Typically a developer will run a speed test prior to launching a website. If the site has not been designed specifically for mobile, then it is recommended that a Google developer mobile-friendly test is also ran. This test will determine if users will be able to use this site on mobile devices, and if the user see all text and images without excessive scrolling (left and right). While this is the first check, there are additional items to continue optimizing to create the best user experience.

Once the site is mobile-friendly there are additional optimizations that can take place within AdWords. On the settings tab, for each campaign, there is a mobile device bid adjustment. Since almost half of PPC traffic is typically from mobile devices, it is a best practice to have an increased bid between 5-25% for mobile devices. The percentage depends on the industry and competition. This begins differentiating the PPC campaign on mobile.

Google gives preference to mobile-friendly sites. To take full advantage of this opportunity, set up mobile versions of the ads and ad extensions. When creating an ad, there is a checkbox that must be selected for the ad to be mobile optimized.

In addition to ads, ad extensions also have the opportunity to be mobile optimized. Sitelinks, call extensions and callout extensions each have the option for a mobile checkbox. While the same extensions can be used, this is another chance to build a connection with a mobile user. The information can be different or shorter to be more applicable on mobile devices.

Beyond the website, each additional checkpoint is building a better user experience especially for the mobile audience.

The post Mobile PPC Provides Additional Opportunities appeared first on Clix.

What is the update?

The update will start factoring in mobile friendliness as a ranking signal. This major change in Google’s algorithm will affect mobile searches in all languages across the world and could have a significant impact on all mobile search queries.

This update is set to launch on April 21, but keep in mind these updates don’t happen overnight. We may not see any sort of change for days, or even weeks.

Why mobile?

More and more people are using mobile devices to search and use the internet. An estimated 90% of American adults now own a smartphone and about half of all internet searches are now performed on a mobile device of some kind.

How will this update affect me?

This upcoming update should not affect your website’s positioning in search when users browse via their desktop. However, users browsing via their mobile device will see results that are more likely to be mobile friendly.

Google sees a site as mobile friendly if it is “configured properly and viewable on modern devices.” Basically, if the website is set up so that it is well laid-out and is easily functional when displayed on a mobile device, it is mobile friendly. Google is all about maintaining a good user experience for the sites that rank well in its search engine, regardless of what device a user is on.

Is my website mobile friendly?

Find out here: http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/

If your site is mobile friendly, you have nothing to worry about.

If your site is not mobile friendly, contact us immediately.

To learn more about the new Google Mobile Algorithm Update visit this blog.

The post Google to Roll out New Mobile Algorithm Update April 21st appeared first on Clix.

Starting in mid-October, Google announced it will be rolling out a new ad format for mobile PPC ads, a variation that may display ad extensions in place of description line 2 of the ad. This format change is a move to make every character count on the smaller devices, at a time when searchers are typically on-the-go and have shorter attention spans.

What This Means For Advertisers: This change reaffirms the necessity for advertisers to create a mobile PPC strategy and requires a revisit to current mobile-preferred ad copy and ad extensions.

– Mobile-preferred ads should now feature the mobile call to action prominently in the headline or description line 1. The ad copy should also be short and to the point, ensuring that the ad will render properly within the new format and avoid cutoffs.

– Mobile-preferred ad extensions may now show more frequently. To start, ensure your campaigns are utilizing mobile-preferred ad extensions. Next, tailor them to mobile; use reduced characters and promote actions best taken on mobile devices.

Google continuously tests new ad formats to provide the most relevant experience for searchers and drive the highest CTR. This new format may appear more often for some advertisers over others. Monitor your mobile PPC ad performance to identify when this new variation rolls out to your campaigns and evaluate the impact to mobile PPC performance.

This latest update continues to create a greater need for PPC strategists to establish a separate strategy for mobile PPC and stay up-to-date on changes rolling out in the new Enhanced Campaign structure (launched by Google in 2013 and rolling out to Bing starting 2015).

The post The Continued Evolution Of Mobile PPC appeared first on Clix.

Since Instagram’s framework naturally positions recommended content in front of users, it is only a matter of time before Instagram starts serving up recommended products and advertisements. Until then, a company called Curalate has taken one giant step toward monetizing insta-likes and is attempting to turn Instagram into a giant online catalogue with their application called Like2Buy.

What is Like2Buy

The application is called Like2Buy. Basically, a link is placed in the profile of the Instagram account.

This link then takes users to an online catalogue that looks almost exactly like instagram.

Then, if a user clicks on a pic, they are transported to the actual product listing on the retail site. Also, if you have liked images that are featured items, Like2Buy will bookmark those for you in their “My Likes” section.

The Good

Like2Buy presents products to consumers in a native fashion. The app also enables consumers to bookmark or save images, so they can buy the product later.

The Bad

Like2Buy does not integrate with Instagram as seamlessly as you would think. Individual product information is not actually linked directly to each Instagram image. In fact, if I see some cool boots on a cool dude and I think I want those cool boots too, users have to “Like” the image, navigate to the company profile, click the Like2Buy link, click the “My Likes” button, click the image AGAIN, and THEN users will be on the retail listing….

I would prefer if there was a direct link to each product on each picture. Like this:

Secondly, since the referral traffic is browsing your products with the app (not your retail site) and only visiting your site when viewing the specific product listing, each site visit is counted as a Page Bounce if the visitor doesn’t traffic any other pages before returning to Instagram.

Finally, the only pictures displayed behind the Like2Buy link are the ones that have been tagged for use with the application. So, if you don’t use the extension very much, you risk sending visitors to an underwhelming catalogue. Or, even worse, showcasing sold out products will – AGAIN – send your Bounce Rate through the digital roof.

After reviewing Like2Buy, the app is great in concept, but underwhelming in application.

For more info about Social Media and Digital Marketing, check out the Clix Blog.

The post Like2Buy – Instagram App appeared first on Clix.

With the explosion of mobile usage developers had to scale back and develop a video format that could handle the limitations of mobile and WebM is making great strides to do so.  Additionally, the streamlined nature of WebM files has an added benefit for those who use Internet Explorer.  Due to the fact the files are smaller it offers IE (Internet Explorer) the ability to continue to play the same content that browsers such as Google Chrome and Mozilla FireFox can easily play as an MP4.

As always, the internet is being built faster and faster and this format will only lead to better load times, without having to sacrifice quality content.

The post What is WebM? appeared first on Clix.

This may not be as ground-breaking as when the National Broadcasting Company earned a spot in pro football history by becoming the first network to televise a pro football game on October 22, 1939 but it’s certainly a step in a new direction. Microsoft created what it calls a Sideline Viewing System that allows NFL teams to review photos of plays instantly on the sidelines and up in the booths.

According to Foxsports.com:

1. Each team is given 25 tablets, 13 for the sideline and 12 for the coaches’ box.
2. The tablets will operate on a closed network, which will protect information from being hacked.
3. Images from each play will upload in five seconds, instead of the 30 or 40 seconds that it took for a paper printout.
4. Teams will have the option of using paper instead of the tablets if they wish.
5. However, if for some reason the tablets fail to work for one team, they will be taken away from the other team in the interest of fairness.

The quality of the images is substantially better than a print-out. In USA Today, I saw where New York Jets coach Rex Ryan recalled, “Sometimes with the old paper printouts, you’d get them back and you’re like, ‘Man, what is this?'” “This should be a lot nicer and the quality a heck of a lot better,” he said.

According to the AP, the tablets will be locked in a temperature-controlled cart when not in use and operate on a secure network so no one can hack in and intercept the images. Coaches and players will be able to draw on the tablet, which means that the next generation of broadcasters should be significantly better at telestrating.

I’m not sure if there are any negative implications to having this technology available and quite frankly, I can’t think of any right now other than one of the tablets simply not working, however, you have similar circumstances with the past and still current option of black and white print outs. I do know that you won’t see any NFL teams or players using Twitter or Instagram on the sidelines as players and coaches won’t have access to Twitter or other social media on the modified tablets.

The post The NFL now using tablets on the sideline. appeared first on Clix.

CLICK HERE to download the vector icon pack for mobile devices.

The post FREE Mobile Device Icon Download appeared first on Clix.

Hummingbird Update Increases Functionality

First of all, they announced a new algorithm called “Hummingbird,” which they say is the most significant update to the algorithm to date. However, unlike past updates like Panda and Penguin, Hummingbird does not affect the ranking or valuation of web sites as much as it affects user experience and functionality.

In fact, you could argue that this is hardly news at all since the new features are logical extensions on current features and functionality, such as contextual searching and the Knowledge Graph. Just like an athlete is expected to train in the off-season and perform better season after season, we expect Google to continually find ways to improve its flagship service (but if you’ve used any of their other services like Calendar or Spreadsheets, you can see where their priorities lie).

Now then. Hummingbird. What’s new?

I could probably get away with saying “nothing,” but that wouldn’t be fair. As mentioned above, these are logical additions to Google search based on what they’ve been building, but Hummingbird was only announced on Friday. The changes made so much sense that they had actually been implemented months ago and no one really took much notice.

It seems that the main point of Hummingbird is an enhanced ability to find answers to long queries. Think about it: up until now, we’ve mostly been searching using short keywords and phrases through a keyboard or a cell phone touch pad. Now, however, most—if not all—smartphones on the market today have the capability to be talked to. The iPhone has Siri and Android has S Voice, both are products that are capable of receiving a full human question through speech and turning that into an answer. And up until now, the results have sometimes been inaccurate or they have left something to be desired.

Now Google is better able to take these long queries—like a full question—and ‘translate’ that into a real-world answer. For example, now when you ask a question like, “what’s the distance to Milwaukee from here?“, Google automatically pulls up a map showing the driving distance from your location (gathered either from your computer’s IP address or from your phone’s GPS or mobile data signal), complete with one-click driving directions.

Google also uses its Knowledge Graph and better contextual understanding of language to answer these kinds of long-form questions. Here’s something to try: tell Google “show me pictures of the Gateway Arch“. Right there at the top is the answer: pictures of the Arch! And without having to click further, you have all of the Knowledge Graph information on the right as well. (But we’ve seen hints of this before.)

The cool part is that Google is now better able to pick apart a query to determine what you want to find out. It knows you want to see images of the Arch, so that’s what it delivers—along with other handy information. And even though it has limited functionality right now, Google can also remember what you searched and string searches together.

For example, after you searched for pictures of the Arch, you could then ask Google “how tall is it?” and get the answer you were looking for: the height of the Arch. Google is smart enough to know what you were probably referring to with “it”.

Change in Mobile Ads Could Affect Prices

Google also decided to change something else on its birthday: the way mobile ads look.

This was a slight change, but it could have surprisingly wide-reaching effects. Over the last few months, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been getting stricter about businesses and individuals disclosing their ads online. This can be seen on Twitter when a celebrity endorses a product and has to use a hashtag like #ad or #paid (B-listers are particularly vulnerable) just as a mobile PPC ad now says “Ad” very clearly in yellow on the ad itself.

(Image credit: http://www.brafton.com/)

There will still be up to three ads that show up on a mobile search, but the fear is that as consumers get used to their placement and see their designation so clearly, they may be more likely to quickly swipe down to the other results, ignoring the ad. This could, in turn, drive the price of certain ad groups downward because of decreased demand. However, it will take some time before this kind of eventuality can be determined.

We always stay on the lookout for updates and changes from Google. It’s can be a busy job, though.

The post Hummingbird and New Mobile Ad Appearance: Two Birthday Gifts from Google appeared first on Clix.

If you can think way back to June, Clix may have emailed you about Bing being Siri’s new default search engine in the new version of iOS. Do you remember that? …You do? I’m flattered! Well today, that new version of Apple’s operating system, iOS 7, becomes available today at around 10 a.m. pacific time (noon central).

As always, the update is recommended, but not required. Some prefer to wait a few days or weeks before updating to allow some time for kinks to be worked out, while others jump on it the minute the update goes live. In either case, here are 5 steps you should take before updating to iOS 7:

1. Back up your device.

To make sure none of your personal data and settings are lost, it’s always wise to back up your phone before a big update. Follow these steps provided by Apple to back up your devices.

2. Make sure your apps, music, and photos are synced

As another step to ensure that nothing is lost in case something goes seriously wrong during the update, double-check that all of your apps, music, photos, and other personal data are synced to iCloud.

3. Make sure you’re running the most recent version of iTunes

Since apps are downloaded and installed through iTunes, it’s a good idea to update to the most recent version to make sure everything goes smoothly. This is especially important on your iMac or MacBook.

To see whether your computer has the most recent version, open iTunes, click on “iTunes” in the menu bar, and select “Check for updates.” You will then either get a message telling you that you have the most recent version, or you will be prompted to update.

4. Read the update

It’s always a good idea to actually read through the update before you download and install it. If it will affect your favorite app or feature in a way that you’re not a fan of, you can decide to ignore the update and continue using the (now) old version of iOS.

5. Go in with a fully-charged battery and a WiFi connection

Updating consumes a whole lot of battery power, and that’s after a long download. Therefore, to avoid losing power in the middle of the process, make sure your battery is fully charged, or better yet, that your device is plugged in. Also, to avoid potential problems with your data connection and to save yourself a whole lot of mobile data, you will definitely want to be connected to WiFi as you update. The download will probably be a little faster this way as well, depending on where you live and what kind of WiFi you’re using.

Remember: do not unplug or disconnect your device from the internet during an iOS update.

So what’s new in iOS 7, anyway? Quite a bit, actually. You can read about all of the new features on Apple’s website, or you can parse through the many, many articles that have been accruing under search terms such as “iOS 7 features.”

And what’s today if you’re an Android user (like me)?

Wednesday.

The post 5 Steps You Should Take Before Updating to iOS 7 appeared first on Clix.

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.

The post Perks to Having a Mobile Website appeared first on Clix.