The search industry has been dramatically affected by the increase in mobile usage. A recent study from April 2013 shows that consumers used their tablets and smartphones for 25% of their online searches, compared to 20% at the beginning of 2013!

Today, local business owners need to have a local search presence and recognize the fact that their website needs to be optimized for mobile devices. Google, Bing & Yahoo are continually tweaking their results to favor relevant answers that are within a specific proximity of the searcher. This means more results for local businesses, giving yet another reason to having an optimized mobile website that is user-friendly.

It’s pretty simple, when users find what they are looking for, they are more likely to become quality leads. Below are two vital reasons why a mobile website is important for SEO and branding:

1. Gives users the information they want from a mobile device in an easy organized manner. Bad experiences will hurt a business brand. The number one goal is to always create value for your user. According to a study by Google, some of the most important things you need to include on your mobile website are location, operating hours, and contact information. Google’s study states that 74% of survey respondents are more likely to visit mobile-friendly sites when searching on their smartphone.

2. Provide more keywords. We all know keywords are big for SEO. Having a mobile website gives you the chance to put your keywords to more use! However, remember to not just throw a bunch of keywords in your website. Be sure that it makes sense and provides value for your users! The value is what will help create positive branding and eventually, higher rankings.

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The goals of this latest endeavor are simple: provide the answers that searchers are looking for and eliminate irrelevant information. The connective properties of the graph mean that the user will be shown relative information that does not necessarily contain the original search keywords. In this manner Google will transition from an “information engine” to a “knowledge engine”

Connecting the Dots:

Suppose I want to find out who constructed the St. Louis Gateway Arch. My search term, {St. Louis arch}, generates a list of organic search results as well as a Knowledge Graph side bar. Here, I am treated to a map, summary, and brief facts about the construction, height, architect, and style.

In addition to this information about the structure itself, Google presents a list of searches that have been used by others who found the same topic. The theme, in this case, seems to be St. Louis attractions. The search engine recognizes that because I was looking for information about the arch I might be interested in the same local attractions as other users.

Summary:

The other goal is to help searchers find a summary containing the most likely information that searchers want. This will vary based on the topic. Let’s say I’m searching for Kate Middleton (I’m a sucker for royal wedding information). In the summary I’ll see a brief Wikipedia clip about why she’s important (she’s married to Prince William) as well as links to related categories including her family members, Alma matter, and media appearances. For a person, these categories remain fairly consistent with some exceptions. The summary of the Queen, for example, also includes her net worth and full name.

Finding Right Information:

Let’s say I want to know more about The Hunger Games. A search for {hunger games} brings up knowledge graph results. In addition to the related searches and summary, the search engine recognizes that {hunger games} could refer to either the literary series or the 2012 film. Enter the “results about” box. In this location the meanings of the search are broken down. In this manner searchers are directed to the specific information they seek without having to sift through a plethora of uncategorized results.

What Does It Mean?

As a St. Louis Search Engine Optimization company, we are constantly trying to stay in line with what searchers are trying to find and deliver the best, most relevant information. The integration of Knowledge Graph will, without a doubt, assist users in this endeavor.

Do you think Knowledge Graph will improve search? Let us know in the comments!

The post “Things, Not Strings”: Google Introduces Knowledge Graph appeared first on Clix.

While there isn’t a tell-all relationship guide to follow, the basic rules are the same as those for SEO.

• Take Your Time: Like any healthy relationship, good things come to those who wait. As important as it is to make your keywords and intentions known, it is far more important to take the time to create a quality introduction. Just like the guy who professes his love on the first date or the woman who immediately confesses her desire for kids and a wedding, bombarding readers with keywords straight out of the gate is a turn off, and unlike our friends who have the rest of a date to make an impression, in the world of SEO you only get one impression to secure interest.

• Quality Over Quantity: I’m sure there are couples out there who spend every waking moment together to feel secure about their relationships. This isn’t the case with SEO. It’s important to balance your use of keywords with the rest of the content. By overloading you can actually do more harm than good. A healthy relationship is built on space.

• Consistency Of Keywords: We’ve all had that friend that spends his or her time chasing anything and everything that moves. He or she is indecisive and just wants to try a little of everything. Unlike our eternally lonely friend, SEO thrives when focused on a specific, targeted set of keywords. Trying to include too many keywords at once will dilute the quality of each and, as a result, fail to produce long-term results. When copywriting for SEO, try to treat your keywords with the respect that you would any relationship and stay on target.

Now that you know the basics, let me drop the real knowledge. The most important thing you should know in your relationships and SEO is… yourself. Just like relationships, your SEO strategies are doomed to fail if you don’t know what you want. Be sure you understand your personal goals. While an SEO company may have suggestions and plans, you must remember that, at the end of the day, it’s your business and what you want matters.

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