Winter 2024-25 Newsletter
As we all start winding down the year, counting our blessings, and looking forward to the new year, we wanted to thank each of you for the belief you have in Simply Web Services. This year held a few surprises for us all – the new servers, full speed into a ‘new’ way to think of business with AI, and so much more. It is an exciting time to be a business and come up with outside-the-box thinking to stand out from competitors.
We wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Services We Offer
- Website Design/Maintenance
- Digital Marketing
- Search Engine Optimization (Site Placement)
- Social Media Marketing
- Reputation Management/Repair
- Local/National Marketing
- Google Products
- Google Suspensions/Reinstatement
- Website Hosting
Social Media - What’s App
A Meta (Facebook) product used for messaging, file sharing, and group chats/collaborations. It will also allow the ability to provide customer support and share updates regarding services or purchases. While it has some excellent uses, it has some security bugs. We don’t recommend using the app now, but we have been monitoring it. Should the security issues be resolved, we will revisit them.
Zero Click Searches
A zero what? A zero-click search is a query that directly answers the search engine results without the user needing to click through to a website. The user did not click on any results served, either ending their session or they went on to a new search query. Google and Bing are both heavily focusing on zero-click searches; they would rather the user not leave their page.
How do you counter zero search? You need to understand what the user wants and create content that directly answers the question. Focus on creating informative and engaging content that is more than a product or service description. Then, use search engine optimization to get the word out.
An example would be Services or Products, Hours, and Address.
FACT: 58.5% of U.S. searches are zero click
Local SEO
How Does Local SEO Work?
Local SEO overlaps with non-location specific SEO with some differences. Local SEO is important because it increases a business’s visibility in local search results, attracting nearby customers and increasing sales. Strong local SEO makes users more likely to discover and engage with your business.
To help with Local SEO, we devised a checklist you can utilize. Should you have questions, please reach out to us.
Local SEO Checklist:
- Have a mobile-friendly or responsive website
- Test your site speed for both desktop AND mobile
- Use SEO-friendly URLs
- Create internal links with locally relevant anchor text
- Search Engine Optimization
- Regularly identify and incorporate local keywords into your web content
- Write keyword-rich blog content (or FAQs/ Additional pages)
- Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile/Bing Listing
- Manage reviews (and get more!)
- Keep your local listings consistent
- Build local backlinks
- Actively use social media
There are numerous benefits to paying attention to your local SEO:
- Enhances search visibility
- Builds credibility & drives referrals
- Drives traffic to a physical location
- Cost-effective, relatively inexpensive compared to other print media (TV/print ads)
Rolling Out New Hosting Options/ Pricing Changes
We have been hard at work revamping our hosting packages to reflect the current climate better; websites require more space to operate in addition to those who use our email. Watch for emails letting you know what changes we have made and what changes may happen for your specific account.
There will be pricing changes, we have not raised our prices since we started in 1998, increasing space over the years, but we will provide you with a month or two notice.
Fun Social Media Holidays
How can you use the fun social holidays in your social media marketing to create a fun post?
- January 4 – National Trivia Day
- January 9 – Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
- January 24 – National Compliment Day
Website Facts
It takes 50 milliseconds for a user to form an opinion about your website- do they stay or do they go?
38% of users will stop engaging with a website if they feel the layout or content is unattractive
88% of consumers are less likely to return to a website after a bad experience