How to Get Your Business Seen in Google’s New AI Mode
Google AI Mode has landed in the UK, and it’s already changing how people search online. Instead of a long list of website links to scroll through, searches now return answers written by AI in a more natural, human way. For everyday searches, it means smarter, faster results. For businesses, it’s a major shift — and a new chance to get noticed. So what does this mean for your website, and how can you make your business gets seen in AI Mode? What is Google AI Mode? Officially launched in the UK on Wednesday, Google’s new feature adds full AI-generated answers to the top of search results. Instead of showing a list of links, AI Mode gives a conversational summary — pulling information from all the different sources into one clear, single-page answer. It’s a more complete way of delivering information, bringing useful details together in one scrollable summary. As Google put it: “Picture this: asking Google Search whatever is on your mind — as messy or complicated as it may be — and instantly receiving an AI-powered response that really understands your question, gives you the information you’re looking for and helps you dig deeper into the topic.” Hema Budaraju – Vice President, Product Management, Google Search AI Overviews have already shown at the top of some search results for a while now. What’s new is the dedicated tab in the top menu, which lets users switch into a more focused, AI-led search experience. When a generated summary does show above the regular results, you’ll often also see the “Dive deeper” button inviting you to switch to AI Mode. It marks a major shift in how Google presents content — putting AI-generated answers front and centre. How does AI Mode work? It’s powered by Gemini, Google’s generative AI model. Using the same kind of technology behind chatbots and large language models, it’s able to understand a query, scan relevant webpages, and generate a summary in seconds. The result is an easy-to-read answer, often giving people what they need without opening multiple tabs (or clicking lots of cookie permission pop-ups). For example, search for “Best vegan restaurant near me in Bath,” in AI Mode, and you’ll get a full summary pulled from various trusted sources. AI Mode doesn’t create any new information; it draws from what’s already in search results, rewording and combining it into a helpful answer. So it matters that your website is one of those trusted sources. If not, your content might be left out — and with it, potential visitors or customers. Will my business still show up? Yes — if it already ranks, it still can. But it might not appear in quite the same way. AI summaries feature fewer links, and often don’t list every source. If your content isn’t picked up by the AI, you may notice fewer clicks. One study found that when an AI Overview appears, people are far less likely to click any links, and only about 1% click the links inside the summary itself. In many cases, users find what they need straight away and don’t visit any websites at all. These are known as zero-click searches: where someone makes a search, and gets all the info they need before clicking through to the website. With instant AI-generated answers becoming the norm, this is only going to get more common. The irony is, you’ll still need a domain name and a great website — even if it’s being read by AI more than actual visitors! Is this only for big companies to think about? Not at all. In fact, this change might even benefit smaller local businesses, especially if you know your audience well and cover the right topics on your site. Get the content right, and you’ve got a real chance of appearing where it counts. So, what kind of content does Google’s AI actually pick up? Here are a few simple ways to make your website more likely to be featured. How do I get my website featured in Google AI mode? ☐ 1. Answer real customer questions Google’s AI is built to serve up quick, useful answers. Your content should do the same. Start by thinking like your customer: what would they actually type into the search bar? Try questions like, “How long does a kitchen cupboard take to build?” or “Can a carpenter fix a broken door?” Use clear headings for each question, give a short answer up top, then go into more detail if needed. Write naturally and aim to be genuinely helpful. ☐ 2. Write clearly and get to the point AI can’t summarise content well if it’s hard to follow. At least for the time being. So structure your pages with the most important info right at the top. Break up long text with bullet points or bold text, so it’s easy to scan — for both people and AI. Focus on your homepage and core service pages first, as they’re most likely to be featured. Avoid keyword stuffing, and write in a way that sounds natural and human. ☐ 3. Build E-A-T: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness AI Mode favours content from trusted sources. Show (1) expertise by including qualified authors and their credentials. Build (2) authority by linking to reputable sites and demonstrating real experience in your field. Keep content (3) trustworthy and accurate, free from any misleading claims. ☐ 4. Focus on local, useful content Mention the areas you serve clearly — for example, “We install kitchens across Canterbury, Dover, and wider Kent.” Share practical advice customers can use, like “How to care for wooden worktops.” Keep your Google Business Profile up to date, too, as information will also be pulled from there. ☐ 5. Keep your most popular pages fresh Start with your best-performing pages. They already attract visitors and are likely the best candidates for AI summaries. Make sure your pricing, contact info, and examples are current.
Local SEO in 10: How Do I Get My Business Found Online?
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is all about getting your business out there in front of as many customers as possible. The idea is to optimise your website so that it shows up easily on search engines like Google. Local SEO takes this a step further by focusing on customers in specific areas. Picture it as an online high street. To attract customers, you want to set up shop in a prime location, with an attention-grabbing window display. In SEO terms, that means appearing as high up in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) as you can.
Mobile Matters: Why You Need a Mobile-Friendly Website (and How to Get One)
A mobile-friendly website is one that’s been designed to work just as well on smartphones as it does on desktops. The idea is simple: visitors should have a great experience, wherever they are. More people browse on their phones than ever before. Be it searching for information, shopping, or booking services, smartphones are the go-to device for most of us today. That means any business website needs to be as easy to use on a mobile screen as it is on a desktop—or even more so. What is a mobile-friendly website? More people browse on their phones than ever before. Be it for shopping, searching for information, or paying for services, smartphones are the go-to device for most of us today. That means a website needs to work just as well on a mobile screen as it does on a desktop. One way to do it might be to create separate websites for each device. But this approach is bound to take up more time and resources. And today’s visitors expect a smoother ride. A smarter way is to create a website that knows “where it’s at” and can adapt itself to fit a mobile device. This is achieved using a technique known as responsive design. What’s the difference between being mobile-friendly and mobile-ready? “Mobile-friendly” and “mobile-ready” are often used interchangeably to talk about the same basic idea — and that’s fine. For geeks, there is however a slight technical difference: ☐ A mobile-friendly website is one that can adjust its layout and elements (like buttons and menus) to fit mobile screens. Images resize, text reflows, but the site itself doesn’t change; only the way it appears on different devices does. ☐ A mobile-ready website is an entirely separate site with its own web address or subdomain (think “m.example.com”). This approach has been going out of fashion in recent years because of the added costs and headaches involved in running separate sites. So then, what’s responsive design? The answer is that responsive websites can try to change their layout and elements to fit all different screens — not only mobile, but other devices. In short: all responsive websites should be mobile-friendly, but not all mobile-friendly websites are responsive. Why mobile-friendliness matters Responsive websites adjust their layout on the fly, making them work across a range of devices—not just tablets, but also smartwatches, TVs, and even the whole internet of things. But mobile matters most. Over half of all internet searches now happen on phones. The share is even bigger for online shopping. Google prefers mobile, too, giving higher search rankings to pages optimised for smartphones. So while a smooth mobile experience is important for all website owners, it’s essential if you run an online business. Luckily, there are platforms that take care of everything for you. How do they make websites mobile-friendly? Think about how users browse on phones — limited screen space and often on the go. When a website is mobile-friendly, the aim is to bring a smooth and easy user experience to smartphones, and generally to tablets as well. Content needs to be presented in a way that’s easy for mobile visitors to make sense of. That means readable text, clear and concise info, and easy-to-navigate menus with clear buttons and menus, so users can find what they’re looking for. Fast loading times are important for any website, but even more so on mobile. Images can be compressed and resized, cutting out the waiting times that could cause visitors to bounce. Mobile-friendliness also means putting the most important things, like contact information, special offers, and clear menus, right at the top for quick access. This way, users can find what they need fast and easily. ✔ Font size and readability: Large, clear text for ease of reading on small screens. ✔ Simple layout: No clutter, easy to navigate, simplified menus. ✔ Fast loading: Quick page views for impatient users, with condensed images. ✔ Tap and scroll friendly: For easy interaction with touchscreens. ✔ Big CTAs and CTCs: Extra-prominent ‘Call to Action’ and ‘Click-to-Call’ buttons. Why do I need a mobile-friendly website? 1. Web Browsing and Online Shopping Trends Almost 8 billion people use smartphones worldwide. That’s reflected in web traffic, with over 60% of hits coming on mobile devices. The slice is bigger when it comes to online shopping purchases, and even more so during holidays like Christmas, when consumers tend to use their smartphones for last-minute deals and on-the-go info. In the UK, over 93% of the population uses mobile internet. That’s just over 63 million mobile internet users, according to Statista. With more and more customers doing their browsing and shopping on smartphones, British mobile commerce sales are predicted to surpass £100 billion by 2025. 2. Improved User Experience The internet is increasingly mobile-centric. There’s been a shift in how people consume content, with a preference for bite-sized, easily digestible information. Modern consumers expect a smooth and user-friendly experience when browsing products or services. In fact, 57% of internet users say they wouldn’t recommend an online business with a poorly designed mobile website. Mobile optimisation brings users the experience they need. Speed matters fo all websites, but it’s especially important for on-the-go visitors who might have slower connections. 47% of users today expect a site to load in no more than 2 seconds. 3. Lower Bounce Rates, Higher Conversion Rates Mobile optimisation helps reduce bounce rates and leads to higher conversion rates. Studies suggest online shoppers are 67% more likely to make a purchase from a site optimised for smartphones. If your homepage isn’t easy to use on a phone, they’ll go somewhere else! Mobile-friendliness can give your online business a competitive edge, with potentially up to 40% higher conversion rates than non-optimised sites. Users are more likely to stay on a site that is easy to navigate and provides a positive experience, driving conversions. Mobile-readiness can all help generally for brand perception. It shows that you’re modern, professional, attentive to needs — rather than turning away those
How to Get Your Business Found with Google Ads
Google Ads is a tool that helps put your business in front of customers who might be searching for what you offer. By far the world’s leading Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising platform, it gives you control to run campaigns, track their progress, and switch things up as needed. And it’s easier than you might think, even for the non-technically-minded small business owner! With a well-aimed campaign and the right keywords, you can get your brand out there — no need to call that advertising agency. What is Google Ads? Since its launch in 2000 (as Google AdWords), Google Ads has grown into the internet’s biggest Search Engine Marketing (SEM) tool. More than a million businesses worldwide are using it today. ‘Ads operates on a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) model. That means you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. No clicks, no charge. So while it isn’t free, it can be a very cost-effective way to put your business out there in front of potential customers. The beauty is that it lets you reach people who are already searching for what it is you do or offer — be that a baker in Bristol, a hairdresser in Harrogate, a florist in… you get the picture. One advantage of online ads is that they’re much more targeted and measurable than traditional ones: unlike with billboards or magazines, where you pay regardless of whether anyone notices, Google Ads lets you set your own budget and track performance, so you know exactly where the money’s going. Google claims that for every $1 spent on Google Ads there’s a return of $8. While that’s based on an average across all industries, it can certainly do a lot for smaller businesses, too. More than half of small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) run PPC campaigns today. For reference, the average conversion rate for Google Ads on the search network is about 4.4%. Interestingly, paid ads like these perform up to five times better on mobile devices by some estimates. This just goes to show the importance of having a site that works well on mobile. SERP – Author: Seobility – License: CC BY-SA 4.0 What’s the difference between SEO and SEM? Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is about improving your website’s position in search results “organically”, without paid ads. The focus is on things like keywords and quality links to help your site rank higher. It’s a slow process, but it works. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is about paid ads that put your business in front of customers right away. The online ads you see on Google belong to the SEM category. While SEO builds long-term, SEM helps you get noticed right now. As we’ll get into, Google Ads don’t just show up in search results — they can also appear on websites, and on apps like YouTube. This can put your business in front of customers, wherever they are. For more: Local SEO in 10 – How Do I Get My Business Found Online? How to get started with Google Ads Let’s walk through the steps to help you set up your campaign and start seeing results. Before we get into it, we’ll assume you’ve already built a great website with Website Builder or Managed WordPress. Be sure to create a Google Business Profile so you can get found on maps, also. Throw Google Ads to the mix and you’ll have all the right tools in place to get found exactly where your potential customers are searching. 1. Sign up and set up your Google Ads account First, head to the Google Ads home and sign up. You’ll need to enter your business name and website URL. If you already have Google accounts like Analytics, linking them will speed up the setup process. You’ll be taken to the main dashboard, which is easy to navigate and will look like the above. This is where you’ll be able to create and monitor your campaigns. 2. Choose your campaign goal Once you’re all set up, it’s time to pick your campaign goal. This is the big picture – what do you want your Google Ads to achieve? Choosing the right goal helps Google fine-tune your ads and target the perfect audience for the best results. Google Ads offers several options depending on what you want to achieve. Here’s a look at your options: ☐ Drive website clicks – More clicks, more eyes on your business. ☐ Generate leads – If you’re after sign-ups, form submissions, or customer inquiries, this is the one. ☐ Boost sales – Set this goal to focus on increasing purchases or conversions on your site. 3. Set your budget and bidding When you’re running Google Ads, bidding is how you decide how much you’re willing to pay for each click on your ads. You’ll want to decide whether a daily or monthly budget works best for your business and goals. If you’re new to this, it’s a good idea to start small, then gradually increase your budget as you begin to see what’s working. When it comes to bidding, there are two main ways of going about it: ☐ Manual bidding – Setting the maximum amount you’re willing to pay per click for full control. ☐ Automated bidding – This lets Google optimise your bids to get the best results within your budget. 4. Start creating your ads Google Ads gives you lots of ways to get seen. You can choose different ad formats depending on how you want to reach potential customers. Choose your ad format Search Ads appear as the “Sponsored” ads on top of Google when people search for something related to your business. These are great for reaching customers who are ready to buy. Search Ads are great for reaching customers who are ready to buy and usually feature only headlines and descriptions, so no image is needed. Display-based Ads, which do include images, appear across various platforms and target users based on their interests, even when
Google Hacks and Tricks You Need to Know
From humble origins as a garage startup to a global tech giant, Google has redefined how we access information in the modern age. Near-synonymous with search, Google handles literally billions of queries each and every day. Over 90% of Brits prefer it over rival search engines. But there’s more to it than just typing in a few words and hitting enter — here are some smarter ways to “Google it” and find what you need, faster. Find the exact match with “quotes” All right, you might know this one already, but it’s a biggie, so let’s get it out the way: if you want to find an exact phrase on Google, you can enclose it in “quotation marks” for an exact match. Google’s algorithms are usually clever enough to understand the context — a search for ‘Best Headphones 2024’ would probably give the right results on its own. But there are times when specifics are needed. For product names (“Sony WH-1000XM5”) or exact phrases, adding speech marks can bring up better results. Command your search You can use AND and OR to refine your searches. A search for “cats AND dogs” will show results that include both animals, while “cats OR dogs” will show results with either one. You can also use the minus sign (-) to exclude unwanted words. For instance, Googling “pasta recipes -cheese ” will give you pasta dishes without the fromage. Fill in the blanks with an asterisk * An asterisk (*) works as a placeholder to fill in pesky missing words, helping you complete your search when you don’t know the exact words. This is handy when you want to keep your search options open or, especially, when you can’t quite remember the full name of what it was you were after. What was the name of that pub? How did that song go again? Search with an image You can perform a reverse image search to find out what an image is (or where it appears online). Just click on the camera icon on the search bar and upload your pic. Based on Google Lens, this is a useful tool when it comes to desktop files or URLs rather than real world objects. Define a search period with AFTER, BEFORE, “..” If you’d like to know what the world thought about a topic this time last year, or perhaps a decade ago, you can use the time operators, BEFORE and AFTER. For a specific range, use two dots (..) like “2005..2010”. Alternatively, click ‘Any Time’ at the top of the search results and set your own specific range in the dropdown. Hit the jackpot with price ranges (£X..£Y) You can also use those two dots to search within a price range. For example, “smartphones £200..£500” will show you only smartphones priced between £200 and £500. Use site: to search within one website Use the “site:” command to search for results from only one website. This trick lets you explore specific sites without getting lost in the wider web. Say you’re looking for a good cheesecake recipe, for example, rather than wading through all those overly-long baking recipe blogs, you could enter “site:bbc.co.uk cheesecake recipe” to view results only from the beeb. Use site: for results only from one domain extension As mentioned, site: is there to explore specific websites. Not so well-known is that you can use it to search for results only within certain extensions (TLDs). This can be really useful when it comes to country code (ccTLD) extensions. For example, “site:.co.uk fashion” will show fashion-related search results only from UK websites. It’s a great way to discover country-specific news, products, or services. Similarly, entering “site:.ai artificial intelligence” would bring up content only from .AI domains. Keep it close with AROUND(#) Use AROUND(#) to find search terms sitting close to each other — not on maps, but on a webpage. Add a number in the brackets to specify how close you want these terms to be. eg., “Love AROUND(5) Betrayal” would find texts and documents where “love” and “betrayal” appear within 5 words of each other. Convert currencies Google lets you convert currencies instantly. Just type something like “1GBP to Euro” into the search bar, and you’ll see the equivalent amount in British pounds. Handy for viewing currency exchange rates fast. Crunch numbers with a calculator Google can be your on-the-go calculator. Simply type in your equation in the search bar and it’ll give you the answer. One advantage is that Google understands the context of your query: you can directly ask for calculations (like “10% of 200 plus 15% of 300”) without having to use the symbols. Flip a coin (or roll the dice) Type “Flip a coin” and Google does the job. This is useful if you want to resolve your office disputes like Harvey Dent from Batman, but you don’t have any cash. Typing in “Roll the Dice” does a similar trick. Start a timer or stopwatch Enter “Stopwatch” or “Timer” into the search bar and Google can help get soft hard boiled eggs done without a watch or other app. Translate words or webpages Need an interpretater? Type in words or phrases plus “in [language]” for instant translation. You can also translate entire web pages. When foreign language results in the search, click “Translate this page” and hey presto. Find local fun with nearby events You can use Google to discover events happening near you. Search for “Events near me” to find a variety of activities, from concerts, comedy gigs and festivals, to art exhibits and workshops. Test your internet connection Google has a no-nonsense inbuilt bandwidth checker. Just search for “Speed test” and click the ‘Run Speed Test’ button when it appears. In just a few moments, you’ll know your download and upload speeds. Track down your lost devices If you’re an Android user, Google can help you find your
Google Analytics: A Guide For Your Online Business
Google Analytics is a free in-browser app that helps you understand how your website is performing. It goes well beyond counting hits. If you have an online business, you can learn how visitors move through your pages on their way towards making a purchase — or navigating away. The idea is to make make smarter, data-based decisions to improve your customers’ experience. In this guide, we’ll run through the basics of getting started with Google Analytics and look at all the essential features. Why analytics? Website analytics help you understand what people are doing in your online space — what they like, what they don’t like, what makes them click. The aim might be to offer a better experience for visitors and increase engagement. You can use the data to improve your site in a way that keeps visitors coming back for more. For online businesses, the goal will be to drive sales and deliver the best possible bang-per-buck. By tracking metrics like conversion rates, time on page, and click-through rates, companies can make informed decisions to boost sales, increase brand awareness, and hit their targets. In short: you’ll want analytics to achieve the best Return On Investment (ROI). Welcome to Google Analytics 4 Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a powerful in-browser platform for gathering traffic insights and more. It is the successor to Google’s previous tool, Universal Analytics (UA). They decided to bring back the classic name with this release, but the software is new from the ground up. GA4 represents a big leap for website analytics. In particular, it’s much smarter when it comes to looking at user interaction with individual web pages. You can track how visitors scroll up and down pages and understand more about which pages take customer where. And it’s totally free to use. There is a premium version, Google Analytics 360, but that’s designed for large enterprise with more complex data needs. GA4 is more than enough for most small to medium-sized businesses. How does Google Analytics work? GA4 gathers data from your website, your visitors, and Google Search. It then visualises the data in intuitive ways. It paints a vivid picture of how users engage with your site, with insights into their journey, from the moment they land on your page to the moment they leave (or, hopefully, make a purchase). GA4 makes use of what Google calls ‘Signals’ – clues taken from device type, browser settings, and so on – to enrich data collection. Doing it this way, combined with machine learning, allows GA4 to fill in data gaps (think of it like gaps in the dinosaur DNA). The idea is to understand the whole user experience. It sets out to do this through ‘event-based tracking’, including various user actions — from clicks and scrolls to video views and form submissions. Importantly, it collects data without infringing on the privacy of individual users. Instead, it’s anonymised and built up a bit like a collage. Users aren’t snooped on directly. GA4 can however collect more specific personal data when it comes to Ads Personalisation. By default, though, this option is set to off within everyone’s Google accounts. What can I do with Google Analytics? Imagine your business is an independent bookstore that sells books online. Google Analytics can track how customers find their online shop through search. It can provide data on which genres or authors they browse. You can see how long visitors linger, for example, on book descriptions, and if they add any titles to their virtual cart. You can see how customers have discovered books — through blogs, online ads, social media posts, or simply from search results. Armed with this information, you can figure out which marketing strategies are turning pages into profits and tailor the approach accordingly. Perhaps you need to highlight more staff picks on the homepage? Or run a special promotion? The data is there to help you make smarter decisions — whether that’s redesigning the website navigation, promoting specific products, or launching a campaign. You can track the progress of promotions or campaigns as you go. How do I install Google Analytics? Since GA is a web-based tool, you can access it directly in your browser without downloading or installing anything — it’s just about getting it connected. To start, you’ll need to open an account. You can use your existing Google account, if you like. Then, it’s time to create a Property. In Google Analytics, a Property represents an individual website or mobile app, and acts as a tab for organising all the information contained within it. You can create and manage multiple within one account. After logging into GA4, you’ll automatically get a Property created for your website or app as part of the initial setup. The final element is your unique Tracking Code. This code allows Google Analytics to collect data from your site and is provided as an HTML snippet (looking like “G-XXXXXXXXX” or “UA-XXXXX-X”). This invisible tracker will need to go on all pages in order to work its magic. Click here to visit Google’s own instructions on getting your site connected. Thankfully, if you’re using Website Builder from 123 Reg, there’s an easy way to add your HTML snippet. Simply visit your website dashboard and click “Edit Website”. Once in, scroll over to “Settings” in the right side panel and find “Google Analytics”. Copy paste your code into the “Tracking ID” area. Hey presto. Your changes will save automatically, but you’ll need to publish your website to make the Google Analytics tracking code active. Once that’s done, be patient! It can take up to 24 hours for data to start showing up in your GA4 account. If you’re a WordPress user, you can add your tracking code either manually by editing your theme’s header.php file or with various free plugins. Set up a Google Analytics demo account For those new to Google Analytics, a new account linked to your Google account is
SEO Essentials: The A-Z SEO Guide
SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is about making your website easier to find in search results. It helps people discover what you offer when they’re looking for it online. Many of the basics are simple enough to do yourself – no technical know-how needed. This A–Z guide will walk you through the key terms and tips to help you get started. SEO first started to get going as an idea in the mid-late 1990s. Since then, it’s grown into a huge and sophisticated global industry, where dedicated professionals compete fiercely to bring top search engine rank to businesses. It’s all about making your website easy for search engines to find and, in turn, making it more visible to people who are searching for what you have to offer. But don’t be intimidated by all the technical jargon: SEO isn’t (though I may need to go into hiding after I’ve said this) rocket science. For most website owners, the DIY basics are really easy. Finding the right keywords, optimising content, and being mobile-friendly – it’s all well within your reach. This A-Z glossary aims to make SEO easy by outlining the essential strategies to boost your website in search results. Let’s dive in and hit your search engine potential. Alt Text Short for “alternative text”, Alt Text is a short description you add to an image on your website. Alt Text helps with SEO so that people can find your website better. It’s important to know that alt text isn’t the same as a caption that everyone can see — it’s hidden in the HTML code. If the image doesn’t load, the Alt Text can appear instead. Screen readers can use Alt Text to describe images to people who can’t see them. If you want to include image credits or copyright info, though, it’s better to put this somewhere else on your page. Anchor Text Anchor text is the visible, clickable text placed on a link. It serves as a short description of the linked destination, helping users and search engines understand the content’s relevance. For example, if I were to say that it’s so easy for anyone to buy a domain name and build a great website — that’s Anchor Text. Using descriptive anchor text is good for user experience and provides valuable context for search engines, improving your website’s ranking for SEO. Author: Seobility – License: CC BY-SA 4.0 Backlink A Backlink is a link from an external website to a page on your own website. Backlinks are really important to SEO because search engines interpret them like a sort of endorsement for your content’s value and credibility. That is: the more high-quality Backlinks you have, the better your site is likely to rank on Google. Outbound links, where you link from your website to others, can also help by providing readers with additional resources. Linking to low-quality or spammy websites, however, will potentially harm your SEO. Bounce Rate A certain ratio of visitors will, unfortunately, take one look at your website and run — navigating away without so much as a click. In the world of SEO, this metric is known as Bounce Rate. A high rate of bounce would suggest visitors aren’t finding that content very relevant, interesting, or groovy. But there’s something you can do about that. See also: Quality Content Canonical URL A Canonical URL is a special HTML tag that helps search engines identify the “master copy” of a page when multiple versions exist. This prevents confusion and guarantees that the most important version is the one that shows up in search results. Think of it as a signpost directing visitors and search engines to the main version of a page. Good to know: Many website platforms like WordPress handle canonical URLs automatically, so you often don’t need to worry about them. Crawling Crawling is a name for the process that search engines use to systematically explore the web. Search engines like Google all use automated programs, called “bots” or “crawlers”, to scan the internet, discovering and mapping out websites. These bots follow links from page to page, discovering new content and updating their index, sort of like a giant library catalog of the internet. See also: Robots.txt Click-Through Rate (CTR) The Click-Through rate (CTR) for a link is a measure of how many people click on it after seeing it. There’s two sorts: ☐ SERP Click-Through Rate is the percentage of people who click on a website’s link after seeing it on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). It’s an important SEO metric because it shows how well your Meta Tags attract clicks. See also: Meta Data ☐ On-Page CTR is about the percentage of users who click on a specific link or call to action within your website’s pages — moving from a blog to a product page, for instance. How it’s calculated: Divide the number of clicks your link receives by the number of times it’s shown (impressions), then multiply by 100%. For example, if 1000 people see your link and 100 click on it, your CTR is 10% (a strong result on a SERP!) Author: Seobility – License: CC BY-SA 4.0 DoFollow DoFollow Links are links that search engines follow and factor into website rankings. They act as a signal of trust, passing authority (“link juice”) from the linking site to the linked site. By including Dofollow links to relevant, good-quality sites, you can potentially improve your own ranking. In short: they help webpages get noticed. NoFollow Links, as you might imagine, do the opposite and work to prevent search engines from following and passing on trust and credibility. They’re often used in user-generated content (like in forums) to avoid unverified sources or spammy behaviour. See also: Robots.txt Duplicate Content When there are sections on your website that are the same (or very similar), this is Duplicate Content. It’s bad for SEO because search engines might struggle to figure out which page is the most important, leaving your website less likely
Names That Click: How to Choose the Right Domain Name
Choosing the right domain name is one of the fundamentals for online success. It’s the first thing many people see about your brand — and may even help to define it. The right choice is bound to make a big impact. But while buying a domain name can be surprisingly cheap and easy, it’s a challenge to up sticks and move home later on. That’s why it’s so important to get it right from the start. In this guide, we’ll go through some practical tips on how to pick a domain name that’s smart, affordable, and sure to make a lasting impression. What is a domain name? To start with the basics, a domain name is a specific address that you enter into a web browser to visit a website. Every website has its own special domain name — much like any house in the street has its own postcode. Each domain consists of three main parts: the subdomain, the second-level domain, and the top-level domain (TLD) or domain extension. Looking at www.123-Reg.co.uk, for example, that’s the “www” prefix, the unique name in the middle, and the “.co.uk” suffix at the end. So, what’s a URL? Well, web addresses and URLs are basically the same but, strictly speaking, the URL includes a protocol (like “HTTPS”) at the beginning. Forward slashes are then used to create more subdirectories or paths. But that’s more than enough detail, for now. Here’s a quick breakdown of what a URL — that is to say, a full web address — is made up of: You’ll have noticed that a lot of websites have “www” at the start. This is the most common subdomain out there. The same age as Taylor Swift and at least equally as famous, we think you know what it stands for. You may be surprised to learn, though, that it’s used by only around 50% of websites online today. For the most part, subdomains are there to help us make sense of navigation. They are used to set up specific sections within websites. For example, an online store can use a subdomain like “shop.something.com”, while a blog could be set up on “blog.something.com”. Similarly, a mobile-friendly version of website might exist on “m.something.com”. The heart of a domain name is the second-level domain. This is the juicy core of the web address, acting as a unique identifier for the site. It’s what most people will remember and associate with a web address. More often than not, the second-level domain reflects the brand name itself. For example, the “123-Reg” part of www.123-Reg.co.uk. Last but not least, the top-level domain (TLD) or domain extension, such as “.com”, sits at the end of the address. The extension is really important because it gives users an idea about the type of website they’re visiting. Along with the second-level domain, the TLD is the main thing you’ll need to think about when choosing a domain name. What is a domain registrar? A Domain Registry is the organisation that manages and maintains the records for specific top-level domains. For example, Nominet is the official registry for .UK domains, while VeriSign is the official registry for .com and .net domains. A Domain Registrar is an organisation that sells domain names to the general public. Much like buying chocolate, you wouldn’t approach the manufacturer themselves but rather an approved dealer like a supermarket or newsagent. A registrar must be accredited by a domain registry before it can sell their TLDs. Every time a registrar makes a sale, they then pay a fee to the appropriate registry. So, you can also transfer your domain to a different registrar, but you can’t transfer a domain on the registry! Finally, the Domain Registrant is the entity (an individual or company) that has registered a domain name. If a registrant makes any changes to the records for their domain, the registrar will then notify the appropriate registry so that their records are kept up-to-date. Learn more about transferring your domain to 123 Reg How to choose a domain name What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Right? Well, Shakespeare wasn’t aiming to establish a successful online presence in 2024. One leaf to take out of the Bard’s book, however, is to have an awareness of how words and letters can affect an audience. Your domain is your online signature. And with that, here are our top tips for choosing the right one. There are more than 350 million registered domain names out there today, according to the 2023 Domain Name Industry Brief Report. With new domain names registered at a rate of around 1 million each month, that total is expected to rise to over 550 million by 2026. As we’ll explore, the right choice of website address can have a huge impact. The most recognised extensions (gTLDs) include “.com”, “.org”, and “.net”. There’s also the major country code extensions, such as “.fr” or “.jp”. In recent years, there’s been an explosion of new, weird and wonderful choices, like “.fun”, “.club”, “.london” or “.fit”. It’s a good strategy to choose a clever matching combo. Here’s our advice on choosing the right domain name for you: ➤ Keep it short and sweet You want a domain name that’s easy to remember, say, and type. It should be straightforward and give potential visitors an idea of what your website is about. A domain that people can easily shout out will help with word-of-mouth recommendations and make it more likely for visitors to return to your site. 15 characters should be about the upper limit in most cases. But less is more. Avoid words that are prone to being misspelled, as well as hyphens or awkward sets of numbers. Special characters aren’t an option when choosing domain names (and that’s a good thing). ➤ Be on brand Try to find a brandable domain name. For many start-ups and small business owners just getting the ball rolling, it can