As Google’s algorithms become more powerful, content creators are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for help. AI-generated content can be incredibly cost and time-effective but, if not done correctly, can also get you penalized by the search engine giant.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss what exactly is meant by AI content and automatically generated content, as well as provide the guidelines set out in Google's Content Quality Guidelines on how to create and use ai without negatively affecting your SEO rankings or visibility in search results.

Read on for our tips and tricks to ensure you make the most of AI while keeping your SEO safe from potential penalties!

Google AI Guidelines - What You Should Know?

Artificial intelligence is a rapidly growing field that has opened up new doors for innovation and development in technology. As such, Google has released AI guidelines to help people understand the best practices for using AI responsibly and ethically. The guidelines cover a wide range of topics, such as fairness, privacy, and accountability, and provide actionable tips for developers and users alike.

One of the most important AI guidelines for SEO is to ensure all content generated with AI is original and not copied from other sources. Google’s algorithms are highly sophisticated, so even the slightest deviation from the original content can result in a penalty.

Additionally, it's important to note that automatically generated content isn't as competitive as human-written content. It may not rank as highly in search engine results pages as content written by an experienced copywriter.

One of the key takeaways from the Google AI guidelines is the importance of considering how AI can impact people's lives and making accommodations for diverse communities. By following these guidelines, we can continue to harness the power of AI while ensuring that it is used in a way that benefits everyone.

Image Source: Google 

How to Differentiate Between AI Content and Automatically Generated Content?

As technology continues to advance, more and more content is being generated by machines, leaving some of us wondering what is true artificial intelligence and what is simply automatically generated. It's important to differentiate between the two as it can affect the credibility and reliability of the content we consume. Some key ways to differentiate are as follows:

1. Look for Signs of Learning and Adaptation

‍AI content is generated by machines that can learn and adapt, based on new information or data. If the content shows signs of growth, development, or learning over time, it is likely to be AI-generated.‍

2. Check for Personalization

‍AI can provide personalized content by learning from user behavior and preferences. If the content is tailor-made for specific audiences or individuals, it might be AI-generated.‍

3. Assess the Coherence of the Content

‍AI content generally has a more structured, logical, and coherent flow compared to automatically generated content. If the content consistently maintains quality and coherence, it's probable to be AI-generated.

4. Look For Human-Like Thought Processes

‍AI mimics human thought processes, reflecting understanding and interpretation, not just mere information regurgitation. If the content shows evidence of analysis, reasoning, or decision-making, it is likely AI-generated.

5. Assess the Quality of Writing

AI content tends to maintain a higher standard of writing compared to automated content. Look for well-constructed sentences, rich vocabulary, and correct grammar and syntax.

6. Look for Creative Elements

‍AI can produce creative elements in content such as storytelling or using metaphors. If the content has these creative elements, it is likely AI-generated.

Being able to differentiate between the two can help us better understand and utilize the technologies available to us while still ensuring that the content we consume is reliable and trustworthy.

Understanding Google’s Stance on AI Content

In today's world, artificial intelligence (AI) technology continues to advance at a rapid pace. More and more companies are integrating AI into their products and services to improve customer experiences and increase efficiency. Google is no exception, but the tech giant has taken a unique stance on AI content.

Google believes that AI should be developed to complement human abilities and knowledge, rather than replace them. It means that Google's AI technology is designed to assist users in enhancing their knowledge and decision-making abilities, rather than making the decisions for them.

Back in November 2022, Danny Sullivan, Public Liaison for Search at Google, also made it clear that it's not against Google guidelines to use AI.

This approach ensures that users can rely on Google's AI technology without feeling as though their intelligence and decision-making abilities are being marginalized.

Tips to Ensure Your AI Content Respects Google's Policies

Artificial intelligence is an incredible tool that has opened up new opportunities for content creation. However, it's important to remember that as with any technology, some rules and guidelines must be followed. If you want your AI content to succeed and rank well on search engines like Google, then it's crucial to ensure that your content respects Google's policies.

1. Understand Google's Policies

‍Familiarize yourself with Google's policies and guidelines on AI content. It ensures that your AI content aligns with the set standards, reducing the risk of penalties.

2. Avoid Plagiarism

‍Google's algorithms are incredibly efficient at detecting plagiarized content. Ensure your AI content is original and not copied from other sources to avoid de-ranking or penalties.

3. Prioritize User Experience

‍Content should be designed with the user in mind, not just for ranking in search engines. Ensure that your AI content provides value to the reader, is well-structured, and is easy to understand.‍

4. Use AI Ethically

‍Respect user privacy and consent when using AI for content generation. Do not use AI to generate misleading or false information.‍

5. Regularly Update Your Content

‍Google's algorithms favor fresh, updated content. Utilize AI tools to update your content, keeping it relevant and engaging for your audience.

6. Stay on the Right Side of Automation

‍While it's tempting to automate everything, remember that Google still values human input. Use AI to aid and enhance your content creation process, but don't rely on it entirely.‍

7. Quality Over Quantity

‍Google values high-quality content over the sheer volume of content. Invest in AI tools that produce high-quality, well-researched, and engaging content.

8. Test and Optimize

‍Regularly test your AI content for performance and optimize based on the results. Use analytics to understand what works best for your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly.

By following these tips, you can create AI content that satisfies Google's policies, reaches a vast audience, and ultimately succeeds in achieving your goals.

Using AI Without Affecting SEO Performance

As technology advances and Artificial Intelligence becomes more prevalent, website owners are looking to incorporate this innovation to improve their user experience.

However, using AI on your website may have a detrimental impact on your SEO performance. Fortunately, there are ways to enjoy the benefits of AI without sacrificing your website's visibility on search engines.

By carefully implementing AI technologies such as chatbots and personalized content, website owners can enhance their user experience while maintaining search rankings.

Utilizing these AI tools enhances user engagement and helps businesses stay ahead of the competition in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

What to Do if You Think Your SEO Is Being Penalized by Google?

As a website owner, your ultimate goal is to drive more traffic to your website and increase your online presence. But, what happens when Google penalizes your SEO efforts?

If you suspect that your website has been hit by a penalty–identify the root cause of the issue and address it immediately. The first step is to analyze your website's traffic and identify any significant drops in traffic or rankings.

Next, review the Google Webmaster guidelines and check for any potential violations. Once you have identified the problem, implement the necessary corrections, and submit a reconsideration request to Google.

It's crucial to prevent future penalties by adopting ethical SEO practices, avoiding spam tactics, and prioritizing quality content. Remember, prevention is always better than cure!

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DashClicks is a reliable provider of white label content services that can tremendously help businesses maintain their SEO rankings while utilizing AI for content creation. These services are particularly beneficial because DashClicks has a deep understanding of Google's policies and guidelines, ensuring that all content created is compliant and optimized for SEO.

DashClicks' white-label content services can help businesses navigate the challenges associated with AI-generated content, ensuring compliance with Google's guidelines, and maintaining excellent SEO performances.

In Conclusion

You should utilize AI content cautiously to optimize SEO performance and avoid being penalized by Google. AI-generated content is a powerful tool for generating high-quality SEO pieces, but it can come with its own set of risks.

It is essential to understand Google's guidelines for AI content and keep the differences between AI and automatically generated content in mind to ensure you are not violating their policies.

Utilizing the tips given in this article can help guide you in using AI content without compromising your SEO performance so that you can make sure your efforts don't go overlooked. As long as your user experience remains paramount, optimizing your SEO with AI content will not be a problem.

Are you looking to ensure your website content is as search-engine-friendly as possible to maximize its visibility? If so, one of the most important steps you must take is implementing canonical URLs.

Canonical URLs have the power to optimize a website or page’s search engine rankings and stop search engines from crawling and indexing multiple versions of the same URL. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what canonical URLs are and why they’re essential for SEO success.

We will also look at how having a good URL structure enhances SEO potential when duplicate content issues arise, which will provide you with powerful insight into how effective canonicalization can be for any website!

Introducing Canonical URLs and Their Importance for SEO

Canonical URLs are vital for SEO as they help to avoid duplicate content issues on your website. By having a canonical URL, you are telling search engines which version of the page is the authoritative version.

It makes it easier for search engines to understand which version of the page to index and rank in their search results, therefore increasing your chances of appearing higher in search engine rankings.

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So, if you want to optimize your website for search engines, implement Canonical URLs and ensure your content is unique and authoritative. With this simple step, you can take your SEO efforts to the next level and attract more organic traffic to your website.

Understanding What Causes Duplicate Content Issues?

As a website owner, it's essential to understand the concept of duplicate content and how it can negatively impact your search engine rankings. Duplicate content refers to content that appears on the internet in more than one place.

While it may not always be malicious, it can lead to confusion for both search engines and users alike and can ultimately hurt the credibility of your website. Common causes of duplicate content can include publishing the same content on multiple pages or websites and using boilerplate text commonly found on other websites.

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By understanding the causes of duplicate content, you can take proactive measures to prevent it and keep your website's online presence strong.

Benefits of Using Canonical URLs to Resolve Duplicate Content

Duplicate content can be a serious problem for websites, hindering their search engine rankings and frustrating users. Fortunately, there is a solution: canonical URLs. A canonical URL is the preferred version of a page that tells search engines which version of the content is the original one.

By using canonical URLs, websites can consolidate duplicate pages and focus all ranking signals on a single page, resulting in higher search engine rankings. Additionally, canonical URLs can also improve the user experience by reducing duplicate content, improving site speed, and making navigation more intuitive.

By implementing canonical URLs, website owners can enjoy the many benefits of resolving duplicate content and improving their overall online presence.

How Canonical URLs Can Help You Maximize Your SEO Potential?

In today's digital age, having a website is crucial to any business's success. However, just having a website is not enough; it's crucial to optimize it for search engines like Google to increase visibility and drive traffic.

It is where canonical URLs come into play. By using canonical URLs, you can avoid duplicate content and consolidate all versions of a page into one, helping search engines understand which version of the page to index and display in search results.

By implementing canonical URLs, you can maximize your SEO potential and improve your website's search engine ranking, resulting in increased visibility and more traffic to your site. Don't underestimate the power of canonical URLs in your SEO strategy.

Best Practices for Implementing Effective Canonical URLs

When implementing effective canonical URLs, there are a few best practices you can follow to ensure that your website is functioning at its best. Firstly, make sure that each page has a unique URL and that there are no duplicates.

It will prevent search engines from penalizing your site for duplicate content. Secondly, use 301 redirects if you need to change the URL of a page. It will direct search engines and users to the new page without any loss in ranking or traffic.

Lastly, audit your website regularly to ensure that all pages have a canonical tag pointing to the preferred version of the URL. Following these best practices will help improve your website's ranking and overall performance.

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Tips on How to Debug and Troubleshoot Any Problems With Your Canonical URL Implementation

Getting your canonical URL implementation up and running smoothly is key to ensuring that your website is easily searchable and discoverable by potential customers. But sometimes, implementing canonical URLs can come with a fair share of challenges and roadblocks. Here are some tips to ensure smooth canonical URL implementation.

1. Test Your Website Regularly: To ensure that your canonical URLs are functioning properly, it's important to regularly test your website. Check that all pages have a canonical tag pointing to the correct URL and there are no duplicate pages or content.

2. Analyze Your Site’s Performance: Once you have implemented the canonical URLs, take the time to analyze your website's performance. It will help you spot any issues that may be hurting your SEO rankings and help you adjust your strategy accordingly.

3. Use SEO Tools: Utilizing SEO tools can help you identify and fix any problems with your canonical URL implementation. These tools provide valuable insights into how your website is performing and can help you adjust your strategy to ensure your website is always optimized for search engines.

4. Monitor Your Search Engine Rankings: Lastly, monitor your search engine rankings to track the success of your website’s SEO efforts. It will allow you to catch any potential problems with your URL structure before they become too serious and help you adjust your SEO strategy to maximize your website’s visibility.

By following these tips and tricks, you can streamline the process and get your website back to peak performance in no time.

DashClicks offers a comprehensive suite of white label SEO services to help you address the issues discussed above and maximize your website's visibility. Our experts have a deep understanding of canonical URLs and can ensure proper implementation to avoid duplicate content issues.

We employ best practices, including regular audits and using SEO tools, to ensure that your website's SEO is optimized. Furthermore, we monitor your website's search engine rankings to track the effectiveness of our strategies, making necessary adjustments along the way.

With DashClicks, you not only get the assurance of a well-optimized website but also a dedicated partner in your SEO journey.

Wrapping It Up!

To wrap it up, implementing canonical URLs on your website can be a powerful tool for improving your SEO performance and resolving issues with duplicate content. They provide an effective way of consolidating and tidying up the structure of a website, streamlining how content is indexed by search engine crawlers.

Because of their potential benefits, using canonical URLs should be an essential consideration for any SEO campaign. Having said that, they are not a one-stop solution or "silver bullet" to solve all SEO issues - proper care needs to be taken when setting them up so that intended behavior is achieved and not inadvertently caused.

 It's helpful to understand the technical nuances around this practice, do an ongoing assessment of your existing implementation, and use best practices when configuring them to maximize the SEO potential on any website.

As website accessibility becomes increasingly crucial to a successful SEO strategy, businesses must keep up with the changes needed to ensure their websites remain accessible and compliant. By following best practices for web accessibility, you can help your client's businesses become more profitable and improve brand reputation by offering a better experience for users with disabilities.

In this blog post, we will explore why website accessibility is vital to an effective SEO strategy and how you can implement these changes in workflow processes so your clients can get maximum value from their website.

What Is Website Accessibility and Its Benefits for Your Clients?

Website accessibility refers to the inclusive practice of designing websites that all individuals can access and use, including those with disabilities, such as visual, hearing, or cognitive impairments.

These individuals face challenges when navigating the online environment, which can often prevent them from accessing vital information or participating fully in online activities.

By ensuring that their websites are accessible, your clients can benefit by reaching a wider audience, including those with disabilities, ultimately leading to increased engagement, improved customer satisfaction, and a positive brand reputation.

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By following accessibility guidelines, companies can avoid potential legal issues and ensure that their websites comply with industry standards. Ultimately, website accessibility is not just good business practice, but also an ethical obligation to ensure that all individuals have equal access to information and resources online.

How Does Website Accessibility Impacts Your Clients' SEO Strategy?

In today's digital age, websites have become an intrinsic part of any business's marketing strategy. However, it's important to note that creating a website that is easily accessible to all individuals, regardless of their abilities, is equally vital.

Accessibility plays a significant role in your clients' SEO strategy. The more accessible a website is, the easier it is for search engines to understand and categorize its content. It means improved visibility and ranking on search engine results in pages.

Accessible websites offer a better user experience, resulting in increased web traffic, leads, and ultimately, higher ROI. As a professional, it's crucial to educate clients on the importance of website accessibility, as it can impact their overall online success.

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The Advantages of Making Websites Accessible to People With Disabilities

Making websites accessible to people with disabilities has many advantages. Not only is it important from a human rights perspective, but it also improves user experience and expands the potential audience for a website.

By designing websites to accommodate individuals with varying abilities, businesses and organizations can show their commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility.

Accessibility features, such as alternative text for images and captions for videos, can also improve website SEO, making it easier for people to find the website in search engine results. Incorporating accessibility into website design is not only beneficial but necessary in today's digital landscape.

Best Practices to Ensure Website Accessibility

Websites have become the backbone of modern business. They serve as a platform to connect with customers, discover new opportunities, and increase sales. However, accessibility is often overlooked during web development, leading to a significant number of users being excluded from using websites.

To ensure your website is accessible to all, there are some best practices to follow. First, ensure that your website has proper navigation and structure.

It helps users easily find the exact information they need. Secondly, use proper colors, contrasts, and fonts to improve readability. Lastly, incorporate assistive technology, such as alt tags for images and transcripts for videos, to accommodate users with disabilities.

By implementing these best practices, you not only ensure that your website is accessible to all but also improve the user experience for all visitors.

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Tips on Helping Clients Incorporate Website Accessibility Into Their SEO Strategies

Website accessibility is becoming increasingly essential for businesses to reach a wider audience these days. However, incorporating website accessibility into SEO strategies can be challenging for many clients. As a professional, it's essential to educate clients about the benefits of website accessibility, such as increased traffic and improved user experience.

Incorporating alt text for images, descriptive captions, and a focus on keyboard navigation can be some initial steps toward creating a more accessible website.

We understand it's overwhelming to tackle it all at once, but taking incremental steps toward accessibility can go a long way. Together, we can make your website a welcoming digital space for all users.

The Future of Website Accessibility and SEO Strategies

As technology continues to evolve, so does the importance of website accessibility and search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. In the future, it is expected that website accessibility will become a standard requirement for all websites, not just for legal compliance but also to ensure the inclusivity of all users.

It means that web developers and designers must implement accessibility features such as image descriptions, closed captions, and keyboard navigation.

Additionally, with search engines constantly changing their algorithms, SEO strategies will require continuous updates to ensure maximum visibility and effectiveness in driving traffic to websites. Businesses must stay informed and adapt to these changes to stay competitive in the digital landscape.

DashClicks is a digital marketing platform specifically designed to help businesses meet the needs of their customers and ensure website accessibility. Our comprehensive suite of website solutions allows clients to easily create websites that fully comply with industry standards, including WCAG 2.0 and ADA guidelines.

We offer an advanced website builder software, and custom-built solutions to ensure that websites are optimized for accessibility. Our team of experts can guide how to incorporate best practices into your website design and content and support clients in the development process.

From creating an accessible website design to increasing ranking on search engine results pages, DashClicks helps businesses create an inclusive digital presence and makes their websites more accessible.

Wrapping Up

Website accessibility is a smart business move for any client's SEO strategy. It not only plays a vital role in making the web inclusive for all users, but it also increases search engine visibility and provides advantages to people with disabilities and clients alike.

When opting for an accessible website, businesses can look forward to many benefits, such as greater search engine rankings and improved user experience. To ensure that your clients benefit from accessibility compliance, provide best practices on how they can incorporate it into their SEO strategies, such as optimizing content to improve its readability or transcribing videos into text.

Although the SEO landscape is continually changing, website accessibility remains a mainstay that needs to be adjusted to keep up with the times. For all these reasons, offering accessible websites should undoubtedly be part of your clients' SEO strategy.

Organic traffic is paramount for any business that hopes to survive online.

After spending months (or even years) learning how to improve your search engine ranking, you finally made it. Your brand is now on the first SERP page and may even be closing in on the top spot.

There's only one problem: high rankings are not leading to higher traffic.

This is, unfortunately, not an uncommon occurrence. The upside is that we understand the most frequent culprits and can show you how to fix low traffic.

Problem #1 - Your Content Does Not Match the User Intent

Many rookie teams make the mistake of simply selecting keywords based on search volume. This tactic fails to address the unique reasons a user may have for using a specific search term.

To better understand this, know that there are four primary types of keywords.

1. Informational Keywords

This clue is in the name for this keyword type: information.

The internet user that types an informational keyword into a search engine is looking for educational content. They want to see sites that answer questions of “why” or “how.”

Let’s pose an example and say that a user performs a search for “how to fix GPU error.” This person is looking for proven, actionable data that can better help them understand their problem. They may be likely to click on content from a tech website or some type of PC specialist.

The key here is that the user is looking for information so that they might solve their predicament. They are not looking for specific products or aiming to pull out their credit card.

2. Commercial Keywords

This is often the next logical step in the buyer's journey.

A user may utilize commercial keywords when they start to look for specific products, services, or brands that may be of help. Let's look at examples of this type based on the imaginary user from the above section.

The user found information that led them to believe their GPU issue cannot be fixed. Now, they must seek out someone or something that can help them replace their product. They then search for some of the following:

• NVIDIA vs AMD
• 3080 reviews
• NVIDIA products

While still looking for information, the user's buying journey is starting to get more brand-specific. They need to understand more about the topic at hand so that they feel equipped to make smart purchasing decisions.

3. Transactional Keywords

Transactional keywords are more closely related to the hard sell. The user is already set on spending the cash. They simply need to find the right web page to help them do this.

For more explicit examples, let’s once again return to our imaginary user. They’re now searching for terms like:

• Buy NVIDIA 3080
• GPU best deals
• GPU for sale

4. Navigational Keywords

Navigational keywords demonstrate a more direct intention. With this, the user is looking to head to a specific domain or webpage.

If we wanted to watch video content, we’d likely do so in one of two ways:

• Enter YouTube.com into the search bar in a browser
• Search “YouTube” within Google, then click on the top result

The latter is an example of a navigational keyword. There is little room to question intention as the user is being explicit in their search.

How Misunderstanding User Intent Leads to Low Traffic?

It is possible to rank your webpage for keywords that do not correctly line up with user intent.

The problem is that while you may achieve a 3rd place spot, users will still skip over the listing. If your content does not help the user with their needs, there's no reason to visit your website. Even if a user does blindly click on your result, they're going to bounce away when they realize the result isn't suited for them.

In other words, you wouldn't want to present transaction-focused content to someone who is looking for information. Conversely, someone looking to make a purchase now does not necessarily need more information to help them out.

How to Fix It?

Always be sure to carefully factor in user intent when selecting keywords for your organic rankings. Popular SEO tools will frequently identify intent for you, making this process that much easier.

As long as your content helps the user with their needs, you can expect your traffic and conversions to climb appropriately. This should remain among your top go-to tips for higher traffic.

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Problem #2 - No One is Using Your Top Keywords

Small businesses often do not have the money or manpower to compete with juggernauts in the rankings. Because of this, they require alternative keyword solutions.

One strategy brands use is to get hyper-specific with their content. Instead of aiming for keywords with high search volume, they shoot for terms with lower search volume, but a potentially higher conversion rate.

This strategy is often effective when there is a demand for your very specific niche.

However, getting too specific with your keyword choice can be a double-edged sword. If this is you, then you're likely ranking high for keywords that no one is using in their searches.

How to Fix it?

This one is easy to fix as you can monitor search volume with any SEO tool. Keywords can ebb and flow with use, but if a term is consistently yielding minimal searches, it's time to switch it up.

That doesn't mean you should abandon low-volume terms like long-tail keywords. Take a close look at your audience, particularly if you're in a small niche, and discern what they want to see.

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Use that information to generate a list of ideas for possible search terms. Then, carefully consider the average search volume before devoting time and resources toward new types of content.

Problem #3 - Your Meta Content Fails to Engage

If you improve your search engine ranking, you merely earn the right to pitch your content. It's still up to you to convince users that your result is more worthwhile than the others.

Each search result features a variety of meta content. The most obvious of these is the meta description, which provides a brief preview of the on-page content.

Other examples include the page title, date of publishing, and schema markup elements. The number of features available to use hinges upon the type of content you are looking to present.

There's an easy way to identify if this is your problem. Perform a search for your ranked keyword and compare your result to the competitors. There's a high chance that the other meta descriptions are simply more compelling than what you have to offer at this time.

How to Fix It?

Let's break it down piece by piece:

1. Meta Description

A great meta description consists of about 155 characters. Google will abruptly cut off longer text, muddling your message to the user.

Think of your meta description as a teaser to whet the appetite. It should explain exactly what the user will find on a page without giving everything away up front. You can further entice users by placing a call to action at the end of your teaser. Make your content impossible to pass up.

Finally, try to use the keyword in the meta description. If Google finds a word that matches the user keyword, it will appear in bold. Don’t hesitate to use any tactics you can to draw more eyes to your result.

2. Title

The title is the headline of the search result. This is the primary linked text users will see below the URL.

Like meta descriptions, keep your title within the character limit (60 characters). Anything longer gets abbreviated with ellipses, once again, diluting your message. In rare cases, hitting this limit can be a challenge, so be sure to highlight the main point of the content in the title as best as you can.

Finally, take the opportunity to brand your content. End all titles with your company name, like this:

High Rankings & Low Traffic: How to Fix it | DashClicks

Whatever format you choose, be sure to keep it consistent across all of your web pages.

3. Date

Most content will receive a publishing date by default. We recommend that you remove this if possible.

The reason for this is that dating your content is not ideal for long-term results. Users want to see up-to-date content. The further away a user gets from the posting date, the less likely they are to click.

Skip the dates when possible to keep your content evergreen.

4. Schema Markup

Schema is a search engine language that helps Googlebot better understand your on-page content. When utilized effectively, you can present vital data to users on SERPS before they even get to click.

This language can provide users with product information, prices, phone numbers, dates, and much more. You should carefully select key points to highlight without making things appear too cluttered.

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You can learn more about Schema and where to start here.

Problem #4 – Losing Out to Featured Snippets

Google is always looking for new ways to get users high-quality information quickly. One strategy they use to do this is the featured snippet.

A featured snippet is an excerpt of text pulled from one of the top search results. The text effectively provides an answer to a question prompted by the keywords used in the search. Some SEO experts will refer to this as position 0.

Not only does position 0 grant first-look advertising, but it also takes up a considerable portion of the page. This is a significant issue for competitors even when you’ve secured a spot on page one.

Studies estimate that 67.6% of clicks all go to the top 5 results. For traditional search result listings, that is about the number you would expect to see in your viewport.

However, with the rise of new smart features like the featured snippet, People Also Ask, or the local 3-pack, SERP real estate is even more scarce. A competitor's featured snippet takes up significant space and effectively dominates the mindshare of your would-be visitors.

How to Fix It?

To make your search result more attractive, be sure to utilize all of the tips mentioned previously in this article.

However, there's only one way to tackle featured snippets directly - try to claim the snippet spot for yourself.

To do so, carefully analyze the competitor's content. This not only applies to the snippet itself, but the rest of the content found on that particular web page. It's virtually a guarantee that their content is well-written, concise, and structured to perfection in the eyes of search crawlers.

A primary goal is to answer the question featured in the snippet head-on. Utilize your unique expertise and insight to provide truthful, actionable information to the user. Avoid unnecessary fluff or examples.

You can further help Googlebot identify information for your snippet by utilizing effective headings and subheadings. Utilize the question being asked as the head itself, then promptly answer that question in the first few lines of the body.

Furthermore, users and Google alike are quite fond of listed content. If possible, keep data concise by utilizing bullet points or numbered lists.

There's no guarantee that you'll secure the featured snippet. However, attempting to do so will naturally guide you to create better content overall.

Utilize These Tips for Higher Traffic

Capitalizing on organic traffic is a neverending battle. Not only are thousands of competitors vying for the same keywords, but Google is also constantly changing its ranking algorithm.

However, you can depend on these elements to forever remain a constant when curating traffic-worthy content:

• Match your content to the user intent behind the keyword
• Avoid overusing hyper-specific terms with low search volume
• Always treat your meta description details with the utmost care
• Create and structure content that quickly satisfies users and search crawlers alike

Finally, the content on your site is never a one-and-done endeavor. Allowing a webpage to stagnate leaves your content feeling dated while competitors are on the move. Monitor your keywords and search volume, and update content as necessary to keep generating organic results.

As the owner of a startup company, you might have too many things on your To-Do List. The primary challenge is to achieve the desired return on investment within the given budget. The second biggest challenge is to let the world know about you and your products and services. If nobody knows about you and your services, it is impossible to conduct business, and in the modern digital ecosystem, search engines are the best place to begin it.

When you optimize your website for search engines, you let people know about your brand and how you can solve their problems and answer their needs. It also increases the visibility of your website on search engines. No wonder SEO is so crucial for startups!

Apart from increasing visibility on search engines, startups are supposed to do several other things to survive, such as market research, strategic planning, revenue generation, competitor analysis, brand building, etc. However, search engine optimization is at the core of everything. Before you do anything, you need to help people find your business online and build your brand.

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4 Reasons Startups Can't Ignore SEO Anymore

No wonder SEO is termed as the soul of digital marketing. With billions of searches being performed on different search engines, search dominates the digital marketing landscape. It is the primary source of traffic for most brands because most of the searches are performed with commercial intent.

Therefore, your visibility on search engines should be at the bottom of your marketing plan, and everything else, such as revenue generation and brand building, is associated with it.

Here are a few reasons startups can't ignore search engine optimization:

1. A Powerful Element of Marketing

Ā After Google's launch in 1998, search engines became the primary tool for navigation of the World Wide Web. In the 21st century, online search has become an integral part of our day-to-day activities. These searches connect brands with customers globally. So, SEO can connect your brand with your clients on the lowest budget.

For example, when you search for water sports worldwide, you'll come across a listicle by Pandotrip, and the first entry introduces you to diving in Jellyfish Lake, in Eil Malk Island, Palau. Without search engine optimization, it could have been indeed challenging to know about this exotic water sports destination.

To sum up, you cannot do without SEO. If you cannot rank on the top slots on the SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages), try to get yourself mentioned in a top-ranking listicle or directory, and they will promote your business. A well-planned SEO strategy will improve your search engine rankings and online visibility.

2. SEO Helps You Scale Your Business on a Shoestring Budget

SEO makes the digital marketing landscape democratic. It means that search engines don't discriminate among small, medium, and large enterprises and provide you equal opportunities to appear in the search results. However, you need to be strategic in your SEO approach since the scale of the challenge is massive, especially for startups.

Startups don't have the marketing resources like the more prominent organizations and established businesses. It becomes challenging for them to compete with the existing players on the first page of search results. However, with a strategic approach towards content, on-page, and off-page SEO, you can gain search engine visibility similar to these top players. With the best SEO practices and knowledge of SEO fundamentals, you can earn the top slots with the popular keywords in a few months.

It will allow you to establish your brand identity and promote your products and services without spending heavily on advertising. Focusing on long-tail keywords is considered among the best SEO practices as it is easier to rank on these keywords. Apart from that, you get highly targeted traffic that boosts your conversion rate with long-tail keywords.

3. SEO Allows You to Collect Behavioral Data of Your Customers

With more than 66% of the global population accessing the Internet in 2021 and almost 93% online experiences starting with search, the world is becoming digital with an overwhelming intensity. Most of our decisions are based on data and technology these days. When you wish to fly abroad, you compare different airlines' prices, convenience, and safety online. You subconsciously decide which airlines to choose based on your online interactions and perceptions.

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We also call it branding. Data constantly surrounds you through streaming videos, social media posts, blogs, user reviews, news, ad clicks, and branded content. It instantaneously helps us decide which brand to choose. That's why brands have a compelling need to increase their online presence and learn from their customers' behavioral data. The behavioral data can help you analyze the past, current, and future trends and accordingly adapt your SEO strategy.

The overwhelming data available on the Internet provides you with numerous opportunities to target new customers and serve the existing ones with better products.

Look at the overwhelming data produced on the Internet every minute. As a startup, you should maximize this data for strategy formulation and business growth.

4. SEO is Affordable Yet Brings Enormous Opportunities to the Table

The startup’s journey is characterized by a bumpy ride, cash crunch, confusion, lack of experience, and enormous challenges. In such a situation, search engine optimization comes to your rescue by helping you position your products and services and target the right audience. When you identify and use the popular keywords in your niche, you make your brand more searchable, so your target audience can easily find you organically.

• Let Your CMS Support Your SEO Strategy

SEO allows you to generate more traffic and leads virtually free of cost. All you need to do is find time for SEO and work systematically and strategically for a few months. You also need to figure out how to use your favorite content management system to implement your SEO strategy or select the best CMS for SEO based on your needs, leveraging robust SEO tools and features (such as customizable meta tags, clean URL structures, and integrated analytics) that it provides.

• Set Up an Analytics Account

The next step is to set up your analytics account and learn about the user behavior on your site. You will get enough insights to improve the right features on your website.

• Choose the Right Social Media Platforms

If you can generate leads through organic traffic, it will drastically reduce your marketing budget. You can complement your strategy with the right social media platforms, blogs, video hosting sites, and other tools to market your brand.

SEO is a low-cost option compared to the other paid marketing options such as Google Ads, social media ads, and purchasing leads from third-party vendors.

SEO Tips for Startups in 2022

Since SEO in digital marketing is the oldest online marketing practice, SEO for startups can be challenging. First of all, you need to define your SEO goals and objectives as it's an ongoing process and continues as you add more content to your website.

Start with the primary keywords people use to find businesses and products similar to yours. Focus on long-tail keywords initially and come back to short-tail keywords when you start ranking for the long ones. Here are a few SEO tips for startups in 2022:-1. Start with an SEO Strategy: Determine your goals and expectations from your website and build a solid SEO strategy accordingly.

2. Set Reasonably achievable goals: It's crucial to set short-term and long-term goals for your startup if you don't want to get caught up in the daily grind. For example, if you are looking for quality traffic for conversion, don't waste your time and money on general traffic and clicks.

3. Allocate a reasonable budget for SEO: Many startups don't allocate a specific budget for SEO, so their SEO activities become inconsistent.

4. Begin with your SEO practices right from building your website: Many startups implement SEO on poorly built websites, whereas SEO starts from a functional, user-friendly website that offers an exemplary user interface and user experience.

5. Make your website load faster: Minimize unnecessary elements and make your website load more quickly. It's a crucial Google ranking factor impacting user experience.

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6. Focus on local SEO first: Local SEO is like claiming your physical existence on Google, the king of all search engines. Go to Google My Business and add all the necessary details to help people find you and know about your business.

7. Create a mobile-friendly website: Since mobile searches account for more than 70% of the overall search volume, focus on building mobile-friendly websites. Ensure that your website is fully functional on mobile devices and offers a seamless experience.

8. Spend time on competitive research: If you want to stay ahead of others, spend time on competitor research. Analyze their keywords, links, and other practices. It will save you time and money.

9. Target keywords with commercial intent: Don't work hard on every keyword suggested by your keyword research tool. Focus on the keywords with commercial intent and suitable for achieving your conversion goals.

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10. Publish high-quality content: Use analytics tools such as Google Analytics and Buzzsumo to discover high-quality content. It should solve your prospects' problems and answer their needs and wants. Engaging content can lead you to the top of search engine result pages quicker than any other technique.

11. Hire white-label SEO services if confused: You can hire white-label SEO services if SEO seems overwhelming. This way, you'll save time and money and leverage the expertise of SEO professionals at an affordable cost.

Conclusion

Launching a startup is not for the frail and faint-hearted people. It is often a rollercoaster ride with challenging terrains. Initially, you need to invest a lot of time and money to survive. You face unpleasant situations and challenges almost every day, from tactical and operational to strategic front. And there is no way you can stop them unless you quit.

However, with strategic planning, you can make your life easy to a great extent. It is crucial to avoid the rush and make hasty decisions. If a strategic step, a partnership, or a tool can make your life easy, don't hesitate to grab this opportunity.

Search engine optimization is a proven strategy to promote a startup and sustain its growth. It's a worthwhile investment that keeps on paying rich dividends for a long time. Compared to the cost of the paid campaigns, it is virtually free of charge. If you don't have the required SEO skills or can't afford to hire numerous SEO experts for your agency, you can employ white-label SEO services from DashClicks and reap its unmatched rewards.

“88% of searches for local businesses on a mobile device either call or visit the business within 24 hours.” (Source: Nectafy)

With “near me” searches gaining momentum on the web, more than 95% of customers search online to find a local business. And nearly half of all Google searches seek local information. Therefore, it becomes crucial that you improve your local business ranking on Google.

Creating a Google My Business account and optimizing it is the secret recipe to improving your local rankings on Google.

How Do I Improve My Local Search Ranking?

Creating a business listing on Google My Business also helps you outsmart your competition and boost traffic and sales. Additionally, it helps you boost brand awareness and earn the trust of your customers.

However, creating a listing on Google My Business is not enough to achieve high local rankings. You need to rank your listing higher on Google, and the only way to do it is to optimize it using all of the GMB features and improve your local SEO.

How Can I Improve my Local SEO?

To improve your Google local SEO, you must first understand the following local SEO ranking factors.

Local ranking factors also depend on the following three aspects:-

1. Relevance
2. Distance
3. Prominence

To know more about these three factors, read the following article:-

12 Essential Google My Business Optimizations to Rank Higher in Local Search

This article contains important tips to improve your local ranking on Google in light of the above-ranking factors:-

1. Set Up and Optimize Your Google My Business (GMB) Listing

GMB or Google My Business has transformed the way marketers perform local SEO. This Google tool is specially developed to promote local businesses and give the best results for “near me” searches. Recently, Moz revealed that your GMB listing is one of Google’s leading ranking factors for organic search.

To begin with, go to the GMB website and start creating your listing.

Here is the checklist of the items you should fill out:

• Complete and correct business name (The same as you use it in your store, visiting card, or signage)
• Local store/office address
• The precise location on a map
• Business category
• Phone number and website (if applicable)

Once you complete the above steps, your GMB listing goes live. Google now initiates your business’s verification. They’ll do it either by phone or by sending a postcard to your registered address. The postcard will contain a code, which you need to enter into your GMB account.

After the verification is complete, you need to begin optimizing your Google My Business profile.

• Post photos of your business. In this section, you can include pictures of the interiors and exterior of your premises.

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• Add your business hours.
• Add the primary and other categories that define your business.
• Regularly share your business updates and fresh content to optimize your GMB profile further and enhance its visibility.

2. Optimize It for Mobile

Most of the “near me” searches are performed using mobile devices. According to an Uberall study, 82% of respondents used their mobile devices to conduct a “near me” search. So, it makes sense to optimize your GMB listing for mobile devices. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly.

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Mobile optimization of your business profile is incomplete without adding click-to-call buttons on your GMB listing. 60% of mobile users prefer to call a business directly from their search results. Therefore, ensure you add a click-to-call button to your GMB listing.

3. Focus On Getting and Responding to Google Reviews

According to Moz's local search ranking factors, review signals also significantly contribute to your local search and snack pack ranking. Star ratings and reviews help build trust. Having lots of reviews speaks volumes about your credibility and reputation as a business. It also enhances your visibility in local search.

Google considers star ratings as a ranking signal. According to a Blue Corona study, more and better reviews directly translate into higher search rankings, more leads and sales, and increased profitability.

So, you should set up systems and processes to earn floods of authentic reviews and train your teams to make it a regular occurrence. Encourage your customers to post reviews using free tools like a review shortcut link.

Apart from your GMB listing and website, you should also have reviews on other review sites. Google also collects your reviews from product comparison sites, consumer directories, and social media. Make use of the vast real estate of reviews that includes Foursquare, Thumbtack, Amazon, Facebook, BBB (Better Business Bureau), Manta and Angie's List, etc.

Apart from the number of reviews, Google also considers the following:

• Does the star rating accompany text + pictures also?
• Does the text include relevant keywords and terms in the review?
• What’s the average star rating given to the product by users?
• Are reviews posted consistently or occasionally?
• Is there a pattern being followed in your reviews? Check review sentiment.

Pro Tip: Don’t request for a review just after the sales as there is a likelihood that the customer hasn’t experienced the product yet. Give them some time and ask them for a review when you think they might have the time to thoroughly experience your product or service.

4. Build Local Links

Whether it is organic ranking or Google Maps, links have been one of the most powerful ranking factors for Google. Studies prove that building local links is vital for ranking in Google Maps. The backlink qualifies if it isn’t marked as “nofollow” for boosting local rankings. Local links are taken as essential factors for driving actual business.

Building local links isn’t rocket science. You can employ simple tactics such as utilizing your local relationships and the companies you have worked with. You can also collaborate with the organizations you support or serve. Tap the companies that fit into a “shoulder niche.”

It is better to tap the companies you are already familiar with. You can return the favor by writing or video recording a testimonial. You can also collaborate to create a piece of content benefiting both the parties and their audiences.

Some businesses and niches are interrelated, and they operate in the same neighborhood. They often complement each other but do not compete for head-on with you. So, when you develop a content outreach program, don't forget to involve these businesses.

For example, a landscaping business may decide to create a valuable piece of content about cost-effective ways to design your interiors or fix your roofing issues. They may also include tips about energy-efficient home design, landscaping, exterior waterproofing, mold damage, painting, and replacing windows and doors.

Before creating the content, you can reach out to a few service providers who provide these services in the neighborhood and ask if they would be willing to collaborate on the content and, if possible, provide a link to their resource pages.

Since it is a mutually beneficial process, it would work even if you don't have any prior relationship with that company.

5. Clear the GMB Spam in Google Maps and Rise in Ranking

If you take a close look at Google Map results in the local organic search, you will find lots of illegitimate entries that do not have a proper website, have an incorrect address, or something like that. To move up the ranking ladder, you must clear such spam so that you can appear above all others.

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Google Maps is full of spam, and you can remove it by using the following tactics:-

A. First and foremost, maintain the record of all the GMB listings you want to edit or report. So, you can identify if the info reverts even after editing.

B. Go to Google Maps>>Go to the listing>>Click on “Suggest an Edit.”

C. You’ll find two options here, and you can pick one according to the situation.

• “Change name or other details“
• “Remove this place.”

If you find keyword stuffing in your listing’s business name, you can suggest it. Choose the first option – “Change name or other details“>>make the required edits.

To remove spam, select “Remove this place” and then select the specific issue.

What if “Suggesting an Edit” Doesn’t Work

If you cannot remove a spam listing through this method, you can try using Google’s Business Redressal Complaint Form. However, Google needs some evidence before it takes any action. You can refer to this resource for more details.

Ensure Business Details (NAP) Consistency

According to Moz, Google seeks consistency in citation and NAP (name, address, phone number) across the web. It means your business information, especially the NAP, should be consistent everywhere, including citation websites, directories, GMB, Maps, Foursquare, Yelp, and Facebook, etc.

Watch out for discrepancies in spellings, business name, address, or phone number. Avoid duplicate listings. Resolving all such issues improves your local SEO to a great extent.

6. Use This Google Maps SEO Checklist

Finally, it’s time to ensure that you have taken all the steps to improve your local SEO and that no critical area is overlooked.

At this point, you must have learned why it’s crucial to fill out your GMB profile entirely and accurately.

But, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

To rank high on Google Maps, you need to perform a variety of optimizations at different levels.

It’s worth pointing out that you need to be meticulous in fixing your local SEO. Here is the Google Maps SEO Checklist for reference to make sure you omit nothing while performing the local SEO of your website.

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7. Track Your Performance

You can track your performance in local SEO by using the built-in analytics in your Google My Business account.

Steps: Sign in to your account>>Select “Insights.”

Here is how it looks like:

Analytics helps you in many ways, and some of them are:

• Identify the specific search queries and terms that triggered your listing. You can use a tool and expand them.
• Know the frequency your listing appeared in organic and local Google searches. If it’s too little, increase your digital footprint and optimize your listing completely using the above tips.
• Observe the customer actions taken (e.g., making a phone call, visiting your website, seeking directions, etc.).
• Create the customer journey map on the website.
• Know the days of the week you get the most calls and inquiries.

You can’t do rank tracking using GMB analytics. However, you can do rank tracking locally and dig into customer information using Moz’s Local Market Analytics.

Conclusion

Covering the Google My Business basics is essential, but comprehensive optimization and consistent improvement can change the game. Experimenting, testing, and tracking different optimizations is a consistent process.

Monitoring the results will direct you to take the right strategic step. If you aren't sure what to do, always put the customer first and do something in their best interest.

Invest your time and money in local SEO and Google Maps marketing, and you'll be able to drive local traffic and generate leads to your business invariably. Various case studies prove that local SEO can amazingly increase keyword visibility manifold and boost local rankings.