generated by Google. Simply log into your domain provider and copy the TXT record that Google Search Console had generated. You will then need to add this record into the DNS configuration for your website (for more specific information on adding a TXT record, [please read these steps](https://support.google.com/a/answer/183895?hl=en#zippy=%2Cstep-go-to-your-domains-dns-records%2Cstep-add-the-verification-record-to-your-domain-host)). ## **URL Prefix Property Verification** If you've chosen a URL Prefix property, you'll be able to see a few more methods of ownership verification. Google Search Console recommends verifying by uploading an HTML file to your website, however, Search Console also offers other forms of verification which we will explain further below. ### **HTML File Verification** For the HTML file verification, you just need to download the generated HTML file. If you have FTP access to your website files, you can upload this HTML file to the root directory of your website. This can usually be done through a file manager. (if you're unsure about how to do this, you can contact your web hosting provider and they will be able to provide support on this). Once you have uploaded the HTML file onto your website, you can then go back to Google Search Console and click '**Verify**' in order to complete the process. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/25/how-to-set-up-google-search-console/attachment/verifysign2/)_Image of the HTML file verification method on Google Search Console_. ### **HTML Tag Verification** This form of verification is very useful if you're familiar with your website's content management system and have access to it. When you verify ownership with this method, Google Search Console will scan your website for the specified HTML tag and as long as the code remains on the website, you will stay verified. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/25/how-to-set-up-google-search-console/attachment/verifysign3/)_Image of the HTML tag verification option on Google Search Console._ Depending on which content management system you are using, the process of dropping the HTML tag may differ. In this case, we'll be explaining how you can do this with WordPress websites. - Log into your WordPress website and you should be able to see a black column on the left-hand side. - Near the middle of the column, you should see a tab labelled '**Appearance**'. Hover over Appearance and the you should see a menu pop out. Within this menu, there should be an '**Editor**' tab. - Click on the '**Editor**' tab and find the '**header.php'** file on the right-hand column. - Find the closing **** tag and paste the copied HTML tag just above this line. - Click '**Update File**' and the HTML tag will be added to your website. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/25/how-to-set-up-google-search-console/attachment/wordpressguide2/)_Image of WordPress HTML Tag implementation guide._ You can now go back to Google Search Console and click '**Verify**' to complete the process. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/25/how-to-set-up-google-search-console/attachment/verifysign6/)_Image of successful HTML tag verification on Google Search Console._ ### **Google Analytics** Another way of verifying your website is by connecting Google Analytics to Search Console. If you have already set up Google Analytics for your website, then there should already be a Google Analytics tracking code on the website. For this process to work, you will need to make sure that your Google Analytics account has at least 'Edit' access and has been set up under the same Google Account. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/25/how-to-set-up-google-search-console/attachment/verifysign4/)_Image of the Google Analytics verification option on Google Search Console._ Once you're logged into the right Google account, input the chosen URL into the URL Prefix Property and choose 'Google Analytics'. You should then see the window above. Simply click '**Verify**' and Google Search Console should be verified. ### **Google Tag Manager** The final way you can verify your website on Google Search Console is by using Google Tag Manager. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/25/how-to-set-up-google-search-console/attachment/verifysign5/)Image of the Google Tag Manager verification option on Google Search Console. This method is very convenient for those who have already set up a Google Tag Manager account and have implemented the Tag manager code onto their website. For those that have already set this up, all you need to do is: - Log in to Google Search Console with the same Google account that you have used for Tag Manager (make sure this account has at least 'Publisher' permission for the Tag Manager container). - Input your URL into the URL Prefix Property box and a verification box should pop up. - Click '**Verify**' to complete this process. ## **Contact Us for SEO Services** Get in touch with our SEO experts if you're interested in developing your online marketing strategies. We have years of experience in building bespoke digital marketing strategies for a variety of businesses. Call us on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450) or you can use our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us). --- ## Digital Marketing Trends in 2021 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/03/digital-marketing-trends-in-2021/ **Date:** 2021-03-12 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** digital marketing, marketing trends, social media, trends 2021 The world of digital marketing is developing at some speed! New digital marketing techniques come and go, it can be difficult to keep on top of the latest trends. You need to ensure that you don't get left behind by competitors. Digital Marketing has proved throughout the COVID-19 pandemic that the industry has helped many businesses keep their head above water and allowed them to reopen once the country opens after lockdown. In an industry that is crowded, you as a digital marketer will need to keep up with industry trends if you don't want to fall behind the rest. Here are some trends that we are likely to see either develop or continue to strive in 2021. ## **Alternative Search Terms** People have never doubted the power of SEO in digital marketing, however, are companies utilising SEO the right way? Many companies see SEO as a way to get their web pages as high as possible for certain keywords they want to target. While this is normally the right way to go about improving your rankings, it may not take into consideration how some users search online. Many customers often search for the company before they contact them or purchase something, a big part of that research starts with the initial search. As SEO is ever-changing, it's now more important than ever to be ranking for a range of keywords instead of obvious primary searches. You need to think outside of the box when coming up with relevant search terms. Zooming in too closely, risks you missing out on other variants of the search terms. Many companies are increasingly wary of alternative search terms and this is predicted to continue throughout 2021. [](https://ads.google.com/intl/en_uk/home/tools/keyword-planner/)Example image of finding alternative keywords on Google's Keyword Planner. ## **The Rise of Chatbots** Chatbots will be even more important in 2021. This AI technology uses messaging to chat in real-time to website visitors. Digital marketing techniques changes because of deviations in user behaviour. Users want instant communication instead of waiting for companies to come back to them via email or even speaking on the phone. Therefore, chatbots have become so popular with users as they now want instant communication with businesses. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/12/digital-marketing-trends-in-2021/attachment/chatbotimage/)Illustration of a Chatbot. ## **Push Notifications** Push notifications have become much more common over the past couple of years. This type of marketing uses clickable messages that pop up on your browser, regardless of the device they're using. Although, email marketing is still as important as ever and a great way to reach your customers, GDPR has made is a little bit more difficult to succeed. Furthermore, young people now prefer other methods of communication like push notifications and text messages. Personalised browser push notifications often enhance the conversion rate for businesses. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/12/digital-marketing-trends-in-2021/attachment/examplepushnotification/)Example of a browser push notification. [](https://www.instagram.com/p/CFhgWLLj304/)Example of Odyssey's Video Instagram Post. ## **Interactive Content On the Up** One of the recent digital trends that have come about over the couple of years is interactive content that brands post on their social media. In 2021, we are likely to see a shift from text-heavy content to a more interactive style of content that we see from popular brands. Some examples of interactive content include videos, quizzes, games, and widgets. This type of content doesn't only give your social media channel fresh and engaging content, it also often makes customers feel more connected to the brand and are therefore more likely to buy from your company. ## **Smart Bidding on Google** Automated bidding on Google has been popular for many years now, it's quite easy to see why! Businesses can simply input their budget and target keywords and Google does all the hard work for you. However, over the last year, smart bidding has started to become prominent in many digital marketers paid ads strategy. Previously smart bidding has given marketers problems such as reduced budget control and decreased audience targeting. This year, Google are likely to improve their smart bidding algorithm, which will lead to digital marketers using the strategy more often. Google Adwords on a tablet. ## **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** If you're interested in developing your overall digital marketing strategy, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in building tailored digital marketing strategies for a wide range of businesses. Call us on [**0121 439 5450**](tel:0121%20439%205450) or you can use our [**contact form**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us). --- ## Common Signs That Your Web Designer or Developer Doesn't Do SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/03/common-signs-that-your-web-designer-or-developer-doesnt-do-seo/ **Date:** 2021-03-05 **Category:** SEO Basics | **Tags:** essential seo, seo tips, web design, web developer, web development Sourcing a web developer that understands SEO is often difficult. When developing a website, you should aim to construct it in a way that can maximise conversion potential. It's quite easy to build a lovely-looking website that no one can find because of the lack of SEO work that has been carried out on it. The visual aspects of the website are subjective, however knowing the importance of SEO should be very much objective. Here are some signs that your web developer and designer doesn't do SEO. Image of the Google Search Engine. ## **Website Isn't Showing on Google** Your new website has been live for a year now and still can't be seen, your business has invested thousands of pounds for a swanky new website and you aren't getting the traffic and leads you thought you would with the new website. This is uncommon, however, in the build stage of the web development project, your web developer would have hidden your website from the search engines so it can't be crawled. Your target audience should see your website when it is completed, therefore, it makes sense to hide it from the search engines while it's on the staging area. We have seen this happen on a few websites, where web developers have forgotten to disallow search engines to crawl the development site. To rectify this, you should stop search engines from crawling your website by adding them to the robots.txt file. Once your website is live your web developer should allow the search engines to crawl your website for ranking purposes. [](https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/)_Google's Page Speed Insights._ ## **No Need for Speed** In recent years, Google has taken a liking to fast websites, the speed of your website is now a ranking factor and can help your website to get to the top of the search engine rankings. If your website is too slow, many users will click off it in a couple of seconds. It can easily get overtaken by a faster website. Google's main priority is keeping their user's content. We often get enquiries to speed websites up as the company's web developer has built the website and has not considered speed. Many developers may think it's fast because it loads quickly on their new Mac, however, they need to take into consideration that some may have slower computers or slower connections such as 3G. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/05/common-signs-that-your-web-designer-or-developer-doesnt-do-seo/attachment/ga-example/)_Image of the Global Site Tag for Google Analytics._ ## **No Sign of Google Analytics** Website developers that have no experience with SEO will probably know little about Google Analytics. If so, it is very unlikely they're going to drop a piece of code onto the website that they know nothing about. Not having Google Analytics on your website drastically limits the amount of data you can get from your website. Statistics like website visits, how many goals were achieved, and most viewed pages can all be found by adding Google Analytics onto the website. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/05/common-signs-that-your-web-designer-or-developer-doesnt-do-seo/attachment/guia-yoast-seo-plugin-wordpress/)_Yoast SEO_ for Meta Titles & Descriptions ## **Downplays the Importance Titles & Descriptions** Optimised titles and descriptions of pages are one of the most important SEO factors and should not be downplayed. Implementing them onto your website ensures that Google understands what your page is showing. The page's title and description are both indicators that can impact your website's ranking positions. Often, web platforms like WordPress automatically create titles for you, however, you should ensure that you create your own optimised ones for a full SEO impact. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/03/05/common-signs-that-your-web-designer-or-developer-doesnt-do-seo/attachment/user-experience-diagram/)_Image of the User Experience diagram._ ## **Doesn't Understand the Role of UX in SEO** Your website needs to be easy for your target audience to use, otherwise, they will click on another website that has user experience (UX) in mind. Therefore, user experience needs to be considered once the web design stage is underway. You may have a great-looking website but if it's confusing to use, users aren't going to be able to use the website very easily. Users going onto your website and then click off harms your bounce rate and the drop-off rate will increase. You need to ensure that your web designer doesn't choose style over substance, you need your website to look professional, however, this shouldn't be at the expense of your user's experience. ### **Contact our **[**Web Design**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/website-design/)** & Development Team** Get in touch with our team of Web Designers and Developers who have the knowledge and know-how to complete a fully optimised website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets. Call our team on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450), alternatively fill out our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## How To Use Instagram As Part Of Your Marketing Strategy URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/02/how-to-use-instagram-as-part-of-your-marketing-strategy/ **Date:** 2021-02-26 **Category:** Instagram, Social Media | **Tags:** digital marketing, instagram, social media, social media strategy Since 2010, Instagram has seen exponential growth and now has more than one billion monthly active users. Here are some interesting stats on Instagram: - The average post on Instagram contains 10.7 hashtags. - 71% of monthly active users on the Instagram app are under the age of 35. - Instagram users spend an average of 53 minutes per day on the app. - Over 500 million IG accounts use Instagram stories every day. Instagram is much more than just a collection of beautifully taken photos - it can be essential to a digital marketing strategy and because of this, Instagram has become an excellent platform to promote products and services. ## **Being Consistent with Content** When developing your digital marketing strategy with Instagram, it is important that you commit your time and effort in order for this to work. Focus on consistently publishing new content, but without "over-posting." The quality of the photos is important, just like it is important to diversify the content and be creative. Publishing your products is key but keep some variation by publishing about other subjects related to your business field in order to develop your digital marketing strategy. [](https://www.instagram.com/p/CKmHLupjZfr/)Example of Odyssey New Media's Instagram Post Another important aspect is to narrow down the exact public targets and followers. Hashtags are quite important for this, as they help you find users interested in your field which can be used to create your target audience. Here is an example of using Instagram to develop your digital marketing strategy. On our Instagram page at Odyssey New Media, you can see that hashtags have been provided below the post with the intention of drawing people interested in Digital Marketing onto our page! ## **Engage with Your Audience** At Odyssey, we believe that communication with our followers is essential. Things like leaving comments on photos, replying to questions and comments, and tagging partners, suppliers, clients, and collaborators on your photos, these are all important tasks. If you have a promotion running for your product or service, utilise Instagram to make your audience aware of any sales or discounts. When you have another digital platform that is accessible by millions of people, promoting your special offers and discounts is vital. Especially, when people can engage with your posts and share them with their followers. Social networks like Instagram, are extremely useful for companies to build an intimate relationship with their customers and want to show a more human side to the general public. Instagram is the prime example of that. Whether you're using the services of a specialised company just doing it yourself, Instagram can be essential for your digital marketing strategy, so really do not skip the opportunity. ## **Build Up Promotion** If your business has an event, promotion, or new product launch coming soon, Instagram is a great tool for promotion. There are a variety of ways you could utilise Instagram, such as making a small clip of a video to show a glimpse of an upcoming product, running a giveaway competition to increase your followers, running paid ad campaigns to boost visibility, there is a lot you can do! Ultimately, this will leave your audience intrigued and wanting to see more of your business. As mentioned above, Instagram can also be a great opportunity to reward new and loyal followers by doing giveaways. If you are launching new products, you can run a promotional giveaway for free merchandise possibly. Instagram giveaways provide your business the chance of increased engagement and excitement for what is to come and create brand loyalty. Instagram has helped many successful businesses in a wide range of industries and markets. Businesses should be incorporating mobile marketing into their overall digital marketing strategy if they want to increase their presence, which could lead to more revenue. ## **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** If you are interested in developing your overall digital marketing strategy, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in and have worked in a wide range of sectors. Call us on [0121 439 5450](tel:01214395450) or you can contact us [here](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us). --- ## How Do You Optimise YouTube SEO For Top Google Rankings? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/02/how-do-you-optimise-youtube-seo-for-top-google-rankings/ **Date:** 2021-02-16 **Category:** SEO, YouTube | **Tags:** google, rankings, search engines, seo, youtube As YouTube is owned by Google, YouTube is the second-largest search engine on the internet. Billions of people are using YouTube regularly, making it one of the largest sources of traffic online. Due to this, individuals and companies are utilising YouTube as a channel to market their products and services. Advertising through YouTube is a great way for businesses to expand their reach and increase brand awareness, especially for smaller businesses. Given the sheer number of daily users on this platform, YouTube may be an excellent method of promotion. As the popularity of video marketing is constantly on the rise, YouTube is becoming more competitive as a platform. These tips below will help your business to stand out from the crowd and optimise YouTube SEO to achieve higher Google rankings. ## **Naming Files** Before uploading your videos to YouTube, give them a meaningful and relevant name. Correct file naming not only helps to make the clip searchable, but it also makes it easier when sorting for relevancy. The file name and video title should be closely relevant to the content in your video. Having the target audience for your videos in mind when naming a file or creating a title for a video increases its chances to be found on YouTube and other search engines such as Bing and Google Search. ## **Keyword Usage** Search engines usually look at a number of factors when deciding which video to rank and one of these factors is keywords. Keywords give an indication about the type of content you are publishing and this helps to give search engines a steer when serving search results. Meta titles and descriptions that contain relevant keywords are more likely to be served to your target audience and rank higher on YouTube and on Google. Knowing what keywords to use takes a little bit of research, but it can make a difference when you're trying to get your video in front of the right people. There are several tools that you can use to find desired keywords, here are just a few: - YouTube's 'auto-suggest' (type directly into YouTube search to see suggestions) - [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/) - Find trending topics and searches. ## **Optimise Video Titles** [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/app/uploads/2021/02/Image-1.png)Example Google search results for 'seo tips and tricks 2020' The best way to optimise a video title is to include specific and relevant keywords as this increases the chance of your content being discovered by your target audience. Not only will this help your content be found on YouTube, but it will also have an impact on Google search rankings as YouTube videos can be served as search results. A YouTube video title should consist of around 50-55 characters to engage and maintain the interest of a user. While properly used keywords improve your YouTube SEO, an intriguing and memorable title also helps to attract your target audience. Combining the right keywords and a memorable title helps improve your SEO and traffic. ## **Use the Video Descriptions** [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/app/uploads/2021/02/Image-2.png)Example YouTube video description text from one of Odyssey New Media's uploaded videos The description of a video enables you to summarise the basis of the video and also provide extra information if needed, such as citations, sources, links to resources, and more. It's a valuable bit of information that makes your video look more polished and refined. For SEO, in particular, a snippet of the description will be visible on search engines should your video show up as a result. This means that it's important to utilise the video description in order to optimise your video. You should also use the description to promote your business/company website and links, an example of this can be found on one of our old videos at Odyssey New Media. Here, you can see that we have provided links to services on our website for YouTube viewers as well as additional information about our company if someone wanted to contact us. Any business could apply this strategy and method by creating video content and using keywords in the title and description to increase their SEO for Google Rankings. ## **Categorising Videos** YouTube videos can be categorised for users in order to make their browsing experience easier and more convenient. Making it easy to find and access your content is an important step in YouTube SEO. One of the ways you can do this is by labelling your video with the appropriate tags as this will help YouTube to understand what your video is about. Example of appropriate tags for an SEO related business would be: - Education - How-to and Style ## **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** If you're interested in developing your overall digital marketing strategy, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in developing digital marketing strategies for a wide range of sectors. Call us on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450) or you can contact us [here](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us). --- ## Odyssey New Media Named in Top 3 Marketing Agencies in Birmingham URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/02/odyssey-new-media-named-in-top-3-marketing-agencies-in-birmingham/ **Date:** 2021-02-11 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** birmingham, marketing agencies, ppc, seo, web development At Odyssey New Media, we are delighted to have been rated as one of the 'Top 3 Marketing Agencies in Birmingham' according to Three Best Rated for the third year in a row! Birmingham marketing agencies were put to the test with Three Best Rated's thorough 50-point inspection which included local reviews, history, business standards, satisfaction, trust, pricing, and the level of trading excellence. Our team is very proud to have been listed as one of the top 3 marketing agencies in Birmingham for another year and our founder, Rob Stoubos, added "We are pleased and grateful to have been recognised by Three Best Rated for rating us as one of the Top Marketing Agencies in Birmingham". ## Summary on Three Best Rated Taken from the official [Three Best Rated](https://threebestrated.co.uk/marketing-agencies-in-birmingham) website, they have summarised what we do here at Odyssey New Media and the level of quality that we provide to all of our clients, whether they are big or small. The reasoning for achieving this prestigious title and award is down to the level of service that we provide at Odyssey. We offer a wide range of digital marketing services including Search Engine Optimisation, Pay Per Click, Social Media Management, Website Design, and Website Development. Also found on the Three Best Rated website, Odyssey has been ranked in all these categories of the TBR Inspection Report at a high and respectable level. We are truly grateful for the award, recognition, and the appreciation that our clients have for us. Odyssey is eager to continue providing top-notch SEO services. To learn more about us, check out one of our [case studies](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/case-studies/), or contact us [here](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Odyssey New Media Listed As A Market Leading Social Media Company In The UK URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/02/odyssey-new-media-listed-as-a-market-leading-social-media-company-in-the-uk/ **Date:** 2021-02-03 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** news, odyssey new media, social media, uk The team at Odyssey New Media have had an incredible start to the year and we were incredibly excited to have been recognised as one of the [top SEO companies on Clutch](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/2021/01/28/odyssey-new-media-named-top-seo-company-on-clutch/). Recently, we have also been announced as one of the market-leading social media advertising companies in the UK by WELP Magazine which we're exceptionally proud of. We'd also like to congratulate the other excellent companies who have been listed by WELP. According to WELP Magazine, their expert analysts have selected companies in the UK because they excel in one or more of these following categories: **Innovation Category** - Demonstrates innovative ideas - Has an innovative route to market - Offers an innovative product **Growth Category** - Displayed exceptional growth - Has an exceptional growth strategy **Market Position Category** - Shows market domination - Is a market leader - Is a strong market competitor WELP Magazine is an established online publisher that provides useful resources on the latest news and trends covering business, software, innovation, office equipment, and more. Being recognised as a [UK market leader in the social media advertising](https://welpmagazine.com/93-market-leading-social-media-advertising-companies-and-startups-in-the-uk/) space by WELP means that Odyssey New Media has demonstrated excellence in one or more of the relevant categories. This is also a testament to the efforts and hard work that our team puts in to our digital services. As a digital marketing agency in Birmingham, our service offerings encompass a wide range of digital services such as SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), PPC (Pay Per Click), web development, and of course, social media marketing. ## **Contact Us for Social Media Marketing** If you'd like to discuss your business needs with social media and how we can help your brand grow, just get in touch with our experts. Give us a call on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450)** or you can [send us an email here](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Odyssey New Media Named Top SEO Company on Clutch URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/01/odyssey-new-media-named-top-seo-company-on-clutch/ **Date:** 2021-01-28 **Category:** SEO | **Tags:** clutch, ppc, seo, seo company, web design, web development Since 2010, our company has come so far in our journey to provide successful results for customers. [SEO is difficult, especially for small businesses](https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2012/10/15/why-seo-is-harder-for-small-businesses), but our hard work has let us help them achieve their goals. Our range of services - SEO, PPC, social media, and web development - comes with tailored strategies that help businesses increase their traffic, revenue, and returns. As a result, we've been able to earn awards and recognition from various outlets. Recently, we've been ranked on Clutch as one of the top SEO companies in the UK. Our services have been consistently praised by customers, and we're proud to have this milestone. Clutch is a platform where customers can evaluate, rate, and review B2B companies like Odyssey New Media. The platform has a team of analysts that rank and analyse the reviews to come up with a list of the best-performing companies in certain industries and countries. Receiving an award for our services is a huge accomplishment for Odyssey. **_"We are delighted to have been recognised by Clutch for our service and dedication to improving the results of our B2B clients." Rob Stoubos, Founder, Odyssey New Media_** The award is based on the positive and rave reviews that come from our customers. Currently, our [Clutch profile](https://clutch.co/profile/odyssey-new-media) has 17 reviews with an average rating of 5 stars - which is greatly appreciated! Here's one comment from one of our amazing clients: _**"We have real and tangible connection and feel as though they are really working for us and are committed to helping us achieve success." - Managing Director, [UK Family Mediation Limited](https://fmacs.org.uk)**_ This comment comes with a shiny 5-star rating for us. We are truly grateful for the award and the appreciation that our clients have for us. Odyssey is eager to continue providing top-notch SEO services. To learn more, check out one of our [case studies](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/case-studies/), or contact us [here](https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/contact-us/). --- ## Does Social Media have an Impact on SEO? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2021/01/does-social-media-have-an-impact-on-seo/ **Date:** 2021-01-15 **Category:** Social Media | **Tags:** digital marketing, search engines, seo, social media While it's no secret that social media and SEO work well together as a marketing strategy, the exact science behind why they work well together and whether social media has an impact on SEO has been highly debated. It's generally agreed that social media doesn't have a direct impact on your SEO, however, it does have an impact on factors that affect your SEO such as traffic and rankings. This means that it does have an indirect effect on your rankings. In this article, we'll be explaining some of the ways that social media impacts your SEO. ## **Social Media Profiles Rank on Search Engines** Social media profiles extend far beyond just the social networks themselves as they can appear in many other websites, such as search engines. These social profiles, whether it's a personal page or a business page, can appear in branded search results. For example, when you search for Odyssey New Media, one of the first results is the company's LinkedIn page. On social media networks that allow reviews, search engines can also pull these review snippets through onto the search results which enables you to see ratings of the company. [](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/app/uploads/2021/01/Odyssey-Social-Page-Ranking-1.jpg) According to [BrightEdge Research](https://videos.brightedge.com/research-report/BrightEdge_ChannelReport2019_FINAL.pdf), 68% of online experiences start with a search engine, which emphasises the importance of being found on search engines. Your brand is key for increasing visibility on search engines and one of the ways you can do this, is by ensuring that your business has a presence on all of the right social media channels. ## **Generates More Traffic** Sharing high-quality content on social media is a good way to generate more traffic to your website. When your post picks up more views and shares on social media, you tend to get more traffic to your website as a result. A [study by Hootsuite](https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-seo-experiment/) suggests that there may be a correlation between social engagements and SEO rankings. Social can be a very useful channel for getting your content out and placing it in front of as many people as possible. Through the use of hashtags, you can increase the chances of your post getting seen, whereas compared to search engines, people may only discover your content through specific keywords. Traffic has always been known to be one of the main factors when it comes to SEO rankings, which means that if your social media posts are able to generate more traffic to your website, you have a better chance of ranking higher on search engines, therefore, having an indirect impact on your SEO. ## **Increasing Visibility Within Social Media** It's hard to ignore social media these days, given how popular social media platforms have become. With a rapidly growing userbase using these platforms every day, you would expect users to not always use your typical search engines to find things that they need, but instead use the built-in search engines in these platforms. All social media platforms have some sort of search engine functionality built into them which enables users to search for people, businesses, and information. This is why it's important that your social media pages are found for the right things. Optimising your social media profiles and posts means higher chances of people finding your business, which could then lead to more traffic to your website. ## **Supporting your Local SEO** If you are familiar with SEO, you may also be familiar with the acronym 'NAP' (Name, Address, and Phone Number). NAP consistency is essential for any business that wants to rank well in local search results. If you do well in maintaining the consistency of your business name, address, and phone number across all of your local listings and website, search engines will see that your business is established and credible. The consistency of NAP also applies to social media as you can add these bits of information onto the company profile page. Clearly defining your name, address, phone number, opening hours, services/products across your social media platforms is essential. Some social media networks also enable you to 'geo-tag' your posts which means that you can add a location to the post. This helps your content be more visible in specific locations and appeal to a local audience. ## **Contact Us for Social Media Marketing** If you need help with setting up your social media channels, managing your social profiles, or if you would just like to consult our experts to see where you can improve your strategies, please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in managing social media campaigns. Call us on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450)** or you can **[send us an email here](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**. --- ## What Impact would an Apple Search Engine Make for Google and SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/12/what-impact-would-an-apple-search-engine-make-for-google-and-seo/ **Date:** 2020-12-30 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights, Industry News | **Tags:** apple, apple ios, apple search engine, google search, ios, safari, search engine, search engine optimisation With Apple announcing recent changes for their latest iOS Spotlight Search and iPadOS 14 (Beta) along with increased crawl rates being seen from Apple's Bots, this could be a strong indication that Apple are slowly maneuvering ahead of the launch an Apple search engine. ## Google is Currently the Default Search Engine for Most Apple Device Users It has been widely known that [Google has an agreement with Apple to be the default search engine for Apple iOS users](https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/1/21310591/apple-google-search-engine-safari-iphone-deal-billions-regulation-antitrust). This is thought to currently be worth somewhere in the region of [$8-12 billion a year](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/25/technology/apple-google-search-antitrust.html) to Apple based on other reports. The agreement means that when users use Safari on an iPhone, iPad or Mac device they will by default search using Google. This can of course be changed in the Safari preferences; however, most users don't know how to do this or choose not to change it as Google tends to produce relevant search results. Despite this being very profitable for Apple, competition laws in the UK and EU mean that there the agreement between Apple and Google could soon come to an end. The European Union has already targeted Google for being anti-competition and their regulators could do the same with Apple, perhaps even forcing them to remove Google as the default engine. ## What is the Evidence to Suggest that Apple are Developing a New Search Engine Due to the potential pressure and even legal implication of keeping Google as well as the advancements made with Siri and iCloud there is now more reason than ever for Apple to develop a search engine. Here is a list of the reasons **1) Apple Already Have Lots of Money** Apple are currently one of the world's richest and most highly valued companies. Even though $8-12 billion from Google is a lot, to a company such as Apple this represents a very small percentage of their annual total operating profits and they could choose to make this up elsewhere. **2) Apple's Spotlight Search is Not Showing Google Results** Perhaps the biggest indicator of their future intent are their present Spotlight search results for iOS and iPadOS 14 users! These results are no longer showing Google results at all. **3) Applebot Crawl Rates Have Seen a Big Increase** After checking our own server logs, we can see that Applebot has massively increased its crawl rate on our servers daily which has rarely happened before. We've also asked other partners we know who also host websites and they have seen the same increased daily activity where previously there were much lower crawl rates. **4) Apple Have Updated Their Applebot Crawler Page Content** Apple have made a lot of updates to their Applebot support page content. In July 2020, Apple published a significant update to its information about Applebot on the Applebot support page. These changes include the following: - Updates on Applebot user agents. - Updates on robots.txt rules. - More details on the Applebot user agent. - Information on how pages are rendered similarly to Google. - Additional information about search factors that affect how websites rank on search results. - Information on how webmasters can identify and verify Applebot traffic. image of the Apple Store on 5th Ave in New York ## How Will a New Apple Search Engine Work If Apple do develop and launch a new search engine it is most likely to integrate into their existing Siri and Spotlight products. This could mean a different user experience for the user. In-line with the job specifications for Apple's search engineer job listings it's thought that an Apple search engine will be a lot more personalized and integrated. For now, we predict that it could work in a similar way to Google's Google Assistant for Android OS. Initially is may have no adverts and they may consider making it completely private with no search data being tracked. This will also appeal to those who object to Google's collection of search data and advertising-focused search platform (Google Search Advertising). ## What are the Benefits for Apple Despite perhaps not making advertising revenue from agency and corporate advertisers, Apple could also use search result listings to promote its own services more; this would also mean bringing users away from Google and other competitor's services and products. In addition, Apple has approximately 1.4 billion devices around the world; so, a shift to its own integrated search engine would surely weaken Google's global monopoly for search and this in turn could damage Google's profits from advertising revenue and the sale of data. Existing Apple users are already very loyal to Apple and a deeper more integrated search would also mean they secure loyal searchers for years to come; so conversely there would be an even greater pull towards Apple products because people will want to use their search (providing results are relevant and useful). App Developers will also potentially be able to pay and further promote newly developed apps within search results - this would also boost Apple's revenues and help plug the revenue gap from any previous Google search agreement revenues lost. ## What Are the Implications for SEO and Search Engine Marketing Search engine marketers who currently optmise for Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines will be forced to seriously adapt their strategies to try and appeal to the Apple search algorithm. Tactics may well remain the same but there may be greater emphasis on content and language semantics used and less focus on backlinks and offsite factors. Companies with existing Apple mobile applications or who are already integrating with iCloud and other Apple products may also have some favorability over those who do not. ## Contact Us for Help in Preparing for Apple's New Search Engine Although everything discussed in this article is currently speculative, it seems that within the next 2-5 years there is a high probability that Apple will launch a search engine. It's vital for businesses to plan and to stay ahead of the competition by positioning themselves well now as well as to plan for a future where Google's may not be the dominant search engine. Contact our exports today if you are concerned or want advice on your current SEO so that you can position your business as high as it can be call us on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450)** or you can use our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us). --- ## The Future of Digital Marketing URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/11/the-future-of-digital-marketing/ **Date:** 2020-11-25 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights, SEO, SEO Tips & Advice, Social Media | **Tags:** digital marketing, marketing tips, seo, social media The world of digital marketing is always changing and that means businesses need to be able to adapt their marketing strategy to stay on top of the latest trends in the digital space. The marketing sector benefits from a variety of software that helps with creating an efficient and cost-effective marketing campaign. With the constant improvement of technology, software is also developing at a fast rate. Google Analytics, for example, has recently launched Version 4 of their web analytics platform which offers a greater range of features, such as AI-powered insights and predictions. In this blog, we will be going through key details of how marketing will change in the future and how businesses will have to adapt to this transformation. ## **Adopting Automation & Artificial Intelligence** Artificial intelligence and automation have become important components for many businesses, particularly in the automotive industry where automation is used for manufacturing millions of cars each year. AI has been implemented into different sectors on a larger scale than ever before. The advancements in technology means that AI is growing smarter and improving analysis and prediction abilities. In the marketing sector, artificial intelligence is used in meta-analysis on a wide spectrum using data to improve the business and marketing strategies. Furthermore, digital marketers use AI to identify future trends within the industry allowing them to strategically place budgets into specific areas and who they will target in the marketing campaign so that they can ensure the best possible results. ## **Chatbots** Chatbots have been great for managing each step in the marketing process. Chatbots are able to gather relevant information such as contact details, sales call information, answer customer service enquiries and provide a solution to a technical problem. Additionally, chatbots are known to be efficient and effective when gathering information, planning your sales team success and qualifying leads. Instead of going back and forth with your client, the chatbot can handle the initial interactions and schedule a time and place for a meeting or consultation. Chatbots provide an easier way for digital marketers to gather information quickly and effectively, which helps you to save time on gathering the initial information needed for a consultation or meeting. ## **Social Media ** Social media is a popular digital channel that most digital marketers use to promote their products and services because most people around the world use social media for their personal consumption. This is why the most social media platforms have created ways for businesses to promote their products and services. For businesses that specialise in eCommerce, [social media](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/) is a fantastic way of promoting products. Not only will you be able to position your products in front of targeted customers, but you can build a brand following at the same time. These platforms mainly use the cost-per-click model which only requires you to pay for the advert when someone clicks on it. Many businesses tend to explore and promote their products on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. These are two massive social media giants with millions of active users that businesses could advertise to. Aside from pushing products via the platform, businesses can also work with influencers who have large followings. Promoting your product via a relevant influencer with a large following is like getting a celebrity endorsement. It's incredibly effective and it can build long-lasting relationships between the business and the influencer's followers. ## **Voice Search** Voice search is becoming a big thing, especially with the rise of smart home assistants such as Amazon Echo and Google Home. Being able to search the internet and find information by just speaking to a device makes life much easier. According to a [recent study](https://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/uk-households-smart-assistant-ey-digital-home#:~:text=22%20per%20cent%20of%20UK,cent%20figure%20recorded%20in%202017.), approximately 22% of UK households now have a voice-controlled smart home assistant, with 41% of households planning to buy one within the next five years. This shows the potential for voice search and that businesses may need to also optimise their websites for this in the future. Another [study](https://quoracreative.com/article/voice-search-statistics-trends) estimates that by 2020, 50% of all searches across the internet will be voice-based. This suggests that businesses will need to think about implementing a digital marketing strategy to cater for voice users. Voice technology has transformed the way people search for products, services, and information. In order to drive more traffic to your website and to capture the new market of voice users, it will be very important to consider integrating voice search into your digital strategy in the future. ## **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** If you're interested in developing your overall digital marketing strategy, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in building tailored digital marketing strategies for a wide range of businesses. Call us on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450)** or you can use our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us). --- ## What is Link Building? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/11/what-is-link-building/ **Date:** 2020-11-17 **Category:** Backlink Analysis, SEO, SEO Tips & Advice | **Tags:** backlink analysis, backlinks, link building, links Link building is the process of sourcing links from different websites, forums, and blogs to link back to your website. A link is used to navigate and browse through the internet and search engines crawl for links throughout the web in a matter of seconds. Search engines have the ability to crawl internal and external links from and to your website to determine various ranking factors. There are several strategies for building links, even although they differ in complexity, many SEO specialists tend to agree that building links is one of the challenging aspects of work. To help you understand more about link building and why it's important for SEO, we have provided more information below. ## **Backlinks ** Essentially, backlinks are simply a link from one website to another. The reason why backlinks are important is that they play an important role in determining how 'authoritative' a website is when it comes to search engine algorithms. A website with excellent SEO will have many high-quality and relevant websites linking to it, allowing search engines to see that the website is valuable and worth linking to. Good link building practices can lead to more high-quality backlinks and potentially increasing your search visibility and page rankings on your website. Building backlinks can be very time-consuming process as you need to source relevant links that would benefit your website. If don't have the time to build links yourself, the best solution is to hire a digital marketing company that will examine your backlink profile as well as your competitors so see where links can be obtained. ## **Why is Link Building Important for SEO? ** SEO stands for [search engine optimisation](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/) and there are two types of SEO; there is 'off page' and 'on page' SEO. Off page SEO is acting outside of your website to impact your page rankings and backlink profile. Whereas, on page SEO is optimising individual pages on your website to increase rankings for each page. Link building is an important part of SEO because it is one of the indicators that search engines look at when ranking websites. Websites that have higher domain authority tend to be favoured in the rankings as search engines can see if a particular website has been cited by many other high authority sites. An example of this would be Wikipedia, the online collaborative encyclopaedia. As this is seen as a credible source of information and it has been around since 2001, it has built up a reputation over the years and people all over the world have contributed information to this encyclopaedia. Many types of websites cite Wikipedia as a source, including schools, universities, publications, news articles, and many more. With so many websites linking to Wikipedia, it has built up a very high website authority and ranks very highly on search engines. ## **What Are The Types Of Links?** When it comes to backlinks, there are two fundamental types and one is usually more valuable than the other. **DoFollow Links **- This is the more valuable type of link as it enables 'link weight' to be transferred and it's good to have more DoFollow links than NoFollow links. **NoFollow Links **- These links do not carry any 'link weight' across which means that they may not have an influence on search engine rankings. You can tell if a link is a NoFollow link by the HTML tag - rel="nofollow". ## **How Can Link Building Benefit You? ** Link building often involves interacting with other relevant websites within your industry or sometimes outside. Frequent outreach will build relationships between you and other businesses which can open up marketing opportunities, such as product or service promotion. Furthermore, successful link building will help develop your brand and set you up as an expert in your niche. There are a range of link building strategies, such as content development, which enables you to share your knowledge and expertise on other websites. This can go a long way towards building your brand. Referral traffic is another branch from link building that helps businesses increase traffic to their website and possibly of sales as well. Referral traffic are visits that come from an outside source such as clicking on a hyperlink that redirects you to a page on your website. ## **Contact Our Experts for Link Building Services** If you're interested in developing your backlink profile and increasing your website authority, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in building high-quality links for businesses in a wide range of sectors. Call us on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450)** or you can **[send us an email here](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com)**. --- ## Odyssey New Media Celebrates 10th Year Anniversary URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/11/odyssey-new-media-celebrates-10th-year-anniversary/ **Date:** 2020-11-13 **Category:** Odyssey New Media News | **Tags:** 10th anniversary, anniversary, company anniversary At Odyssey New Media, we are celebrating our 10th year anniversary with a brand-new website, a new office, new phone systems, and new team members! Our digital marketing agency was first incorporated in June 2010 and we are proud to have helped hundreds of businesses in the UK and globally to grow and flourish. What began as a one-man start-up business has since grown into an award-winning digital marketing agency that offers a wide range of digital services. Our Founder & Managing Director, Robert Stoubos, has worked diligently to build the company over the years and to establish Odyssey New Media as a leading digital marketing agency in the UK. ## **Company Growth** During these ten years, our company has experienced an excellent rate of growth and we now have an exceptional team of 10 staff members who help support clients across a range of sectors including finance, development, trade services, cleaning, education, and hospitality. Earlier this year, we have also moved into a larger office, integrated a new phone system and we now also have remote working capabilities to continue supporting our clients during these difficult times. ## **Additional Digital Services** Our company began as a digital marketing company that specialised in search engine optimisation (SEO), pay per click (PPC), and social media management services. In these last three years, we have expanded our service offerings to provide web design, web development, and other digital design services. We're proud to say that we've had a very successful year in 2019 and we also won the 'Digital Agency of the Year 2019' award that was presented by Corporate Live Wire. This year, we continued our winning streak by winning the 'Digital Agency of the Year for Central England' award which recognises small to medium-sized businesses that have performed the best in the market over the last year. Winning these awards mean a lot to us and we will continue to maintain our exceptional quality of service for our clients. ## **Remote Working** While the pandemic has had an effect on many businesses, we're fortunate that we're able to continue operating throughout these challenging times via remote working. In addition, none of our staff needed to be put on furlough as many businesses are seeing the value in having a digital presence during the lockdown period. Our Managing Director Robert Stoubos, added "We are incredibly thankful to our loyal customers who have stayed with us during these uncertain times. Our hardworking team will continue to provide an outstanding service to support our customers and keep the momentum up throughout this period. We're proud of what we have accomplished in 2020 and we are looking forward to the next 10 years." ## **Contact Odyssey New Media for Digital Marketing Services** If you're interested in developing your overall digital marketing strategy, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in building tailored digital marketing strategies for a wide range of businesses. Call us on [**0121 439 5450** ](tel:0121 439 5450)or you can use our **[contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/)**. --- ## Why is Digital Marketing Important for your Business? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/10/why-is-digital-marketing-important-for-your-business/ **Date:** 2020-10-20 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** digital marketing, digital tips Digital Marketing uses the internet and digital technologies to promote the products and services they offer. This type of marketing takes advantage of various digital channels to promote products by using search engines, social media, and other digital channels. Small companies often feel that they don't have the spare budget to be able succeed online. Many of them may choose to take the cautious approach and stick a word of mouth approach or traditional marketing e.g. flyers. Hoping their company will grow as time progresses. In this article we will be talking through some of the advantages of your business using a digital marketing agency. ## **Competitors ** Many businesses have realised how important digital platforms are in promoting their business. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, where [e-commerce](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/ecommerce-seo/) businesses have been flourishing. To become successful in the digital world, you need to understand your competitors and analyse what they're doing in the digital world. Business owners always want to get an edge their competitors to a sale or providing a service. Learning from competitors can improve the businesses procedures and developing a much better marketing strategy. Learning from your competitor could lead becoming even better than them. How do they try and stand out? How well do they interact with the audience on digital platforms? What marketing channels do they utilise? Asking yourself those questions can really help you analyse your competitors digital marketing strategy and better their strategy. ## **Reaching Your Customers** Most of your customers will be online. This will obviously differ depending on your target demographic. However, even the older generation are getting into digital because of the COVID-19 pandemic, being isolated from their family. Communication digitally is the only way many people are speaking to loved ones that may be shielding. When you need a service or a product, what is the first thing you do? The likelihood is that you won't go to your local shopping centre. You may browse online and then once you know that shop delivers that product or service, you may go to the high street store. If your business doesn't have a clear online presence, people won't know you exist. The only way that your potential customers will gain that product or service is to go with your competitor instead. ## **Business Exposure** Business with an online presence will receive a more enquires or sales than a company that doesn't have one. Think of digital marketing as a way to make yourself available to the people you're seeking to meet to sell your goods and services. Your company will stretch way beyond your walls. An online presence is most likely to draw in customers because the majority of people will be looking for a specific product to purchase online. ## **Accessibility** An accessible online presence will give customers all of the information they will need about your business. A contact page on your website will help customers to gain more information that isn't clear on the website. If you have an optimised website your customers will be able to find your website much easier. However, if your competitor has a much more optimised website with relevant keyword they may appear higher in the search engine rankings. Alongside building a website, [SEO](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/) is a technique that can help you get an advantage ahead of your rivals by appearing higher in the search rankings on Google and Bing. There is so many features that affect your overall SEO. Optimised content, external backlinks, page speed, user accessibility & mobile friendliness just to name a few. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** If you're interested in developing your overall digital marketing strategy, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in digital marketing strategy for a wide range of sectors. Call us on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450) or you can use our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Using Video Conferencing in Your Business URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/10/using-video-conference-in-your-business/ **Date:** 2020-10-02 **Category:** Video Conference | **Tags:** communication, video, Video conference During the pandemic, the rise of video conferencing has been immense! Breaking barriers and being able to communicate without travelling long distances. We are living in a world surrounded by advanced technology with software being capable of running faster and completing multiple tasks at once. These have been implemented into business systems which streamlines everyday tasks within the office. ## **What is Video Conferencing?** A video conference is an online meeting that takes place over the internet. Video conferencing software such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom which have been very popular options over the pandemic period. Video conferencing can be done on mobile devices and computers with an embedded webcam. **Key benefits:** - Video technology enables online conferencing to maintain the visual connection with other people. - Users in different locations can communicate. - Reliable alternative unless your data connection is slow. - Can be accessed on various devices. ## **How does Video ****Conferencing**** Work?** Video technology offers a large advantage over teleconferencing as this allows users to see each other through the internet. It's important to note that video conferencing will depend on your internet connectivity. Overall, this method of communication can help to develop stronger relationships with clients, without needing to be physically present. Some businesses have implemented specific rooms for video conferences, fitted with high end cameras and microphones to ensure clear quality video conferencing. Video conferences can be used on various electronic devices such as a smartphone, laptop, or desktop as long as there is a webcam. ## **Video Conference Uses** Video conferencing can be used in various ways to communicate ideas across a platform to multiple people in different locations. Businesses with numerous offices will use video conferencing to establish a direct video communication to allow teams to collaborate more effectively. Additionally, this can be used effectively by managers to inform their employees of their progress and conduct effective training. Regular meetings can also be conducted with shareholders to discuss latest activities at the company or maybe announce specific changes within the business. ## **Benefits of Video Conferencing** **Digital **W**orkforce** Utilizing video conferencing in your business will be beneficial for your company as the time and costs spent on travelling long distances to a meeting can be saved. Video conferencing allows you to be in the comfort of your office while being able to communicate with clients. Furthermore, video conferencing enables collaborative meetings within your business. This is the foundation for a digital workforce which has become more common in companies. Video conferencing helps to maintain a team and the human connection through digital means, effectively speeding up communication and improving the ability to collaborate worldwide. **Management and Usability** Colleagues using video conferencing would benefit from the collaborative solutions that allow them to use various features to communicate, such as screen sharing to share their screen with multiple people. Also, real-time messaging and audio conferencing will be available to use in the meeting to effectively communicate with each other. **Increase Communication and Value** Video conferencing provides a fast and secure way to communicate with your colleagues through your mobile device or laptop. Over time, video will become a critical business function in supporting businesses to effectively collaborate and communicate. Companies are starting to find more value in full video conferencing solutions, such as audio conferencing, screen sharing, online chat, meeting recording and event live streaming. Business owners can conduct interviews, online meetings with employees and clients which makes it more convenient for everyone. ## **Why is Video Conferencing Important**? Video conferencing is a very important part of business and client communication since the pandemic started. This has become a necessity using cloud-based video software which provides a cost-effective solution and the flexibility to meet communication requirements. Using a cloud-based software comes with great benefits but there are also risks of information being compromised if the correct procedures aren't put in place. During the pandemic, businesses would need to keep in contact with their clients and adapt to the circumstances to complete tasks as normal. Educational institutions such as colleges and universities have adapted the idea of using video conferencing technology to invite students to remote classes, this transformation offers great flexibility for students and teachers. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** If you're interested in developing your overall digital marketing strategy, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in digital marketing strategy for a wide range of sectors. Call us on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450) or you use our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Top 5 CMS to Start a Website URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/09/top-5-best-cms/ **Date:** 2020-09-21 **Category:** CMS | **Tags:** CMS, content management system ## **What is a CMS?** CMS stands for a content management system; this is a software application or related programs that help to form and manage digital content. A CMS is useful software that allows users to manage their website effectively without writing a line of code. A CMS provides a "what you see what you get "editor that allows users to create websites with ease. The majority of content management systems provide features that will enhance your website further and capture more traffic to the website. ## **WordPress ** WordPress is known to be one of the best CMS, boasting a larger market share than its competitors. WordPress was designed as a blogging site which evolved well beyond that point. The framework is simple, easy to use, and you can configure it to your heart's content by using plugins and themes. WordPress is an excellent CMS used by various companies to create their website. Publishing pages and posts will be simple, possessing a powerful editor that enables you to access various features to help create and format content on the website. WordPress is definitely one of our favourites here at Odyssey New Media. **Key features include:** - Management options - Intuitive publishing - Powerful editor available - Highly customizable - Strong community ## **Joomla ** When people talk about what the best CMS is , Joomla is one of the names that most commonly appears alongside WordPress. The general opinion is that while Joomla is not as beginner-friendly as WordPress, in some ways it can be more versatile. Joomla is an amazing option to manage a large number of posts effectively, allowing you to be organised and consider time management. Joomla offers numerous opportunities related to user management which makes it a perfect CMS for membership-based sites. Additionally, Joomla provides multilingual support cancelling out the language barrier and the ability to flex the use of plugins or extensions available. Joomla has another feature that allows users to use more than one theme or template at once. This can be very helpful while working on different topics. **Key features include:** - Provides custom posts with excellent support - Advanced user management features - Multilingual support - Unique templates for each page type ## **Impresspages** Impresspages isn't a well-known CMS but has many quality features that would create a good website. Impresspages is a perfect choice if you're looking for a CMS that provides an elegant drag and drop creator out of the box. Building the pages that you need will be very easy and effortless. CMS configuration is available by using the plugins and themes. Blogging and editing aside, this CMS scores strong points in architecture around the board. Its dashboard looks sleek, simple to use and offers you a lot of choices to configure your pages and the features of your site. **Key features include:** - Simple and Modern interface - Powerful editor - Advanced functionality - Create content easily with drop and drop page builder - Access to plugins and themes ## **Drupal ** Drupal is another CMS that holds weight in discussions about the best CMS to create a website. Drupal ultimately offers great flexibility for a custom post, a high degree of control over users and permissions has been implemented into the CMS system as well. Drupal is in a league of its own when comparing the power of Drupal with other CMS systems, considered to be a much more secure platform than their competitors WordPress and Joomla. **Key features include:** - Flexible management system - Superior user management - Multilingual support - Detailed taxonomy system - Formidable security system ## **Dot Clear ** Dot clear is another formidable CMS which is suitable for a straight word blogging experience. Additionally, you will be able to access a variety of robust post publishing, taxonomy options and management along with allowing users to write posts in plain text, HTML and even Wiki syntax. Furthermore, besides those features, this platform provides the ability to produce RSS feeds while being able to insert new functions to your website using themes and plugins. **Key features include:** - Simple set up and easy to use - Dot clear supports HTML, Wiki Syntax and plain text - Generate RSS feeds with ease to your website. ### **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** If you're interested in developing your overall digital marketing strategy, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in digital marketing strategy for a wide range of sectors. Call us on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450) or you can use our [contact form](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Can Google Help Stop the Spread of Coronavirus? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/09/can-google-help-stop-the-spread-of-coronavirus/ **Date:** 2020-09-07 **Category:** Google | **Tags:** coronavirus, covid-19, google Google has been serving up a lot of explanations to users about the coronavirus symptoms in relation to the COVID-19 crisis. There have been studies in the US that show a correlation between the number of searches for COVID-19 symptoms and the hotspots of Coronavirus a month later. They found that an increased search for gastrointestinal symptoms lead to a rise in coronavirus cases in the weeks after. Common searches of loss of taste and appetite on Google led to an increased infection rate in high-occurrence areas of the country. This was the case in New York, California and many more areas of the US. Searches for gastrointestinal systems led to a rise in reported COVID-19 cases in a predictable fashion. The method of using Google searches to predict outbreaks of COVID-19 isn't a new thing, the method has been used before to track outbreaks of influenza. In the case of influenza, the lag time between a spike in symptom searches and an outbreak was closer at one or two weeks. **Here are some popular COVID-19 related Google Searches in the past week:** **1. What is a virus?** **2. Can you get corona twice?** **3. Is coronavirus weakening?** **4. How long do coronavirus results take?** **5. How to get a coronavirus test?** As Google can see where you're searching from using your unique server IP address, an increased number of people searching these types of questions, could indicate where the next hotspot for COVID-19 is. This could help the NHS prepare for an influx of potential cases coming into hospital. A partnership between Google and the NHS could prove effective in the fight against the Coronavirus. Back in April, Google produced 'Mobility Reports' which helped the government track the publics movements during the height of the pandemic. The global search engine published data from over 130 countries. Each report contained information on different services including buses, trains and supermarkets. The data was based on the Google Maps app or other smartphone services and helped the governments understanding of the effect of social distancing. Google emphasised that it protected the privacy of individuals during the handling of data. **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** If you're interested in developing your overall digital marketing strategy, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in digital marketing strategy for a wide range of sectors. Call us on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121%20439%205450) or you can get in touch [here](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Five Essential Tips to Optimise your Google Ads URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/09/five-essential-tips-to-optimise-google-ads/ **Date:** 2020-09-02 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights, PPC | **Tags:** ad scheduling, adwords, google ads, keywords, ppc Google Adwords is an essential platform for online advertisers as they enable businesses to promote their products and services through Google's search engine. As of April 2020, Google is reported to have a dominant market share of 86.02% which means that most people prefer to use Google as their search engine. Utilising Google Adwords enables your business to take a cut of that market share and you can promote your products to a wider pool of potential customers. To use Google ads to its full potential and to make the most out of your campaigns, there are a few main areas you can look at to increase performance and optimise your budgets. Learn our top 5 tips for optimising your Google Adwords campaign below. ## **Manage Negative Keywords ** Negative keywords are a list of keywords that you don't want to appear for when people are searching for your products or services. Identifying potential negative keywords and adding them to the list will enable your ads to appear for only the relevant keywords that you are targeting. This improves the relevancy of your ads and can also reduce wasteful clicks. For example, if you're an official footwear retailer and you are promoting your shoe products, you would want to include negative keywords such as 'shoe manufacturers' and 'shoe repairs' as they are not relevant to your business and products. If you're unsure about what keywords you should add to your negative keyword list, you can find more data in the 'Search Terms' section which shows you a list of all of the keywords that people search for to find your products. From this list, you can add any keyword you deem to be irrelevant to the negative list. It's good practice to regularly check on the search terms to see if there are any new irrelevant keywords that people are using to find your products. ## ** ** ## **Review Ad Scheduling ** Ad Scheduling is a powerful feature in Google Adwords which enables you to control when your ads are visible. This feature enables you to see when your ads are most popular and least popular which enables you to make an informed decision about when you should and shouldn't show your ads to limit ad spend. With this data, you can turn off the ads during the low periods and enable them during the peak periods. This is also a useful feature for businesses that want to automatically turn off their ads during the weekends if no staff are available to answer calls or enquiries. You may have already enabled ad scheduling from the start of your campaign, but it's a good idea to review this data to see if any trends have changed. ## **Adjust Keyword Match Types** If you find that your ads are spending too much or are not spending enough, then one area you could have a look at is the keyword match types. These are the match types that you have defined during the set up of your keywords. By default, Google will assign 'broad match' to your keywords, unless you define this otherwise. These match types enable you to control how specific your keywords are which will affect how people will see your ads. You can adjust your keywords so that they only appear when people are specifically searching for a keyword or phrase which can help reduce ad spend. If you want to reach a broader audience and get more clicks, then you may wish to use a less restrictive match type to enable more people to see your ads. To help you understand a bit more about each match type, we have provided more information below. **Broad Match** - Broad match means that your ads may show when people search for a phrase, similar phrase, singular form, plural form, synonym, or misspelling of the keyword. This is great for helping businesses to reach a broader audience but can result in higher ad spend. **Modified Broad Match** - This match type is a restricted version of broad match and it enables your ads to appear whenever someone searches for your defined keywords. For example, '+men's shoes' uses the modified broad match as it includes the plus sign in front of the keyword. This means that your ads will appear whenever someone searches for a phrase that includes keyword 'men's shoes'. If you want a bit more control over your keywords, but still want to target a broad audience, this will be a useful match type. **Phrase Match** - Phrase match enables your ads to show when someone searches for your exactly defined keyword, phrase, or close variations of your exact keyword phrase. For example, if you have defined a phrase keyword - "buy men's shoes", your ads will show only when someone's search includes 'buy men's shoes' or close variations of this phrase, such as 'buy men's shoes online' or 'how to buy men's shows'. **Exact Match** - This is the most restrictive match type as it only allows your defined keywords or phrases to appear when someone searches for that exact term or a close variation of the exact term. This includes keywords with the same meaning as your defined keywords, regardless of grammar or spelling. For example, when you define an exact match keyword as [men's shoes], your ad will only appear when someone searches for 'men's shoes' or a close variant of that keyword. An example of a close variant would be 'male shoes'. This is a useful match type for when you have a specific product range that you want to promote and want to keep separate from other similar ranges. ## **A/B Split Testing ** While you may have already set up a few ad variants, you may find that they are not performing as expected. If you're finding that your ads variants are not producing as much as other ad variants in your other ad groups, then you should consider testing new ad copy or even revisiting your landing pages. The AB testing feature enables you to randomly split the traffic between two ads and will allow you to assess the performance of each ad. You can test a variety of things in your ads, such as the headlines, the ad copy, the landing page link, and the keywords that the ad shows. If your current ads are not focused on driving conversions but you want to make more sales, you could trial more conversion-driven ads. For example, you may wish to try a new headline, such as '50% Off Men's Shoes - Buy Leather Shoes - End of Season Sale'. After setting up your AB testing, you should let it run for at least one week so you can get quantitative data for analysis and review. You may find that your new ad performs better. ## **Consider Location Targeting ** If you run a local retail shop and want to target specific areas within your locality, then location targeting is the feature for you. Keep in mind that if you can accommodate nationwide delivery or even international delivery, then location targeting may not be needed in this case. If you offer delivery to certain areas in the UK, then you may wish to use location targeting to appear for these areas and not just where your business is physically located. If you're selling products to Birmingham, you can use location targeting to set your ads to appear within areas of a country, a radius around a location or a group of locations. You will be able to find the right customers and restrict your ad from appearing in areas that you do not want to target. Setting your ads to appear in Birmingham and perhaps a certain radius around this city, this can help to increase your ROI as your ads will be focused on your target audience. ### **Contact Us For [PPC Management Services](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/ppc-management/) ** If you're interested in optimising your Google Ad campaigns and would like a PPC expert to take care of your ads for you, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in creating and optimising PPC campaigns for a wide range of sectors. Call us on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450)** or you can [**send us an email here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Sportswear Giants Adidas' Digital Surge URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/07/sportswear-giants-adidas-digital-surge/ **Date:** 2020-07-14 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** adidas, digital marketing, digital marketing strategy **The sportswear giants reduce spends connected to events such as the European Championships 2020 but increased on the digital front as ecommerce sales almost doubled.** During the COVID-19 pandemic, the sportwear giants Adidas cut back on their marketing budget by 25% in the second quarter of this year. However, they now are looking to build that marketing budget back up to pre-lockdown levels. They plan to pickup from where they left off in the second half of the financial year and receive an effective Return on Investment. The sportwear brand reported a fall of nearly 35% in the three months of lockdown to the end of June to $3.5 billion. This was partly due to the postponement of major sporting events like the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the Euro 2020, where Adidas sponsor both major sporting events. Another reason was that over 70% of the brand's stores were closed due to the country being in lockdown. Adidas reported that their [ecommerce store](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/ecommerce-seo/) was effective and people are switching to online shopping faster than they were before. In the first half of the financial year, more than a third of all revenue was made on the digital platform. They have also taken a double down method when it comes to digital marketing as they wanted to keep in touch with all their customers through the ecommerce platform. During the lockdown period, Adidas created a social media campaign 'Ready For Sport: The Anthem'. The video reflected on recent sporting history and celebrating what sport does for the world. This video attracted more than 400 million views. They also found that the use of their training app had tripled between March & May, while their sales on the Adidas app quadrupled compared to 2019. This shows that developing a mobile app could enhance your business and gives you another platform where you can reach your target audience. The sportswear company has its own 'Creators Club' accounts for 6% of online sales, with the customers having double the lifetime value compared to non-members. Loyalty clubs are often effective for restaurants and pubs, although, this shows that it can also help ecommerce businesses increase sales. Consumers love being rewarded for their loyalty. During the COVID-19 pandemic, companies have used the power of technology to communicate with their employees while working from home. This is set to continue with many people carrying on working from home at a more efficient rate. This will mean that people will swap their suit and dress for comfy leisure wear. This plays into Adidas' hands perfectly with many people deciding to buy leisure wear from them. **Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy** If you're interested in developing your overall [digital marketing strategy](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/), then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in digital marketing strategy for a wide range of sectors. Call us on [0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450) or you can send us an email [here](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## The Best Ways to Drive Traffic to your Website URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/07/the-best-ways-to-drive-traffic-to-your-website/ **Date:** 2020-07-07 **Category:** Content Writing, SEO, Social Media | **Tags:** email marketing, link building, search engine optimisation, website traffic Any Digital Marketers dream is to get more traffic to theirs or their client's website, therefore increasing the conversion rate leading to sales. Many business' want more visitors to their website; however, they aren't sure how to go about it. Here is a guide on how to drive more traffic to your website and get those crucial conversions that all business owners want. There are many in this list that are completely free! ## **On Page SEO ** Optimising your website for the top search engines is crucial in gaining traffic. When users search for a specific term it is proven that they click on one of the top five search results that the search engine shows. [SEO](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/) is a slow-moving beast, however it's an effective way of sending traffic to the website. There are many different components that are involved in SEO including on page content, link building, meta descriptions and alt tags. Improving your SEO can help increase the organic traffic going through the website. ## **Social Media is Important! ** People often overlook social media as a traffic source. We have had many clients describe it as a place for pretty pictures. However, they're wrong! One of the most effective ways to drive free traffic to your website is through [social media](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/). One great way of driving traffic is through Twitter. The social media platform is fast-moving where you can post links to get people to click through and onto the website. Whereas with Instagram you have to add your link into the bio of your profile page, this can prove difficult in converting your followers. If you think you have cracked the free offering on social media, you can then try paid advertisement on the platforms. This will automatically increase the amount of traffic heading to the website and a relatively inexpensive compared to Google Ads. ## **Don't Forget About Email Marketing ** Another overlooked digital marketing technique is email marketing. It is a free way to send your subscribers the latest information, news and offers. The hard bit is getting your subscribers, often successful businesses promote their newsletter from their social channels. Social Media & Email Marketing should work in tandem and compliment each other well in terms of cross channel posting. Try not to bombard your subscribers with too many emails, this can have a detrimental effect on subscriber rates and make many people unsubscribe from your emails. A periodic reminder about your services and new products will most definitely have a positive influence on levels of traffic. ## **Guest Blog Posts ** Link Building in another way you can possibly drive traffic to your website, especially creating blog posts and outreaching to high reputable website. Some useful information in your guest blog post can result in users clicking through onto the website. The key to guest blogging is ensuring that the website is relevant to your business and that has a high traffic going to their website. Guest blogging doesn't only have an influence on traffic it helps grow your brand into a more respected business. This is an important aspect of [SEO](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo-management/) that shouldn't be ignored. ## **Ensure that your Website is Responsive ** It is a proven fact that more people use their mobile phone to search on the internet more than using their desktop. Making sure that the website is responsive for mobile use is crucial. Many users will click off the website if it isn't mobile reactive. Modern web developers main focus is [mobile responsive websites](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/mobile-website-design/) because so many more people search on their mobile compared to desktop. Even if your website is very basic, you still need to make the website accessible for all users. **Contact Our Experts for Search Engine Optimisation Services ** If you're interested in [SEO](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media-management/) Management Services and would like an SEO expert to take care of your social channels for you, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in search engine optimisation. Call us on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450)** or you can [**send us an email here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Tips on How to Improve Social Media Strategy URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/06/tips-on-how-to-improve-social-media-strategy/ **Date:** 2020-06-26 **Category:** Facebook, Instagram, Social Advertising, Social Media, X | **Tags:** social media, social media management, social media strategy Every Digital Marketer's dream is to achieve high levels of viral success, obtaining mass engagement and followers on your social media channels. How do you create compelling content that your followers will engage with? In this blog post, we will go through five expert tips that will help you with your own channels. ## **Lead with an Effective Product or Service ** To create an effective campaign, it's crucial that you have a special product or service people will be interested in. The excellence of your service or product is what sparks conversation with your followers. For your business, the procedure of crafting an effective product might be overstepping the necessary quality standards, managing quality control testing or adapting to customer feedback about your product. It's also crucial that for managers to have an influence on cues that impact the perception of the product like a company's reputation. ## **Make Your Branding Coherent ** Outlining a [strategy](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media-consultancy/) that expresses your business' viewpoint, customer personas and your brands tone of voice allowing you to connect efficiently with your customers is key. Your overall brand performs as a reference for what customers should expect from you. Many companies don't cater their strategy to a specific audience and try to reach everyone on the platform - this largely falls on deaf ears. For your company to avoid this happening, you need to create an unforgettable product or service. To do this, you will need to put time and money into establishing an efficient strategy and making it consistent. ## **Stand Out from The Crowd with a Common Concern ** Talking about a common concern is an excellent marketing strategy if done in the correct way. The use of social media can be helpful to emphasise how your product or services are better than competitors. A great example of where this has been used effectively is the American Beer Brand 'Bud Light'. In all of their campaigns including the Super Bowl Ad, they emphasised the fact that their beer isn't brewed with corn syrup. This was to try and target the health-conscious beer drinkers and almost calling out certain competitors for using corn syrup in their product. This campaign lead to competitors such as Miller Lite to respond on Twitter defending themselves in regards to the corn syrup debate. This just shows how effective channels such as Instagram, Facebook & Twitter are promoting comparisons and how you can use it to gain an advantage. Pick a common concern that your consumers genuinely care about and what makes your product and service unique compared to competitors. ## **Followers Driving Conversation ** People talking on social channels is a powerful tool, especially when it comes to brand awareness. There have been some very clever campaigns that have got people talking! Gillette's 'The Best Man Can Be' Campaign was one of the most talked about campaign in 2019 because it didn't just promote a new range of razors, it was tackling much bigger problems. The aim of the campaign was talk about negative male behaviours which included: sexism, bullying and toxic masculinity. The well thought out campaign wasn't without its risks and while the campaign was scrutinised by some for being sensitive, it's most definitely got people talking. In the week after it was released on their channel the video received 1.5 million mentions and the campaigns hashtag #TheBestManCanBe was used 187,000 times in that week. Small businesses can learn from this campaign as focussing on a talked about subject can really lift your campaign to new heights. ## **Incorporating Social Channels Across the Business ** An effective way to share possible content, relevant articles and press coverage through platforms like Whatsapp can be helpful for teams to communicate in real-time. It's also helpful sharing draft content to get sign off from your manager. The open communication on Whatsapp can help your business swiftly take advantage of any possible interactions with customers. **Contact Our Professionals for Social Media Management ** If you're interested in [social media management](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media-management/) and would like an social media expert to take care of your social channels for you, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in managing various social campaigns. Call us on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450)** or you can [**send us an email here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## Why Is Content So Important For SEO? URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2020/06/why-is-content-so-important-for-seo/ **Date:** 2020-06-14 **Category:** Content Marketing, Content Writing, SEO | **Tags:** content marketing, internal links, keywords, search engine optimisation, seo When it comes to SEO, one of the major factors that can have an effect on your rankings is how 'good' your content is. You've probably heard this a lot already, but "_content is king_" and that is very true in the SEO space. Without high-quality content on your website, even if you invest in other areas of search engine optimisation, you cannot fully take advantage of the benefits of SEO. By writing useful and relevant content that will benefit your users, not only will your users stay on the site longer, but it can also have a positive effect on your rankings. However, writing good content is only half of the battle. You need to know how to market this content and generate traffic to your website. While your content may naturally start to rank on search engines over time, there are quicker ways to generate traffic to your content. This is where SEO and content marketing go hand-in-hand. ## **Is SEO and Content Marketing Different Things? ** [Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/) is an umbrella term that refers to the practice of building up traffic to your website and improving rankings on search engines. Within SEO, there are three main areas that are worked on to improve your rankings, this includes on-site optimisations, off-site authority building, and on-going content development. Content marketing is about how you distribute, syndicate, and promote your content in order to reach your target audience and generate more traffic. It's a marketing strategy that helps you build stronger relationships with your audience and it enables you to continuously deliver high-quality content that is relevant to their interests and needs. According to the [HubSpot Marketing Statistics](https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics), "**72%** of online marketers describe content marketing as their most effective SEO tactic." Although SEO and content marketing are technically different things, they are often paired together because these strategies complement each other exceptionally well. ## **Benefits of Writing Optimised Content ** Now that we know content holds a lot of weight when it comes to SEO, what are the benefits of writing optimised content? Here are some of the main advantages of content optimisation: - **Enables a better user experience** - High-quality content that is engaging, useful, and relevant to your services will help users to better understand what you do. Users may even share your content with others if they think it's useful which means more traffic to your website. - **Higher Conversion Rates **- It's no surprise that high-quality content correlates with higher conversion rates. When you write content that is relevant to the end-user, there's a higher chance they will click on your links or CTAs (Call to Actions) and that's where the value of good content shows. - **Rank higher on search engines** - Content optimisation means that you can include target keywords that you want to rank for. With relevant and quality content, you have a higher chance of being able to compete with similar businesses in your sector. - **Improve your website authority **- A great benefit of writing optimised content is that you can naturally build high-quality backlinks to your website. Users that find your content interesting or 'share-worthy' may consider sharing your articles on social networks or other relevant forums. Not only will this cement your brand as a credible and authoritative source, but you are also more likely to rank higher on Google. ## **How Do You Write Optimised Content? ** Writing optimised content, in theory, isn't a difficult task. It's about having the right processes and strategies in place to ensure that the content you write is consistent and structured. Content optimisation involves a few key factors and strategies. ### **Content ** Content writing takes time and it's important to write high-quality content that is engaging, relevant, and useful for your readers. Consider researching topical subjects to write about and have a search around for topics that your user might want to know about. This ensures that your content is relevant and has a better chance of ranking. ### **Keywords ** Incorporating keywords into your content is often a fine art as it requires a strategy. As search engines evolve over time, their algorithms also improve. This means that you can no longer spam keywords in your content in hopes of ranking higher. You need to carefully consider what keywords to use, where to use them, and how often you integrate keywords. ### **Internal Links** A good practice as part of content optimisation is to strategically adding relevant internal links in your content. Internal linking is the process of linking to a relevant page on your own website that users can click on to find more information. This is great for usability and search engines. If necessary, you can also use external links to provide users with useful and relevant information that you don't have on your website. Ideally, you should use more internal links than external links otherwise you could be sharing too much link authority with external sites. ### **Length ** Depending on the type of content, you need to ensure that your content is of an appropriate length. If you're writing a product page for an e-commerce website, you would want to keep the content on the shorter side so that it doesn't over-power your products and reduce your conversion rates. For blog articles, it depends on the type of content. If you're writing an informative or guide piece, then it's recommended to go for 500+ words. Search engines like Google tend to prefer long-form content as it's usually more useful for the user. **Contact Our Experts for SEO Content Optimisation** If you're interested in optimising your website content and would like an SEO expert to take care of your content for you, then please get in touch with us. We have years of experience in writing and optimising content for a wide range of sectors. Call us on **[0121 439 5450](tel:0121 439 5450)** or you can [**send us an email here**](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/). --- ## July 2017 - Boost Your Ads in Time for Back To School - Digital Marketing Tips & Insights URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2017/07/july-2017-boost-your-ads-in-time-for-back-to-school-digital-marketing-tips-insights/ **Date:** 2017-07-05 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights, YouTube | **Tags:** advice, back to school, digital tips, tips, video, video ads, youtube # Boost your Ads in Time for Back to School Children are busy packing their rucksacks and heading back to school and parents are there to help them get ready for the new school year. 65% of online users usually plan to buy stationary, school uniforms, shoes and many other products later in July. The amount of 'Back To School' search terms grew by about 19% in 2015. This figure is expected to continue to rise as more people shop online for convenience and to save money. ## Remember to utilise YouTube - **21%** is the figure by which YouTube advertising was expected to grow year-on-year until 2019. - **66%** of people who order beauty products report that YouTube helps them qualify their purchase because they can visualise the end result. ## How to Improve Performance - **Be clear on what you mean by 'going viral' -** Work out what 'going viral' means to your company and your brand. Decide how you want to measure success and what your goals are. - **Make user experience a Priority -** Review all your advert creatives and even your website layout and design. Remember to check these on all devices including using different smartphones, speakers and headphone devices. If it is terrible on a popular device then be sure that your users wouldn't watch your video advertising for long before turning off. - **Get Talking -** Remember that conversation leads to engagement and improves brand perception (when positive). We recommend that YouTube comments are left active so that you can communicate with viewers. Also consider every commenter a potential customer, so treat them with respect and try and answer any questions they have, no matter how irrelevant they might seem. ## Keep an eye out for business opportunities - **Pillows and throws** - saw increases of up to 20% in August 2014. This is though to be attributed to students looking to update and decorate their university rooms. - **PE kits and gym equipment** - kit queries reached a peak in August 2014 thanks to children getting ready for school. - **Electrical and homewear -** these saw increases of up to 20% in August 2014 as students were heading back to university. ### Sources: - Think with Google, YouTube ads, 2015 - Google Data 2014. - Google Data 2015. --- ## June 2017 - Perfect your Ads for Last-Minute Travel - Digital Marketing Tips & Insights URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2017/06/june-2017-perfect-your-ads-for-last-minute-travel-digital-marketing-tips-insights/ **Date:** 2017-06-07 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights, Google AdWords | **Tags:** google adwords, google analytics, google trends, june 2017, travel, trends # Perfect your Ads for Last-Minute Travel Once June finally arrives, many people consider a last-minute holiday or weekend break before the season is over. In order to book their holiday, most people will normally go online to find the perfect destination. It's estimated that over 30% of travellers also book their last-minute trips from a mobile/tablet device. ## Remember to use Google Analytics **76% **of SMEs report that using Google Analytics to visualise their data makes it easier to understand the data and to convert it into useful business insights. ## **How to improve performance:** - **Remember to focus on trends -** Trends are the most important data points. Especially when they change course either negatively or positively. It's important to understand why trends change or remain the same as well. - **Remember to compare time ranges -** Compare year-on-year, month-on-month or week-on-week stats. However you do it, remember that you take care to ensure that date ranges are comparable. This will lead to performance insights so you know if your current date range is performing worse or better than previous ones. - **Look out for strong relationships -** Look out for the connections between different variables. Remember to keep an eye on data correlations and dependencies too. ## Look for business opportunities - **Baggage -** the amount of search tends in July and August - 2014 had a rise of baggage searches to 7.53% compared to 2013. - **Music Festivals -** These are becoming increasingly popular year-on-year. They normally reach their heights in June. In June 2015 the interest levels rose to 5.97%. ### **Sources:** - Google Trends, 2014 to 2016. - Google/Ipsos OTX Media CT, 2014. --- ## May 2017 - Impress People with Entertainment - Digital Marketing Tips & Insights URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2017/05/may-2017-impress-people-with-entertainment-digital-marketing-tips-insights/ **Date:** 2017-05-03 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights, Mobile Search | **Tags:** entertainment, event promotion, mobile, mobile search, search ads # Impress People with Entertainment People really love being entertained, especially when it gets warmer. During this time they like to have fun and go to shows in their local areas. If they are well informed then 30% are likely to buy tickets for events. 46% of filmgoers usually research films online before buying tickets. Amongst those 60% of researchers will by their event tickets in this manner. ## Make sure your event promotion is Mobile Lead - **56%** of searches for film tickets happen on mobiles. - **41%** is the growth of searches done on mobile for film showtimes. ### How to improve performance: - **Always Remember Mobile Search Times -** that 8 our of 10 mobile searches will happen at home or at work. However approximately only half will happen during work hours. - **Make sure you're purpose driven** - 41 % of people searching on mobile phones are goal-driven. Approximately 2 out of 3 are motivated by speed, convenience or urgency - 28% of those lead - **Prepare for speed** - Over 75% of mobile conversions happen within one our of people making a search. ### Look for business opportunities: - **Sporting event tickets** continue to be popular - searches for sporting event tickets increased 32% from 2012 to 2014 **Sources** - Google Data, Jan. 1 - June 30, 2015 - Google/Millward Brown Digital, "Moviegoer Decision Path", September 2014. - Google/Nilsen Mobile Path to Purchase custom study, Nov 2013. - Google Nielsen Mobile Search Moments 2015. - Google Search Data, January - June 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. --- ## April 2017 - Get in the Holiday Mood - Digital Marketing Tips & Insights URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2017/04/april-2017-get-in-the-holiday-mood-digital-marketing-tips-insights/ **Date:** 2017-04-05 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights, Remarketing | **Tags:** advice, digital tips, holiday, summer, summer 2017, tips # Get in the Holiday Mood As summer approaches, shoppers will begin to think about getting away on their holidays. Approx. 89% of people who fly away for their summer travels like to research destinations online before they purchase a holiday break. Approx. 65% of business of business customers also buy online with others opting to deal with in-store travel agents or business travel companies. ## Use Remarketing - Clients who switched from static remarketing to dynamic remarketing saw their conversion rates grow by up to **2 times**! - When people switched they also saw their CPA rates fall by up to **60%** . ### How to Perform: - **Think beyond just CPA** - It is important that you craft dynamic creatives which are inspire by real-time data in order to connect with your potential customers. - **Keep things simple** - It's important that you focus on creativity as well as results. Remove any form of complexity in your ads. - **Review your tags** - Remember to check the data for the products your customers have viewed. ### Look for Business Opportunities - **Suncare products** increase during the summer months. Terms such as 'suntan', 'sunburn' and 'sunscreen' see rises during this holiday period. - **Stay at home holiday goers** should also be considered. So remember to trial home nation campaigns. - **Waterproof mascara** also sees peaks during the holiday season. **Sources:** - Consumer barometer with Google. - Source: Google internal data - Source Google Trends, January 2011- June 2014. - Source Google Data, January 2011- June 2014. - Google and YouTube Data, 2012 - 2014. --- ## March 2017 - Spring is all about DIY - Digital Marketing Tips & Insights URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2017/03/march-2017-spring-is-all-about-diy-digital-marketing-tips-insights/ **Date:** 2017-03-08 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** advice, attribution, digital tips, diy, march, march 2017, measurement, spring, tips ## Spring is all about DIY Spring is all about putting in time and making improvements. That goes for people's homes, as well as your business. 20% of shoppers plan to fix up their space over the season. With so much going on, make sure you're clued up on all things DIY. ## **Go further with Attribution and Measurement:** - **63%** of people go online to research products and activities - 18% of that research is on mobile. - **38%** of shoppers like to look online then buy in-store. ## **How to Perform:** - **Track Customers -** Don't just track transactions. Measure long-term customer value, not revenue. See which channels your best customers are coming from. - **Attribute Value Across Channels -** Keep your eyes on a variety of marketing touchpoints to gather insights and turn them into opportunities. - **Keep Experinenting - **Discover which channels are working for you. Measure as you go, to prove the step-by-step impact of your marketing spend. ## **Look for Business Opportunities:** - **Tools and Hardware -** Swing into focus at this time of the year - 66% of people who plan to do up their spaces during the spring season go online to look for them. ### **Sources:** - GCS Dec 2014, IBISWorld. - Think with Google: Measure What Mattes Most: A Marketer's Guide, 2014. - Google Internal data. - Google Trends 2014-2015. --- ## February 2017 - Race Ahead to Easter - Digital Marketing Tips & Insights URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2017/02/february-2017-race-ahead-to-easter-digital-marketing-tips-insights/ **Date:** 2017-02-27 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** advice, digtial tips, easter, insights, mobile, mobile search, trueview, video ## Race Ahead to Easter Shoppers start searching for Easter items as early as mid-February. Last year, the average family spend on sweets, clothes and other Easter goodies was 12% higher online than in stores. Mixing online and offline, searches for opening hours increase 1800% as the big weekend gets close. ## Go Further with YouTube - **70%** of consumers make video part of their shopping experience - 40% agree brand videos influence their decisions. - **41%** of YouTube users tak action after seeing an advert. This is done by clicking, visiting a wesbite or making a purchase. ## How to Perform - **Be mobile ready -** Mobile searches rise from an average of 22% to 38% just before Easter. So increase your mobile bids and move on to purchase messages 4-8 days ahead of the big day. - **Amplify you video content -** Use display and TrueView ads targeted by interest categories to get people seeing your content. Think "Foodies", "Cooking Enthusiasts" or "Home Decor". - **Do DIY -** Reach home-loving consumers with DIY videos. Baking, decorating and entertainment are also strong performers. ## **Look for Business Opportunities** - **Chocolate** is getting more love than ever. Regardelss of device, searches for chocolate went up 43% between April 2013 and April 2014 - mobile queries grew 88%. - **Trips and holidays** are also part of the story - 47% of customers said they look into them at Easter. ### **Sources:** - Google brand impact of TrueView Meta Analysis, October 2012. - Google Consumer Survey Dec 2014 n=1000. --- ## January 2017 - Valentine's Day Prep - Digital Marketing Tips & Insights URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2017/01/january-2017-valentines-day-prep-digital-marketing-tips-insights/ **Date:** 2017-01-18 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** advice, digital tips, insights, january 2017, mobile ads, mobile search, ppc, tips, valentines day ## **Win hearts this Valentine's Day** Cupid isn't here yet, but 1 in 3 consumers are so loved-up they start their Valentine's Day shopping in January. Last year, people began searching for romantic gift ideas as early as January 7th. It's time to get in the mood for love. ## **Score with Mobile** - **37%** of 2015 Valentine's Day traffic was on mobile and it's growing 40% year-on-year. - **3x** as many searches for "gifts for boyfriend" as "gifts for girlfriend" were recorded last February. ## **How to perform:** - **Start early -** Bid on "gift ideas" terms in mid-January to get in front of shoppers whilst they're researching, and invest in weekend mobile coverage. Switch to purchase messaging by February 8th to target last-minute buyers. - **Step up your budgets -** After February 8th, set your budgets to at least 5x what you were spending and start checking your budget twice a day. - **Boost your mobile bids -** Put more money behind mobile to keep above the fold and remember to check your mobile position each day. Increase your mobile spend by at least 20% at weekends. ## **Look for Business Opportunities** - **Jewellery** searches are up 42% on last year across categories - 24% of shoppers are planning to buy their loved one something sparkly for Valentine's Day. - **Gifts** saw a 27% leap. - **Flowers** jumped by 18%. ### **Sources:** - Google Internal Data, Valentine's Day category. - Google Trends, 2011-2015. --- ## December 2016 - Sales Prep - Digital Marketing Tips & Insights URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/12/december-2016-sales-prep-digital-marketing-tips-insights/ **Date:** 2016-12-07 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** advice, december 2016, digital tips, insights, ppc, remarketing, search ads ## December - Get Prepared for the Post-Christmas Sales Christmas will soon be here, and so will the January sales. Christmas Day mobile searches related to the after Christmas sales have increased by 74% year on year. Although many shoppers visit physical shops during the sales, 84% of smartphone users still reach for their phones whilst they're there. ## Move Ahead with Remarketing - The average CTR for regular display advertising is 0.07%. - The average CTR for remarketing display ads is 0.7%. **What to do:** - **Don't be Repetitive - **Avoid using same copy for existing customers and prospective clients. Ensure that your messages vary depending on customer queries and pages they've visited. - **Frequency Capping -** Make sure you're not bombarding potential customers with advertisements, if your ads are following them everywhere they may feel stalked and your ROI may take a hit. - **Understand Impact -** If you are measuring based on last-click attribution, remarketing can steal credit from other channels, so try to set a lower CPA target for remarketing. ## Looking for Business Opportunities - **Smart Lightbulbs - **Smart lightbulbs are becoming very popular, searches are up 36% this year. - **Smart TVs -** During the 2014 Christmas sales, searches for smart TVs grew by 28%, overtaking searches for other TV specs. **Sources:** - Google Data, January 2013 to December 2014. - Google Data, March 2015. --- ## How the Google Penguin 4.0 Real-time Algorithm will affect your Business URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/10/how-the-google-penguin-4-0-real-time-algorithm-will-affect-your-business/ **Date:** 2016-10-11 **Category:** Google Algorithm Updates | **Tags:** google, google algorithm, google algorithm updates, google penguin, google penguin 4.0, seo The Google Penguin 4.0 real-time algorithm is now officially part of Google's Core Algorithm, as confirmed by Google on September 23rd 2016. Penguin 4.0 may already be affecting your business' website, so it is important to understand what Penguin 4.0 is, how it will affect your website's ranking and what action to take. ## What is Google Penguin 4.0 Google uses more than 200 unique signals in its ranking algorithm and these signals include the freshness of content, your business' region and the words that appear on your website. Penguin is one of these ranking signals and the original version of Penguin was introduced in 2012. Penguin 4.0 now works in real-time, whereas the original version of Penguin was periodically refreshed. Because Penguin needed to be refreshed, many SEO improvements would not take effect until the next refresh date. With Penguin 4.0, backlinks affect SEO in real-time, meaning that changes will be visible much faster, typically just after Google re-crawls and re-indexes a page. This is in stark contrast to Penguin 3.0 (released in October 2014), which led to some websites being de-listed from search engines for months, for 'black hat' link building tactics. Penguin 4.0 devalues spam itself and makes ranking-based adjustments from spam signals. So, rather than affecting the ranking of a whole website, Penguin 4.0 will not employ site-wide penalties and will instead only penalise spam pages. In a statement, Google said"Webmasters should be free to focus on creating amazing, compelling websites". This means that genuine webpages using 'white hat' SEO will be rewarded and webpages using 'black hat webspam' will be penalised. 'Black hat webspam' is simply any action that aims to create higher search engine ranking or traffic through means that do not benefit the user. These actions includes keyword stuffing and link schemes, among others. ## What Penguin 4.0 Means for your Website Google Penguin penalties can now be removed much quicker, due to its real-time nature. There are several actions that businesses now need to take: - 1. Complete a backlink audit and make regular link audits in the future. - 2. Remove unnatural backlinks gained from link schemes or paid links by asking site owners of poor quality sites to remove your backlinks. - 3. Create a disavow file of any unnatural backlinks that you cannot get removed manually and upload it through the Google Search Console. - 4. Build more good quality links. - 5. Monitor rankings and the effect of the positive actions taken. Penguin 4.0 is still rolling out and your business' website will be affected over the next few weeks as Google re-crawls your website. There will be no Penguin 5.0 announcement from Google going forward, as changes will be applied in real-time. ## Do you need help with actions required following Penguin 4.0 update? If you need help with white hat SEO or correcting black hat webspam from a previous webmaster, then Odyssey New Media [provide a link analysis and link detox service](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/link-detox/) so you can be assured your website won't be penalised by the Google Penguin 4.0 algorithm update. Contact Odyssey New Media today at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## October 2016 - Winter Holiday Prep - Digital Marketing Tips & Insights URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/10/october-2016-winter-holidays-prep-digital-marketing-tips-insights/ **Date:** 2016-10-05 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** october, octorber 2016, ppc, search, search ads, winter holiday ## October 2016 - Move Ahead During the Winter Holidays Consumers seem to live by the saying "The early bird gets the worm". It's only October, but they're already starting to think about their winter holidays. Searches for skiing begin as early as three months before the ski season, and brands are a popular thing. On Google, 58% of winter travel searches are for specific companies or brands. ## Move Ahead with Google Analytics - 54% of people come across brands through online search. - 90% of clicks on search advertisements come from new customers. **What to do:** - **Set Goals - **Make sure to keep track of your conversions and set goals based on your currents rates, use this data to see what is working in your favour and aim to increase conversion rates slowly but surely. - **Use Custom Alerts -** Set the alert to inform you whenever traffic falls or rises dramatically, if you recently updated a page and it sees a boost in traffic, try to implement the successful change where applicable, if the edited page sees dramatic drops in traffic, try to undo the changes and steer clear of using those changes in the future. ## Looking for Business Opportunities - **Cookie Recipes - **Cookie recipe searches are about to become very popular, 25% of all their searches happen in December. - **Auto Parts & Services -** 2 out of 3 drivers are looking to prepare their vehicle for winter before November, this search peaks during October and November. - **Cruises -** Search density for cruises spike in January, October is a good time to start preparing for this. **Sources:** - Google Data, Search Query Volume, March 2013-March 2014. - Google Data, March 2015. --- ## How to Write Great Web Content for Your Business URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/09/how-to-write-great-web-content-for-your-business/ **Date:** 2016-09-26 **Category:** Content Marketing, Content Writing | **Tags:** content, content marketing, content writing, seo content writing Writing great web content for your business is one the most important things that you can do. The content that you write is an ambassador for your business and if you don't create error-free and engaging content, then your website visitors will not trust your business. Your competitors know this too, as demonstrated by the 63 million posts that were created in August 2016, using WordPress or its Jetpack plugin. So, with so many people writing content, it is essential that you write great web content that stands out. ## Web Writing Basics The content you write must flow and follow best web writing practices. When writing you should avoid common mistakes such as the comma splice and run-on sentence. - **Comma Splice** - This happens when a comma is used to join two independent clauses (complete sentences). This is best shown with an example; 'It's nearly half past six, we cannot get home before it is dark'. - **Run-on Sentence** - This happens when two or more independent clauses are joined together, without punctuation or conjunction; 'It's nearly half past six we cannot get home before it is dark'. When uncertainty about capitalisation, spelling or grammar kicks in, it is best to simply Google it. ## Be a Researcher If you want to write good web content for business, then it is essential to become a researcher. Content that is well researched, informative and full of detail will get shared more. In a nutshell, preparation is the key and writing is the easy part. However, it is important to understand that quantity isn't quality. Constantly creating new content for your business's website is only good if that content is in-depth and avoids needless repetition. In many cases it is better to strengthen existing content. ## Write for Humans It is important to remember that the content that your write is for humans. This means that the content needs to be digestible and you can check this by reading back the content you have written. Blog posts and articles need to engage the reader and where appropriate this can be achieved by including personal elements or by using humour, wit or clever references. If you want to write good web content then it is also important to keep the reading level low. Using fancy vocabulary or using three words where one would suffice, turns off readers and is a negative factor in Google's ranking algorithm. ## Understand Your Audience Understanding your audience is key if you intend to engage them. You should consider who you are writing for and why. Google Analytics can help you to hone your skills by giving you a deeper understanding of the people interacting with your brand online. Social media can be used to give your business a voice with existing customers, new customers and soon-to-be customers. Sharing posts and seeing how they perform on social media will give you an insight into the future writing you should do. ## Use Good SEO basics Using good SEO basics will not only help your business perform better in SERPs but will also help your content catch the eye of potential readers. You should apply proper headings and subheadings, tag images correctly and write an eye-catching meta description. While you need to understand what keywords to focus on, it is also important to include them naturally. In short, it is not wise to write a sentence simply so that you can include a keyword or phrase. SEO is a constantly changing beast so remember to adopt beneficial changes and don't be resistant to change. ## Do You Need help Creating Great Web Content? If you need help with content creation or content optimisation, then [Odyssey New Media](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/) can help. Contact Odyssey New Media for help at **[info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com)** or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## Why Business Owners Need to Remove Intrusive Interstitial Ads Pre 2017 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/09/why-business-owners-need-to-remove-intrusive-interstitial-ads-pre-2017/ **Date:** 2016-09-21 **Category:** Google Algorithm Updates, SEO Ranking Factors | **Tags:** ads, google algorithm, google algorithm updates, interstitial ads, website ads If your business uses intrusive interstitial ads on its website, then now is the time to consider removing them. Google's ranking algorithm is about to be updated and will view intrusive interstitials as a negative ranking factor. Business owners have until January 10th 2017 to remove intrusive interstitials, if they do not wish to have their webpages penalised. ## What are Intrusive Interstitials Google is about to crack down on intrusive interstitials on the mobile web and this type of advert usually opens as a webpage is loading in. A statement from Google expresses that "Pages that show intrusive interstitials provide a poorer experience to users than other pages where content is immediately accessible. This can be problematic on mobile devices where screens are often smaller." Google further states that "While the underlying content is present on the page and available to be indexed by Google, content may be visually obscured by an interstitial. This can frustrate users because they are unable to easily access the content that they were expecting when they tapped on the search result." Pages that continue to use intrusive interstitial ads may be penalised from this date, and in mobile search results, they may not rank as highly. Removing this type of ad should not be overlooked. The importance of this action becomes apparent when we consider that more searches are made from mobiles, compared to searches made on desktops. ## Problematic Interstitials Problematic interstitials are easy to identify and will generally be one of the following types of ad: - Pop-ups that cover the main content immediately after the visitor navigates to a page or while they are browsing the page. - Standalone interstitials that have to be closed before the page's content is visible. - Layouts that show the above-the-fold portion of the page as an interstitial, while the original content is in-lined underneath the fold. ## Non-Problematic Interstitials Not all interstitials are problematic. Here are three types of interstitials that are not problematic: - Interstitials that are incorporated in response to a legal obligations, such as age verification interstitials or cookie usage interstitials - Top or bottom advert banners that don't take up too much space and that are easy to dismiss - Log-in dialogues on sites where the content is not publicly index-able or the content is behind a pay wall ## Why Intrusive Interstitials are Important Google has focused on intrusive interstitials as part of its strategy to improve the user's experience, which is one that is more and more likely yo be taking place on a mobile device. These ads are just part of an overall strategy that business's need to respond to, in order to rank well in SERPs. Currently, Google has identified that 85% of pages in mobile search results are mobile-friendly. This means that the content on these pages is readable without zooming, and tap targets/buttons are appropriately spaced for touch screens. Business owners should begin by checking if their website is mobile friendly. This can be done by using the mobile friendly test and mobile usability report, found in Google's Search Console. ## Is your Business using Intrusive Interstitials? If you need help removing intrusive interstitials or optimising your website for mobile search, then Odyssey New Media can help. Contact Odyssey New Media today at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## How to improve Ad Spend Efficiency with Remarketing Lists for Search Ads URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/09/how-to-improve-ad-spend-efficiency-with-remarketing-lists-for-search-ads/ **Date:** 2016-09-19 **Category:** PPC, Remarketing | **Tags:** ad spend, remarketing, remarketing lists, search, search ads Your business can go beyond keywords and save money with AdWords and Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSAs). RLSAs where first introduced in the summer of 2013, but even today, they are still underused. With RLSAs, ad spend is used more efficiently and improves conversion rates, giving a better return on investment (ROI). They help businesses to avoid bidding on generic keywords that generate low, if any, conversions. ## What are RLSAs Remarketing Lists for Search Ads can be used to tailor search campaigns, based upon whether a user has previously visited your business's website or app. They can also be used to create ad campaigns based on what pages the particular user has visited. A search ad group can be created to only show ads if the user is on the specific Remarketing List and if the user is making a search, with the keywords that your business is bidding on. The Remarketing List can also be used to adjust bids targeted at specific ad groups. We cover this in more detail later on. RLSAs use cookies to track users and to add them to Remarketing Lists for the advertiser's use. These previous website visitors need to be actively searching Google, using the keywords in the search campaign, in order to be targeted. Whereas with standard marketing, ads are shown to users who are generally browsing on the Google Display Network. Overall, RLSAs will let your business tailor search campaigns, in order to target valuable and more qualified users, who essentially are already aware of your business's website and brand. RLSAs can be particularly attractive to small businesses, that may only have a small AdWords budget. They can be used to avoid the extensive and strategic optimisations that PPC traffic campaigns may need, to become successful. ## How to implement RLSAs strategies Next we take a look at the various RLSAs strategies that businesses can employ: - Your business can use RLSAs strategies to avoid using more generic keyword terms, like 'Nike', and instead bid on more concise terms, such as 'Nike trainers'. These concise keywords can be put in its own ad group and be used to target RLSAs members, who have visited the Nike trainers page of your website before. - This strategy will reduce the risk of wasting ad spend. If desired, the strategy can be expanded upon in separate campaigns, with more generic keyword terms, to monitor conversion success. - Your business can run brand campaigns with RLSAs, that are targeted at just those who have never visited your website before. To do this, a campaign needs to be set up in the normal way, but the audience needs to be set as a negative audience. It is also possible to run two brand campaigns, to separately monitor the success of marketing the brand to new visitors against previous visitors. - Remarketing Lists for Search Ads can be used to run campaigns for low-profit, high return-rate or poor converting products. Here spend can be kept to a minimum by only targeting qualified customers, who may have bought from your business's website before. - It is possible to create bespoke ad text and landing pages, to target existing website visitors or those who have purchased from the website before. For example, a campaign could be created to promote a discount for previous clients. When doing this, your business should exclude this audience from existing campaigns, so as to not overlap. Campaigns can be trialed on a small group and the rolled out, if successful. - Your business can use RLSAs to exclude converted users from future ad campaigns. Some businesses, like a marketing company or a company that sells one piece of software, would not want to keep spending on ads that are visible to clients they have already converted. This can be done by excluding visitors who have seen the final conversation thank-you page. If there is a small chance that this client may purchase another product or service, then RLSAs can be used to reduce the ad bidding for these clients. - Your business can use RLSAs to increase ad bidding, on successive special occasion dates, for those who bought, for example, special occasion flowers.. Here the 'Visitors of a Page During Specific Dates' can be used to set campaigns that have a maximum duration of 180 days. ## Do you need help with RLSAs? If you need help with Remarketing Lists for Search Ads, then Odyssey New Media can set up, run and analyse campaigns for your business. Contact Odyssey New Media for help at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## How to Monitor Clicks & Impressions with Property Sets in Google's Search Console URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/09/how-to-monitor-clicks-impressions-with-property-sets-in-googles-search-console/ **Date:** 2016-09-07 **Category:** Google Webmaster Tools | **Tags:** google, google webmaster tools, property sets Analysing the performance of individual websites is straightforward enough, but for most business owners, the picture becomes less clear when multiple websites are in use. The solution to grasping an overview of the overwhelming amount of analytic data that can be created, by running multiple websites, has been provided by Google and its Property Sets concept. Property Sets allow allow a business to track the combined search visibility of desktop websites, mobile websites and mobile apps. Property Sets have been added to Google's Search Console and here bundled websites and apps, for monitoring purposes, can be viewed as a single group. Businesses who set up Property Sets can see the aggregated impressions in search and overall clicks. ## How to Create a Property Set In order to create a property set, businesses need to visit the Google Search Console. From here website owners can begin by either choosing 'Add a property', or if properties are already listed, by choosing 'Create a set'. In order to add interested properties when creating a Property Set , businesses need to give the set a name and then, under 'Members in set', use the drop down box to select the desktop websites, mobile websites or mobile apps, that they wish to be included in that particular Property Set. ## How to Monitor Clicks and Impressions When the Google Search Console page is revisited, the new Property Set will be listed. The business owner needs only to click on the Property Set to view its Search Analytics. After the initial creation of a Property Set, the collected data becomes visible after a few days. After the initial first few days, the Search Analytics will give new insights, to profit upon. Property Sets will be of particular interest to business who are looking to gain insights into their international websites, their different departments or brands, or a mix of HTTP and HTTPS sites. ## Essential Information Businesses need to know about Google Property Sets Property Sets can be used to group up to 200 properties and these can be mixed and matched to create a number of Property Sets, using any mix of verified properties. Property Sets themselves however, cannot be added as a property to other Property Sets. The business user must be at least a verified restricted user or above, on all Property Set members, in order to view the Search Analytics. Created sets can have only one owner and no users, so each individual user will need to set up their own Property Sets. If a member of the Property Set becomes unverified, then the entire property set becomes inaccessible. Data is still collected on the Property Set even if the owner becomes unverified, but if a Property Set is deleted, then the data is permanently deleted as well. ## Need Help Setting Up, Monitoring or Interpreting the Data Produced by Property Sets? If you need help with Property Sets then Odyssey New Media can provide a whole range of Property Set Management Services. Contact Odyssey New Media for help at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## September 2016 - Christmas Prep Digital Marketing Tips & Insights URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/09/september-2016-christmas-prep-digital-marketing-tips-insights/ **Date:** 2016-09-07 **Category:** Digital Tips & Insights | **Tags:** advice, christmas, digital tips, insights, september, tips ## September - Get in First this Christmas People love looking forward to Christmas, in fact, 40% of shoppers start their Christmas research as early as the end of October. The Christmas holidays can bring out the adventurous side of people too, with 64% of people open to the idea of purchasing from a new retailer during the festive season. ## Move Ahead with Remarketing - 90% of consumers switch between screens to complete tasks. - Users who switch screens are twice as likely to be influenced by targeted ads. ## What to do: - **Collect Data - **Use analytics to get a real-time view of your visitors in order to get an idea of who your most valuable customers are. - **Optimise your Targeting -** Try tailoring your content to the people who have converted on your site or those who have completed goals, such as adding items to their cart or contacting you regarding product details. - **Expand your Audience -** Try bidding on Google ads to appear at the top of the page, during the Christmas shopping period these advertisements are more likely to convert for your business. ## Looking for Business Opportunities - This year's most popular Christmas gifts are set to be clothes, toys, and entertainment products, followed closely by watches, jewellery, and electronic gifts. - Wearable technology is a new craze that grew in search density by 100% in 2015. - Romantic gifts are a popular choice, in 2014 mobile searches for "Christmas gift for boyfriend" increased a month earlier than "Christmas gift for girlfriend". **Sources:** - Google Trends, 2014-2015. - Google Consumer Surveys, 2013-2014. - CACI Research. - IMRG Capgemini m-Retail Sales Index. - Ipsos mediaCT, Google post-holiday shopping intentions study, 2015. - Google Data, March 2015. - Network for Good, Chronicle of Philanthropy, 2013. --- ## How Businesses Can Benefit from the Rise of Video Ads on Social Media URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/09/how-businesses-can-benefit-from-the-rise-of-video-ads-on-social-media/ **Date:** 2016-09-05 **Category:** Video, Video Advertising | **Tags:** social ads, social advertising, video, video ads, video advertising Businesses can benefit from the rise of video ads on social networks and this should form part of any social marketing strategy that is put in place during 2016. Ignoring video ads on social now, may well see your business fall behind your competitors, who are taking advantage of one of the biggest shifts in advertising, since the introduction of TV ads and internet advertising. ## Why businesses need to use video ads on social 2016 is seeing advertising spend move away from TV and into internet video. Major marketing companies are moving the spend of their clients to internet video and your business needs to follow this trend. Facebook introduced auto-play video advertising in 2014 and since then, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram have followed along the same path. According to a variety of statistical sources, nearly two-thirds of businesses will use video marketers in the next 6 months and of the businesses that are already using video marketing, more than 70% have used Google's YouTube platform and almost half have used video ads on Facebook. Video ads on social offer businesses huge advantages, as they are able to reach an unlimited number of people, who can view conferences, product releases and online Q&A sessions. The statistics of video ads on social make interesting reading: - Almost 70% of all social media advertising revenue in 2016 is expected to be spent with Facebook - Facebook's news feed is expected to be all video in 5 years time - Facebook announced that In November 2015 that 8 billion video views took place each day - Snapchat announced that in April 2016 that 10 billion video views took place each day - Of young adults, 85% watch YouTube videos, followed by 53% on Facebook, 37% on Instagram, 33% on Snapchat and 19% on Twitter ## How to benefit from video ads on social Video ads on social can benefit businesses in a number of ways. [Facebook's Live Video](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/improving-the-reach-of-facebook-live-broadcasts/) can be used to build a community of subscribers and sell products. Businesses can connect with younger viewers and build loyalty through Snapchat. Businesses should carefully consider video based thumbnails and titles, in order to win the click. They can also consider building relationships with video influencers and find out their worth, on sites such as SocialBlueBook.com. All businesses should get familiar with Video Analytics and understand that video views are logged instantly on Snapchat, while on Facebook, video views are only logged if the video is played for more than 3 seconds. Businesses can also use Remarketing Audiences in AdWords to target previous website visitors, mobile app users and previous YouTube viewers. UK businesses should also get ready to take advantage of YouTube's Google Preferred Breakout Videos ad package, which recently launched in the US, giving brands access to the hottest fast-rising videos on YouTube. ## Pinterest Promoted Video for Brands In August 2016, Pinterest launched Promoted Video for brands, which is only available on mobile devices. Over the last year, Pinterest has seen a 60% increase in videos and video ads can last for up to 5 minutes. Pinterest has a keen focus on ecommerce and has 100 million visitors each month. Of these users, 55% use Pinterest to shop for products, while only 12% of people who view other social media platforms, use them as a source for ecommerce. Unlike Facebook's auto-play videos, Pinterest videos are shown as an animated teaser. Promoted Video has been tied to Featured Pins that show under the video, so that viewers can experience a business's brand, and then click to do more with the business's products and services. This gives businesses better insights, with statistics showing the impression numbers for the teaser, teaser Pin clicks and full video views, as well as showing how many clicks the Featured Pin, under the video, has received. ## Do you need help with Video Ads on Social? If you need help with Video Ads on Social or Pinterest Video for your business, then Odyssey New Media can provide a whole range of [Social Media advertising services](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/social-media-advertising/). Contact Odyssey New Media for help at [**info@odysseynewmedia.com**](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## How Facebook's News Feed Algorithm Update will affect your Business URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/08/how-facebooks-news-feed-algorithm-update-will-affect-your-business/ **Date:** 2016-08-26 **Category:** Facebook, Social Media | **Tags:** business, facebook, facebook algorithm, social media, updates For many businesses, content creators and publishers, Facebook's News Feed is a powerful tool and this isn't surprising when we consider that Facebook has 1.13 billion monthly active users. The new news feed algorithm boosts informative content, making it essential to follow Facebook's best practices. We take a look at how the news feed algorithm will affect your business. ## Why and what Facebook users view in the news feed The first step in boosting the position of your content in the news feed, involves understanding why and what Facebook users view in the feed. Through research, Facebook has determined that users log on to Facebook to find out what is happening in the world around them. The content Facebook users are most interested in could be news about national events, local news and news & views on products and services that interest them. The new prediction-based algorithm intends to put personally-focused content into the user's news feed. The algorithm will rank content so that relevant content will show up higher in the user's news feed. When Facebook users were asked about what content they rate highly and why, the common theme is that the content makes them feel informed about the world around them. ## How Facebook's news feed algorithm works Facebook has used its Feed Quality Program to issue global crowd-sourced surveys to the tens of thousands of people who participate in it, each day. Participants were asked to rank content on a scale of one to five and the results have shown that people rate content highly if it relates to their interests and if the publisher engages with people in discussions. This update adds a new predictive ranking signal to the algorithm and this is then combined with how relevant the content would be to each user, based upon the relationship between the publisher and person and what the person typically clicks on, comments on and shares. The new algorithm will ultimately lead to businesses seeing an increase or decrease in referral traffic. It is now essential for businesses to create more engaging content that is both informative and topic focused. ## Click bait This update follows another recent Facebook update that was aimed at reducing the amount of click bait that appears in the user's news feed. These are headlines that are intentionally misleading and force the person to click through to the content to discover its topic. Examples includes "You will never guess who fell on the red carpet" or over exaggerated headlines such as "Oranges are actually bad for you". The new system weeds out misleading headlines by comparing the title against common phrases within the content. Essentially, the system works like an email's spam filter and this makes it essential for businesses to avoid creating click bait, to ensure that the business's visibility doesn't decrease. This update is an extension to a 2014 update that reduced the amount of click bait appearing in the news feed by monitoring how long people viewed content, before clicking back to Facebook. ## Need Help Setting Up, Updating or Managing your Social Media? If you need help with your Facebook Pages or any other Social profiles then Odyssey New Media can provide a whole range of Social Media services including [Social Media Setup](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/social-media-setup/) and [Social Media Management](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/social-media-management/). Contact Odyssey New Media for help at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 ****500 6911**. --- ## Accelerated Mobile Pages to appear in Google SERPs URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/08/accelerated-mobile-pages-to-appear-in-google-serps/ **Date:** 2016-08-24 **Category:** Accelerated Mobile Pages, Mobile Search | **Tags:** accelerated mobile pages, amp, amp pages, mobile search In response to slow loading webpages that cause mobile phone users to abandon viewing them before they load in, Google is about to show Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMPs) on its Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). These AMPs will crucially be shown on the first page of Google search results and they will replace the listing of both desktop and mobile friendly pages, when an AMP exists. Previously, Google has displayed AMPs in the 'Top stories' section in Google Search Results viewed on a mobile phone. But now, non-news website owners will have the opportunity to show their AMPs in Google's search results. ## What are Accelerated Mobile Pages AMPs are light versions of a webpages and they load almost instantaneously. Elements that usually cause slow page loading are stripped away, including slow loading ads, cookies and third party JavaScript. In general, AMPs have had a positive reception from both users and site owners, due to the faster and more streamlined experience they offer on mobile devices. ### Google Video - Intro to AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) ## How Automated Mobile Pages are ranked Google has stated that there will be no additional ranking boost given to AMPs, other than the ranking boosts that mobile friendly pages already receive. If an AMP webpage exists, this will now appear in Google search results instead of the mobile friendly or desktop webpages. Websites that do not have AMPs will not see a ranking change, while websites that do have AMPs will see this page ranked based upon the desktop version of the page. This does however mean that a desktop site with issues such as slow loading pages, will directly affect the ranking of the AMPs. AMPs are highlighted on the results page with an AMP tag and a lightening bolt icon. For the moment, businesses should not drop their mobile friendly and desktop sites, as these are used for ranking and can contain important resources that an AMP cannot. ## How AMPs will affect your business Certain types of searchers will undoubtedly gravitate towards AMPs. This could be for their loading speed when a slow connection exists, when data usage is limited or simply for a better experience of a site that is ad heavy. For businesses that generate revenue through ads, AMPs already support ad networks, such as AdSense, OpenX and DoubleClick. AMPs can also be shared socially by adding the tag, which generates share buttons for Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest. AMPs are already visible in Google Analytics. Sites using WordPress or Joomla can use a plug-in to convert pages into the AMP format. AMPs can be created one page at a time and to give businesses the chance to do this, Google will not begin to show AMPs in SERPs until later this year, although a specific date is yet to be announced. Today it is possible to view AMPs in search results by visiting g.co/ampdemo on a mobile phone. There are now 650,000 domains creating AMPs and 4 million AMPs are indexed by Google every week. ## Need Help Setting Up, Updating or Managing AMPs? If you need help with your AMPs then Odyssey New Media can provide a whole range of AMP services. Contact Odyssey New Media for help at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## 5 Google Ranking Factors you shouldn't overlook in 2016 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/08/5-google-ranking-factors-you-shouldnt-overlook-in-2016/ **Date:** 2016-08-19 **Category:** SEO, SEO Ranking Factors | **Tags:** google, seo, seo ranking factors, seo tips & advice With 3.5 billion Google searches made everyday, it is more important than ever to understand the Google Ranking Factors that affect the position of your website, in search results. The Google Algorithm has 200 major ranking factors and here we take a look at 5 Google ranking factors that you shouldn't overlook in 2016. ## 1. Links Links going into your site still impact ranking significantly and when quality and page relevance issues don't exist, it is probably the most important factor of all. Domain diversity is key with the number of domains linking to your website correlating directly to its ranking. ## 2. Content Content that is topically relevant will of course rank better but it is long form content that can lift a website up through the search results. Each webpage should concentrate on the topic in depth and cover just a single topic. Longer content ranks higher with webpages on the first page of search results typically containing almost 2,000 words on average. ## 3. RankBrain RankBrain is a machine learning artificial intelligence system, which Google confirmed that it had been using in October 2015. RankBrain interprets search queries to find more relevant results, even if the search phrase doesn't match the words on a webpage. RankBrain does this because it understands complex 'long-tail' search queries and how they relate and are similar to other unconnected complex search phrases. This adds weight to the power of long form content, where pages without a keyword can still rank higher than other pages, if the topic is discussed in detail. ## 4. Mobile Friendliness Since May 2016, mobile friendliness has played a more important role on mobile search results. Webpages that are relevant and mobile friendly rank highly and with more Google searches being made though mobile devices (50 billion per month) than a desktop, its importance cannot be overlooked. The page speed of mobile pages will be ranked separately in the latter half of 2016 and this hints that mobile friendly sites will rank higher than those that are not. ## 5. Local Search Local search is directly affected by the popularity of your business. The most powerful indicators of popularity includes Google Reviews and Profile Views. ## Other important Google ranking factors There are many other Google ranking factors to consider and the most important of these includes having a HTTPS URL, as discussed in our post 'How SSL Certificates and Dedicated IP Addresses Affect SEO'. In addition to this, content with at least one image will rank better than content without an image, although having more than one image does not further improve rankings. Exact match anchor text still has a strong influence on Google rankings and although Click Through Rates (CTR) do not affect ranking, as it is too easy to falsely replicate, it indirectly affects ranking as a low bounce rate will improve rankings. ## Improving your Google rankings and SEO content writing Do you need in depth SEO analysis, management and content writing for your website? If so, please contact Odyssey New Media for help at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## The Future Of Facebook URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/08/the-future-of-facebook/ **Date:** 2016-08-17 **Category:** Facebook, Social Media | **Tags:** facebook, facebook search, facebook video, facebook virtual reality, predictions, search, updates, video, virtual reality Facebook is already big but for businesses Facebook is set to be bigger and may possibly compete with Google, in the near future. Facebook has a clear goal to connect with everyone and at all times, which will make it the number one personal and business platform of the future. Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that Facebook's 3 year goal will be to continue to build its community and provide new ways for people to share what matters. However, its 5 year goal is to build its newer products into fully fledged ecosystems, with businesses and developers. In short, Facebook is determined to compete through its social platform, search engine, messaging & video calling apps and virtual reality. ## Facebook Search Facebook is aggressively moving into search in a bid to challenge Twitter and Google. In 2014 Facebook launched 'true keyword search' and this enabled people to search everyone's personal and professional public posts. Facebook's first goal will be to become more like Twitter in the aspect of being the first choice for people and businesses to post about their feelings, thought and news. Already, 2 billion searches per day are made on Facebook from people looking up other people, business and things of interest. This compares to 3.5 billion searches made per day on Google. The big difference here is that Google searches are monitised and to capitalise on this, Facebook may soon add web indexing to its search engine. Facebook may also separate its search app from Facebook.com to allow its search platform to directly compete with Google. ## Facebook Video Facebook has evolved from mostly text to photo and will soon change again as video first becomes the preference of its users. Video is set to be at the heart of all Facebook services and apps and people and businesses are already starting to share what's happening in more creative and engaging ways, with Live video. The Facebook news feed could well be all video in 5 years time as Facebook Live is used to stream views, news and conferences live. ## Virtual Reality The future role of VR is still to be imagined but with Facebook's GBP 1.5 billion purchase of Oculus, it is clear that this is the future of sharing and connecting and we can expect to see advertising deeply ingrained within VR. Already, over 1 million people are using Oculus on mobile phones each month, through the Gear VR partnership with Samsung. More than 300 apps in the Oculus store and Facebook is already seeing an increased demand from retail. ## Facebook Today Today, 1.7 billion people use Facebook each month and this includes 1.1 billion people who use it everyday. The business opportunities are huge and the recognition of this has been demonstrated through 60 million business pages that are active each month. Facebook has become more of a mobile app, than desktop experience, with 84% of ad revenue being generated through mobile. This has seen a growing number of digital marketers using ad products, making the advertising of businesses more effective and relevant. ## Need Help Setting Up, Updating or Managing your Social Media? If you need help with your Facebook Pages or any other Social profiles then Odyssey New Media can provide a whole range of Social Media services including Social Media Setup and Social Media Management. Contact Odyssey New Media for help at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## Facebook Launches New Facebook Pages Layouts for 2016 URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/08/facebook-launches-new-facebook-pages-layouts-for-2016/ **Date:** 2016-08-04 **Category:** Facebook, Social Media | **Tags:** facebook, facebook layout, facebook profile, social media, social media layout, social profile It had to happen sometime! Facebook have begun rolling out a new layout for Facebook Pages in 2016. We first noticed the changes last week on a client's page layout; now our [Odyssey New Media Facebook Page](https://www.facebook.com/odysseynewmedia) has been updated. In this post, we review the changes to our page and summarise the most important areas which have changed. Business owners need to review these changes to make sure their page images and content look good and they are emphasising relevant tabs and messaging correctly. **Here is a screenshot of our Facebook page with the new Facebook layout (numbers are for referencing below):** ## 1) A Much Clearer Page Cover Photo Previously the logo was overlayed on top of the cover photo. The new layout means that the Logo has been moved alongside the cover photo on the left-hand side which means the entire cover photo is now visible. This is prime real-estate for getting a strong message across to visitors now, so many brands should think about updating their cover photo to take advantage of the change. ## 2) Logo Image Has Been Moved to the LHS As mentioned before, the logo used to be overlayed in the bottom left-hand side area on top of the cover photo. Now the Logo is standalone on the left-hand side column area. The logo size has also been increased slightly, meaning anyone who uploaded a smaller image may see some loss of clarity. Our logo wasn't affected by the change and still looks sharp and crisp on most monitors. ## 3) Clearer Page Tabs - Ordered like a Menu on the LHS The page tabs which were underneath the cover photo previously now appear on the left-hand side menu underneath the logo. Every single tab appears to be listed; these can be removed if they are old and redundant. We really like this and we feel it will emphasis tabs like services and reviews more. Facebook are definitely setting up pages more like 'mini-websites' with this left-hand side menu. ## 4) Like, Message and Share Buttons appear underneath the Cover Photo Previously the 'like', 'message' and 'share' buttons were overlayed on the cover photo and center-right aligned. Now they are still underneath the cover photo but are aligned to the left. In future, this could allow for 1-2 more menu items alongside if Facebook think of something else to put there - e.g. 'checkout' might be an option if they enable retailers to take sales transactions through ecommerce style Facebook pages. Watch this space! ## 5) The Call-To-Action Button is Bigger and moved to the RHS The call to action button was previously overlayed on top of the cover photo and wasn't very prominent. Now Facebook has made this much bigger and aligned to the right-hand side with a clear blue colour. We expect this to generate a lot more clickthrough-rate (CTR) and conversions as a result given its prominence on the page. Facebook have also included more variety of call-to-action buttons to choose from. These include: 'Book Now', 'Call Now', 'Contact Us', 'Send Message', 'Use App', 'Play Game', 'Shop Now', 'Sign Up', 'Watch Video', 'Send Email', 'Learn More' and 'Request Appointment'. ## 6) Your Facebook Page Business Category is Emphasised The Facebook business category is now right-hand side aligned and placed below the call-to-action button. We feel this greatly emphasises the business category compared to the previous layout. ## 7) Search Bar - Search for Posts with Certain Keywords The search bar that has been added to the right-hand side enables people to search for keywords and keyphrases in your post content. This is a great feature, especially for visitors who are looking for specific content related to a product or service they require. We expect this to help raise impressions on older posts and even result in more shares of content from older posts. ## 8) About is now Placed on the RHS Previously the About section was less prominent and could get lost amongst the other tabs. With this new layout the About section is clearly available and easy to access. All content is also segmented using a tab layout once the user clicks through on 'About. ## 9) Top 3 Apps are Listed on the RHS With the new Facebook Pages layout all of the apps and tabs are listed on the left-hand side menu as text menu items. Full visual versions of tabs/apps like 'images', 'likes', 'reviews' can be displayed on the right but only for your top 3 that you define as wanting to highlight. ## That's All Folks! ... We hope this gives you a brief overview of the current updates. Just to emphasise, every business or Facebook Pages owner should review their page ASAP to ensure that images, layout, info and apps are displaying correctly and make any adjustments they need to. ## Need Help Setting Up, Updating or Managing your Social Media? If you need help with your Facebook Pages or any other Social profiles then Odyssey New Media can provide a whole range of Social Media services including [Social Media Setup](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/social-media-setup/) and [Social Media Management](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/social-media/social-media-management/). Contact Odyssey New Media for help at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## How SSL Certificates and Dedicated IP Addresses Affect SEO URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/07/how-ssl-certificates-and-dedicated-ip-addresses-affect-seo/ **Date:** 2016-07-29 **Category:** SEO, Technical SEO | **Tags:** advanced seo, dedicated hosting, hosting, seo, ssl, ssl certificates, technical seo Two elements that can affect the SEO of online businesses are SSL Certificates and Dedicated IP addresses. Here we take a look at how these interwoven elements could help your business appear higher on Search Engine Ranking Pages. ## SSL Certificates An SSL Certificate is required by businesses for ecommerce and for collecting customer's personal information online. The SSL Certificate works as a security token and this is used to protect customer information that is private and moved across the web. Essentially, an SSL Certificate provides security for customers and that builds trust. Websites that have SSL certification are identified with a green lock or green-coloured bar in the address bar of the user's web browser. Website visitors and consumers are today understanding that a green lock or green bar indicates that the business 's website they are using is safe, their credit or debit card details will be safe, sensitive information will be encrypted and the website can be trusted as genuine. Since 2014, Google has used SSL Certificates and HTPPS in its ranking algorithm. Putting these elements into place will help protect emails and domain names from phishing scams and they ensure that it is hard, if not impossible, to clone their website. In order for a website to have an SSL Certificate, it needs to have a dedicated IP address or static IP address, which in turn leads to other improvements in SEO. ## Dedicated IP Addresses Business websites use a hosting company to put them online and often no attention is given to the type of IP address that will be used. The IP address could be either a dedicated IP address or a shared IP address. Shared IP addresses can be used to host multiple websites, all of which share the same IP address. The hosting server determines which website to display, based upon the URL entered. When a dedicated IP address has been issued, the website has its own exclusive IP address and the website can be located using both its URL and IP address. However, it is not the dedicated IP address itself that improves search engine rankings. It is the fact that having a dedicated IP addresses means that the website's loading speed is improved, as the IP address isn't being used to host numerous websites, potentially being viewed by thousands of visitors. A website's loading speed is a factor that is assessed by the search engine algorithms of Google and Bing. A dedicated IP address will also reduce the website's downtime and number of server crashes. It is clear that SSL Certificates and dedicated IP addresses play a part in SEO, while offering enhanced performance and security for website visitors and consumers. ## Odyssey New Media can help you with your SSL, Servers and SEO Efforts Odyssey New Media (onm.csdev.co.uk/) can help you setup hosting, install your SSL and improve your SEO efforts through expert SEO management. Contact Odyssey New Media for help at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## Google Announces Changes to Product Listing Ads - Showcase Ads & Trueview URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/07/google-announces-changes-to-product-listing-ads-showcase-ads-trueview/ **Date:** 2016-07-27 **Category:** PPC, Product Listing Ads | **Tags:** ppc, product listing ads, showcase, showcase shopping ads, trueview Google has announced large changes to Product Listing Ads (PLAs) and these are being rolled out to benefit businesses using shopping campaigns, during July. Showcase Shopping Ads allow visitors to browse collections of products from online and local retailers. In addition to these changes, TrueView will offer more advertising opportunities and an automatic currency conversion tool has been added, to show the prices of products in their original currency and in the currency of the visitor's location. **Showcase Shopping Ads** Showcase Shopping ads - premium beta | Source: https://adwords.googleblog.com Showcase Shopping Ads will use a new ad format for broad search terms that are not brand specific. According to Google, these broad search terms account for forty percent of all product queries made, using its search engine. Prior to the update, search results showed individual products, but they will now show Showcase Shopping Ads. These ads appear in a scroll-able/swipe-able carousel, with main images and secondary images, related to the broad search term. The space within the ad has been reserved for showing the advertiser's location or a promotional message. Upon an ad being clicked, the user will see a page hosted by Google, which is populated with products from the retailer's ad. A big advantage and cost saving for online businesses is that charging only happens when a user clicks on a product shown of the Google-hosted web page. This then results in the consumer being forwarded to the retailer's web page. This means that a charge isn't generated when the visitor clicks on the Showcase Shopping Ad shown in the SERPs results. **TrueView** TrustView will give online retailers better opportunities for showing off and using their branding. The clearer branding that is being rolled out includes a banner and carousel of products, which can be viewed while video content is being run. A product picker is also being added at the back end to give advertisers the opportunity to prioritise individual products. ## Odyssey New Media can help you with your Google Shopping Ads For help with Showcase Shopping Ads, TrueView or anything else relating to your Social Media efforts, then you can contact Odyssey New Media for help at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## Top 7 Tips for Writing Good SEO Content URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/07/top-7-tips-to-writing-good-seo-content/ **Date:** 2016-07-25 **Category:** SEO, SEO Content Writing | **Tags:** content marketing, content writing, seo, seo content writing The key to a successful website is content. It can't just be any old content though. It has to be good quality content. This is the type of content that gets found in the search engines, shared, and keeps visitors on your website. Poor quality content does not do that. In fact, poor quality content may do a lot of harm to your business. Thankfully, producing content which is loved by the masses is not actually all that difficult. If you bear the following tips in mind, you will be well on your way towards giving your site a bit of a content spruce-up. ## Tip One: Think About What You Want to Write Before you start typing, you need to have a plan. You need to know exactly what you wish to put in the content. How detailed this plan is will be up to you. I suggest that you think about the following at the absolute minimum. - **The Title** - This is actually the most important element of the content that you produce. The title is the element which compels people to read more. Make it eye catching but descriptive. Tell the reader exactly what they should expect if they read your content. Take the title of this article. It tells you exact content that you will read. You will discover seven tips for producing better content. You are reading this because you expect those tips. - **What is the goal of the article? **- The title that you come up with well tell you a little about the overall goal of the article. You wish to go beyond this though. Are you looking to produce an informative post (like this one!), are you looking to promote a product or service that you sell? Are you looking to share a little bit of news? How is this piece of content going to impact your business? For example, an informative post tends to be designed to pull people into the website via the search engines or social media, same with news-related posts. Discussions of particular products or services are designed to make a sale. - **Who is your target audience?** - Who are you writing for? This will dictate your writing style. The way in which you will write for a lawyer will be completely different than, say, if you were expecting a teenager to read your content. - **What do you wish to cover in the article?** - Make a list. It doesn't have to be detailed. You just need to know what you will be writing about. Think of this as similar to the essay plans you used to produce at school. ## Tip Two: Keep It Short Long content is not great for websites. People hate to read huge passages of text on a screen. You can get away with it in some cases. It is, however, suggested that you try to keep posts to a maximum of 1,500 words. Any more than that is too long. Most pieces of content should focus on one very specific point. If your article is getting too long, you may wish to break it up into a series of articles. This is a great way to keep people coming back for more and more. ## Tip Three: Write For Your Audience, Not the Search Engines A common misconception is that you should be writing for the search engines. Don't do that. It isn't quality content. When you write for the search engines, the reader of the content will know. The content will be almost 'robotic' in nature. Content produced expressly for the search engines is never going to keep visitors on your website for long. This does not mean that you can forget about those keywords, however. A good tip is to write the content in a natural manner. While you are doing so, forget about the keywords. Once you have completed the content and given it a bit of a clean-up, you can then start to incorporate the keywords wherever they will slot naturally. Don't go overboard. Continue to read your content to make sure that everything sounds as natural as possible. Will this have an impact on your search engine positions? Nope! Well, it will. It will have a positive impact. Search engines are smarter than ever before. In fact, they are getting smarter each and every day. They know how to recognise good content and ignore content which has been produced primarily for the search engines. Good quality content will always be ranked higher in the search engines. ## Tip Four: Check the Content! Whenever you complete a piece of content, you should give it a proofread instantly. If you spot any glaring errors, then fix them. It is then suggested that you leave the piece of content to sit for a day or two. You can then go back to it with a fresh pair of eyes. At this point, you may start to notice that large pieces of content need to be changed. It is not uncommon for me to go back after a couple of days and completely rewrite everything. I think of new, slightly better, ways of saying something. You have to know when to call it quits, though. You can't forever be editing a piece of content. If it is error free and reads well, it is probably ready to be published. Finally, run the content through a 'checker' such as Grammarly (it is completely free!). It will check for any spelling or grammatical errors. It is not perfect, but it gets the job done. ## Tip Five: Use Subheadings Good quality content is easy to navigate. Make sure you use subheadings. This will enable the reader to quickly browse to the section which they are most interested in. Even if your content is not 'browsable' like this, you should still break it up. Paragraph after paragraph is not pleasant to read. ## Tip Six: Use Reliable Sources When you are producing your content, try to quote relevant sources. I know it can seem a little bit strange to 'link' to other websites from your site, but it works. Firstly, linking to authority websites will tell the reader that you researched the content. This tells them that the content is reliable. In addition to this, the search engines love when content links to reputable sources e.g. Wikipedia and similar sites. You may actually notice a boost in the search engine results because of this. This means more people landing on your site, hopefully buying whatever you have to offer. ## Tip Seven: Be Original Make sure that your content is original. You should never just 'rewrite' articles that you find online, tempting as it may be when you are looking to save time. Instead, give the content your own unique spin. You do not even wish for it to follow the same structure as any other article found online. Perhaps the best way to get around this is to utilise a variety of different sources during the research stages. It is suggested that you try to cover ground that no other article has before. If you are an expert in your niche, this should be relatively simple. Good quality, unique content stands out from the crowd. If you are known for doing things a little bit different from the norm, people will come and visit your website. You may even notice a little boost in the search engine results. Finally, in a bid to stay original you should always run your article through a service like CopyScape (not free, but affordable). This will allow you to see if any elements of your content are the same as others pieces of content found online. If they are, make sure you change them! 'Stolen' content is the shortcut to getting your website shooting down the search engine results page. These are just a few tips to get you started in content writing. It is a lot to digest. I know. However, you will get the hang of it. The more you write, the easier it will become. As you start to become better with producing content, try to incorporate new elements into your writing. Throw in an image or video every now and then. It will make your content far more appealing to look at. If you continue to produce high quality content, you will notice a huge boost in the number of people coming to your site. This means more money in your pocket. That is always great, right? ## Contact Odyssey New Media for help with writing SEO Content for your website Odyssey New Media provide SEO content writing services. If your business needs help with improving your SEO onsite content as well as your SEO inbound strategy then you can contact Odyssey New Media for help at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## Improving the Reach of Facebook Live Broadcasts URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/07/improving-the-reach-of-facebook-live-broadcasts/ **Date:** 2016-07-20 **Category:** Facebook, Social Media | **Tags:** facebook, facebook live, social media Engagement through social media with your business's followers and potential customers is incredibly important. The latest social trend is to broadcast Facebook Live videos and this element of social marketing should not be overlooked. ## Why are Facebook Live Broadcasts Important Facebook Live broadcasts are important because live videos rank higher than videos in the news feed. In addition to this, Facebook has reported that people spend triple the amount of time watching Facebook Live videos. This is due to the nature of the content, which is in the moment, and it offers the opportunity for your business to project a stronger and more personal message. In short, Facebook Live broadcasts are the next best thing to being there. ## Improving the Reach of Facebook Live Videos Prepare beforehand by deciding what you are broadcasting. Is it a 'how to', 'product review' or 'Q&A session'. Decide on the goal of the broadcast. Is it purely for publicity, to find new customers, get Facebook likes or to find new email subscribers. You should decide on a landing page for redirects and make an announcement of your intention to broadcast live in advance, to ensure that an audience is attracted before you start to broadcast. Short videos of one to ten minutes works best and in longer broadcasts you should reintroduce yourself and your business, for those that join the event part way through. To increase the popularity of a live broadcast, you should acknowledge those that comment while live, answer questions, ask for feedback, ask viewers to share the video and ask viewers to subscribe, so that they are notified of future videos. Post broadcast, it is possible to go to the edit screen, by clicking the grey arrow in the top right of the post. At this point you can ensure that the video has a short meaningful title, add more information to the description and insert a call to action URL. Ensure that the URL is placed above the fold, which is typically within the first few lines of the description. It is also advantageous to use a measurable link, such as a Bitly link. The edit screen will also allow you to add video tags, to ensure that the video is easier for viewers to find. It is worth considering overlapping topics of interest, adding a location and including trending hash tags. ## Facebook Live Insights Sixty percent of Facebook Live video views happen after the live video broadcast and you can use the engagement graph to monitor the reach and engagement. This will essentially indicate what type of videos are working. To see the Summary Data, go to your business's Facebook page and then click on Insights, followed by Videos. The videos can be filtered by Auto-Played vs Clicked-To-Play, Organic vs Paid or Unique vs Repeat. Video stats also show Live Viewers, Unique Viewers, Minutes Viewed, Video Views, Average % Completed and 10-Second (or more) Views. Insights will show you which days work best, which topics work best as well as showing reactions, comments and shares. It is worth noting that there is usually a low percentage of viewers that watch the complete broadcast. So take note of any videos that rate 25 percent or higher. ## Contact Odyssey New Media for help with your Social Media If your business needs help with improving the reach of Facebook Live broadcasts, or anything else relating to your Social Media efforts then you can contact Odyssey New Media for help at [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or call us on **0844 500 6911**. --- ## Twitter Engage App gives Real-time Data and Insights URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2016/07/twitter-engage-app-gives-real-time-data-and-insights/ **Date:** 2016-07-14 **Category:** Social Analytics, Social Media, X | **Tags:** analytics, social analytics, social media, twitter The Twitter Engage app is a new companion app for Twitter and it has been designed to provide real-time data, performance analytics and insights into the content that you or your business releases, through either the Twitter or Engage apps. The Twitter Engage app is essentially a free digital marketing tool, for socially-focused businesses who want to quickly understand, engage and grow their business's audiences. The app can be used to create content, share content and have conversations in real-time, directly from within the app. ## Engage The 'Engage tab' in Twitter's new app, lists and surfaces high-value account engagements, such as important follows and mentions from loyal followers and influencers. These are labeled as Super Fan, Influencer or Verified User: - **Super Fan** - These are Twitter users who have followed you or your business for a long time and actively engage with you on a regular basis - **Influencer** - These Twitter users have a large following and hence the potential to influence you account engagement - **Verified User** - These are the verified Twitter accounts of a business, brand or person These high-value Twitter users are essential contacts for increasing the reach and engagement of your Twitter account. To help improve and develop these relationships, the Engage tab shows easy-to-follow prompts to engage further with them. ## Understand The 'Understand tab' will allow you and your business to see key Twitter stats, metrics and audience demographics, filtered by custom time periods. More detailed post-by-post performance metrics can be seen for your shared content, which may include GIFs, images, videos views and other Twitter activity. To help you and your business to get to know your followers better, the 'Your Fans are Tweeting About' section shows what your followers are sharing and saying in real-time. This knowledge is extremely useful for those who want to create content in the moment, which is focused on your followers most talked about topics. ## The Twitter Engage App The Twitter Engage app is currently available on iOS devices that are used in the United States. The Twitter Engage app should be released in the UK soon. For now, desktop PC users can use the [Twitter Analytics dashboard](https://analytics.twitter.com/about) to get insights into the performance of their Twitter account. For those who can't wait, you may want to try using a free US VPN and see if you can then download the Twitter Engage app on the iPhone or Google Play stores. --- ## Case Study - Odyssey Complete their Largest Link Analysis & Disavow URL: https://www.odysseynewmedia.com/2015/09/case-study-odyssey-complete-their-largest-link-analysis-disavow-to-date/ **Date:** 2015-09-09 **Category:** Backlink Analysis, Link Detox | **Tags:** backlink analysis, disavow, link analysis, link detox, link disavow, seo SEO Link Detox - Analysis & Disavow ## Link Analysis & Disavow Case Study - Background & Overview The Odyssey New Media team have just completed one of their most largest and most in-depth ?backlink analysis? and ?disavow? file compilations to date. We were were approached to perform a link analysis and disavow for one of our client's websites. Our client's website had accumulated over 1700+ domains and 14,700+ ?backlinks? but had ever had their link profile analysed throughout the lifetime of the website. From analysing their top-level link profile using our software, we suspected that back in 2010-11 they suffered what seems to be a link penalty. Although never confirmed by Google via Google Webmaster Tools, we strongly suspected this was the case from doing manual spot-checks on their backlinks. We discussed this with the client and it was agreed that the entire backlink profile needed analysis and any poor/harmful links needed to be disavowed with Google. ## Link Analysis & Disavow work undertaken by Odyssey New Media Over the past month or so our dedicated team of SEO specialists have been manually analysing every site as well as individual backlinks to see if their backlinks were worth keeping. As a result we found that over 90% of their links we're poor, irrelevant or harmful to their performance. These links are now in review with the client and then the link disavow file will be submitted. If we see successful uplift from this on their SEO rankings we will report this on a follow-up post. In any case any website that accumulates links and has never had a link profile analysis is running the risk of picking up poor, irrelevant and potentially harmful links. ## Our Link Analysis & Disavow Process The [SEO link analysis, backlink removal and disavow link detox service](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/seo/link-detox/) we undertake includes: - Extraction of all the site backlinks seen by Google through Google Webmaster Tools. - Combining this with backlink data we acquire through the use of our SEO link analysis software (you can use one or more tools such as Majestic SEO or Ahrefs, the more the better). - Manual analysis of all links and categorisation (i.e. bad, poor, good etc.). - Reviewing of all the bad backlinks with the client and reaching an agreement with regards to the links to be removed (usually clients agree when they see how bad some of the links are). - Email the offending websites requesting removal of the bad/poor backlinks. - Collate a disavow file for submissions to Google through Google Webmaster Tools. - Submit the disavow file to Google so that bad/poor links are ignored. ## Contacting Odyssey New Media if your site needs Link Analysis If you've never had your backlink profile analysed, make sure you do, there could be bad links holding your website ?SEO? ?rankings? back. Feel free to [contact us](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/contact-us/) for a quick link audit to see if your website has been affected by poor, irrelevant or harmful links pointing to your website. ## About The Author **Robert Stoubos** Founder & Managing Director of [Odyssey New Media, a leading Digital Marketing Agency based in Birmingham, UK](https://onm.csdev.co.uk/). With over 10+ years experience in Digital Marketing Rob has is a results-driven marketer with the skills required to successfully implement cross-channel digital marketing campaigns that generate increased brand awareness, sales and ROI. Specialising in search marketing i.e. SEO and PPC. Other channels Rob has experience and interest in include Content Marketing, Inbound Marketing, Social Media and Website Conversion Enhancement. If you want to improve your sales, increase sales leads and grow your customer base then contact us today and see what we can do to help your company acheive your goals. Email [info@odysseynewmedia.com](mailto:info@odysseynewmedia.com) or Call us now on **0844 500 6911**. ---