Long-Tail Keyword Guide: How To Use In 2021

Are you exhausted of trying ranking for the same highly competitive keywords as your competitors? Here are two and a half words that will help you solve this problem: Long-tail keywords.

There are so many benefits of highly targeted search terms packed with intent. Onimod Global experts are here to help break down the definition of long-tail keywords and how to use them to your advantage.

What are long-tail keywords?

By definition, long-tail keywords are longer and much more specific keyword phrases that users will likely use to guide them to their desired destination faster. This usually also occurs when they’re closer to a purchase or when the visitors are using voice search. Long-tail keywords can be extremely valuable if you know how to use them.

Here’s an example to explain: if you’re a furniture company, most likely the odds are that your pages won’t often rank or appear near the top of an organic search for “furniture” because there’s too much competition (this is particularly true if you’re a smaller company or a startup). But if you specialize in, say, a specific type of vintage furniture, then keywords like “vintage victorian style desk” are going to reliably find those customers looking for exactly that product on your page.

Managing long-tail keywords is essentially just a matter of establishing how you communicate the product or service you’re selling between your business and the customers who are already out there that are actively searching or shopping for what you provide.

Note that the actual length of these keywords technically isn’t relevant. Long-tail keywords tend to be at least three words long due to their specificity, but precise low-volume searches that are only one or two words long (such as many brand names) are also considered long-tail keywords.

How to use long-tail keywords in 2021

Standalone broad keyword strategies are a matter of the past. Years ago, hunting for long-tail keywords with a seemingly low search volume probably seemed and felt like a waste of time and effort. However, long-tail keywords contain so much opportunity in order to connect with your audience which are likely to be converting and paying customers.

In 2021 (almost 2022), the combination of Google’s increased focus on user experience and search intent, and the steady increase of conversational search and voice search, means that long-tail keyword SEO strategies are more important than ever before. Incorporating these can be a real game changer for your company.

Long-tail keywords are also a crucial part of optimizing for ensuring your content is connecting with your audience by showing them exactly what they’re searching for. We live in an age where 55% of millennials use voice search daily. When these users query these platforms, they use long-tail keyword phrases such as questions (what are the best cafe’s with matcha lattes nearby?) and commands with clear intent (compare the price of the blazer from Zara and H&M).

Put yourself in the shoes of the customer to predict the intent behind naturally spoken and voice search questions so that you can provide the most clear and direct answers about your business and services and better target these long-tail keyword phrases. Even better than guessing what your customer’s are guessing, we suggest to do market research and ask a group of people in your target market for their Google searches relative to your content and product and/or service.

Final thoughts

In addition to long-tail keyword strategies and other digital marketing updates, we will continue to share case studies and the latest SEO updates to help you drive your business. Our goal is to ensure we help improve your marketing and drive success.

At Onimod Global, we have endless experience and expertise when it comes to all things SEO, general social media advertising, and digital marketing. Got questions about Facebook advertising or want to learn more about us? Contact us here today.

 

 

 

3 Crucial SEO Tips for 2021

Search engine optimization, SEO, by definition is: a strategy in digital marketing which aims to improve your ranking on search engines.

Sounds easy to conquer, but we all know it isn’t so simple. It’s extremely difficult to keep up with Google’s 500-600 algorithm updates annually. That means there is at least one update per day every year. Experts who dedicate their careers to unlocking the secret to search engine ranking optimization still are puzzled at the end of the day. Fear not, we are here to help guide you with the top 3 SEO tips for 2021 that will get you on the right track to ranking success.

1. Understand your website’s core vitals

Maybe you’ve never heard the phrase before, but the philosophy behind it is becoming more crucial to your SEO and ranking. In May of 2022, Google will roll out Page Experience, which is a brand new algorithm ranking pages based off of their “core web vital” scores. A brief overview of what to look out for here is: 

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – Measures page speed. This is the time it takes for a page’s main content to load. The ideal LCP is 2.5 seconds or faster.

First Input Delay (FID) – Measures page responsiveness. This is the time it takes for a page to become interactive. The ideal FID is less than 100 ms. 

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) – Measures visual stability. This is the amount of unexpected layout shift of visual page content. The ideal CLS is less than .1.

2. Focus on featured snippets
If they aren’t already, featured snippets should be a priority to include in your SEO strategy for 2021. Also commonly referred to as the holy grail of search, featured snippets appear at the very top of search engine page results (SERP), or in position zero, in a rectangular box. You can’t technically “select” the content shown in a featured snippet, but you can optimize your content so it’s more likely to appear in a featured snippet. Here are a few recommendations.

Use questions: all content that you write needs to be composed with the user in mind. What would they search in Google in order to come across your content?

Long term keywords: the longer words in a search query, the higher chance it will return a featured snippet. Only 4.3% of single word keywords resulted in a featured snippet as compared to 17% of keywords made up of 5 words, and 55.5% of keywords made of 10 words.
Keep formats in mind: When it comes to featured snippets, there are four different formats: paragraph, list, table and video. While writing your content with the goal of achieving a featured snippet, keep these different formats in mind. Also remember, Google wants to display information easily and distinctly to searchers looking for a fast answer. So format for the speed reader.

3. Focus on user experience
In 2021, user experience is more important than ever in terms of SEO. As mentioned in tip #1, the new focus on core web vitals is all about user experience. In addition to that, Google also takes into account bounce rate, dwell time, and click-through percentage. The goal is to have a user click on your result, spend time clicking on different pages, and spend at least 3 minutes on your site.

More From Onimod Global

As certified SEO experts, our team is here to assist your business with holistic digital marketing strategies including SEO, because our goal is to make you more sucessful. To get in contact for an audit on your digital presence, get in touch with us here.

How to Improve Your Local Search Rankings on Google

Do you feel like your business’s visibility on Google is lacking? If your business isn’t showing up for relevant searches in your area, it’s time to reevaluate your local SEO strategy, specifically your efforts on Google My Business. This is one of the simplest tools you can use to improve your local Google ranking and quickly. 

If you don’t already have a robust Google My Business strategy, here are some things you can do to up your game. 

1. Enter Complete Data

Businesses with complete and accurate information are easy to match up with the right search queries. This is why it’s crucial to consistently keep your information up to date, especially if you’re making changes to your business. You want users to be able to easily tell what you do, where you are and when they can visit. Be sure to always have your address, contact information, business category and attributes filled out on your profile and up to date. 

2. Verify Your Location 

Verifying your location will make it more likely you show up in Maps and Search on Google. The simplest way to verify your location is through a postcard. To do this, all you have to do is request Google to send you a postcard to your business address. Before you request, be sure you have the following steps completed: 

  1. You have a standard Google Account for your business. 
  2. You have a Business Profile. 
  3. You have a Google My Business account.
  4. You’ve claimed your Business Profile. 
  5. You’ve verified ownership of your business. 

They usually arrive within 2 weeks. Once you’ve received the postcard, you’ll notice a verification code. You’ll enter this into your Google My Business profile and your location will be verified. 

3. Keep Your Hours Accurate 

Accurate hours let customers know when you’re available and give them confidence you’ll be open if they take the time to travel to you. Accurate hours are also another factor Google uses in determining if your business is legitimate, ranking your relevancy for each query accordingly. Be sure to update your hours regularly, including when you open and close and if you have special hours for holidays or events. 

4. Manage and Respond to Reviews 

One of the most critical factors to online rankings are customer reviews. A large number of genuine reviews lets customers know you’re a real and reputable company. To grow your number of reviews, frequently ask for customer feedback through email, on social and in person. Be sure to link your Google My Business Profile so they know where to leave the review. Responding to reviews can be just as important as getting them. This shows you listen to your customers and value their feedback. Google also highly favors business with a large number of positive reviews when it comes to relevant searches. 

5. Add Photos

To showcase your goods and services, and to tell the story of your business, add photos to your Business Profile. Accurate and appealing pictures may also show shoppers that your business offers what they’re searching for. These images may also appear in Google search results if a user is searching for your products or about your industry. Thus, growing your brand awareness and increasing your overall reach. 

Final Thoughts

At Onimod Global, we’re a trusted Google Partner. Meaning we specialize in all Google Ad areas including: 

  • Search Advertising 
  • Mobile Advertising 
  • Video Advertising 
  • Display Advertising 
  • Shopping Advertising 

If you need assistance in any area of Google Ads, SEO or SEM in general, contact us today. 

More from Onimod Global

Onimod Global releases the latest digital marketing news and essential marketing tips every Tuesday and Thursday! To catch up on the top digital marketing news and trends, click here. To find out more about who we are and what we do, click here.

Content Creation Tips to Improve Your SEO

When it comes to SEO, a common misconception is that to be successful, you must “trick” the algorithm. Actually, it’s about having a grasp on the key elements of the algorithm and aligning your content strategy with these SEO considerations in mind, while also optimizing for your readership. 

Check out these simple ways to create high performing content that can also help improve your search rankings. 

1. Start with keyword research. 

One piece of content should have 1 primary keyword target and 5-10 additional keyword targets. Think about what your audience might be looking for and what questions they ask online to help determine your primary keyword. Generally, the most successful keywords have high search volume and low difficulty. Keyword difficulty refers to how much competition a keyword or phrase has. The higher the value, the more difficult it will be to compete with others using that keyword as well. It can be difficult to identify the sweet spot of seed keywords (high search volume + low difficulty) but when you do, it can have a great impact on your overall success. 

2. Determine search intent. 

Search intent refers to the primary goal a user has when performing a search query. Oftentimes, users are searching for a specific answer or research. To identify keyword search intent, look for clues in SERP titles. For example, if someone is looking for: 

  • Informational answers, they might use: guide, tutorial, how, what, tips, steps, etc. 
  • Navigational answers, they might use: brand name, product, service, etc. 
  • Commercial answers, they might use: best, cheapest, top, review, etc. 
  • Transactional answers, they might use: buy, price, coupon, promo code, etc. 

Once you’ve determined the intent, you then have to identify the proper format to go along with it. Conduct research by checking the top 10 articles in the results page. What formats are other sites using, what are their CTAs and what are their titles and descriptions? 

3. Optimize meta titles, meta-descriptions and H1s. 

A well-optimized meta title: 

  • Corresponds to identified search intent 
  • Contains target keywords 
  • Consists up to 60 characters 
  • Persuades users to click to your website 
  • Includes a CTA 

A meta-description encourages users to click on the SERP links and should: 

  • Be unique 
  • Be 1-2 sentences 
  • Describe the page
  • Include target keywords 
  • Play to a specific emotion
  • Include a CTA 

H1s introduce your content to your audience, so you want to make it catchy. You can create the best performing H1s by:

  • Describing what is going to be discussed in the body of the text. 
  • Include conversational terms such as how, what, why, etc. 
  • Include numbered lists (Top 10, Best 5, etc.) 

4. Structure content to make it easily digestible. 

This is why it’s important that online content is structured to be easy to scan and read. Since you never know who might stumble upon your site, you don’t want them to immediately bounce because your content is confusing or includes too many technical terms to be easily understood. To break up your content, use multiple levels of headers and ensure it’s easy to tell which content belongs to which header. Additional best practices include: 

  • Only discussing one topic per paragraph.
  • Avoiding lengthy sentences.
  • Highlighting main ideas by bolding, italicizing or changing fonts.
  • Include bulleted or numbered lists. 

5. Include optimized visual content. 

Visuals like images, videos, infographics, checklists, templates, etc. break up your content and allow readers to digest content quicker. When including visuals, be sure to optimize their size, names and Alt tags. These practices will ensure quicker page load times, make your content unique, more descriptive and 

More from Onimod Global 

Onimod Global releases the latest digital marketing news and essential marketing tips every Tuesday and Thursday! To catch up on the top digital marketing news and trends, click here. To find out more about who we are and what we do, click here.

Simple Link Building Techniques to Follow in 2021

When it comes to SEO, both on-page and off-page efforts are equally important and need to be done appropriately. Link building is an off-page SEO technique that has become essential in enhancing a website’s rankings and its overall growth. 

Over the past few years, marketers have had to change the way they go about link building due to changes in Google’s algorithm. Google now ranks the quality of links above the total number of links a website has. With that, here are four effortless link building techniques you can utilize in 2021. 

1. Guest Posting 

A guest post is one of the most impactful link building techniques. This not only allows you to generate more backlinks, but helps you build relations with others in your industry as well. It’s fairly easy to identify blog sites that will allow others to write guests posts for them. Look for a medium that is appropriately related to your niche, but not a direct competitor. Doing this will not only allow you to build more backlinks, but can help you build good relations as well. 

When guest posting, you want to make sure your content is high quality and published in a good presentation. If the delivery is not good, your reputation could suffer and defeat the purpose. Make sure you generate informative content so you’re building links in the most effective way. 

2. Broadening Your Relations 

No matter the industry, relationships matter. The same goes for link building. Identify blogs, forums and pages that are related to your niche. Follow them on social media and try to get into contact with them. Connecting with more businesses similar to yours can help in a variety of ways. Not only are you building links but you’re also putting yourself more in the loop of what’s going on in your industry. This also helps you create more awareness for your brand, ultimately helping you and your site grow. 

3. Testimonials 

Writing testimonials is another simple and effective link building method. There are many companies that ask and enable people to write testimonials on the products or services they offer. When you leave a testimonial, you can get a backlink if the company publishes it. Ultimately this will engage more visitors and traffic to your website. 

4. Keep an Eye on Competitors  

Lastly, you should keep an eye on the links your competitors are building. Monitor the strong links they have and see the strategies they implement in going about building them. This can help you improve your own strategies and identify how you can go about getting the highest quality links. 

Final Thoughts 

Link building is an essential factor in an overall SEO strategy. While these are fairly simple tactics, there are many more. Sometimes it’s easier to seek help from the experts. At Onimod Global, SEO is our core attribute and a pillar of our marketing strategy. We develop organic search engine optimization campaigns that deliver increases in organic traffic through an increase in natural rankings across all major search engines. If you’re interested in digital marketing assistance or want to learn more about what we do, contact us today

Onimod Global releases the latest digital marketing news and essential marketing tips every Tuesday and Thursday! To catch up on the top digital marketing news and trends, click here

3 SEA Tips To Win Business With Local Search

The behavior of customers has completely changed making local search relevant and on the map. More and more consumers realize the ease and opportunity of online search and purchase due to restrictions on movement in the pandemic times. Individuals want a tailored search view with results that are relevant to where they are at that very moment. This is where search engine advertising, or SEA, comes into play.

To win over those customers and create conversion opportunities, your location-specific ads must be at the top of the search engine results page; it’s a competitive imperative.

Here are three SEA tips every marketer needs to win local marketing with paid search.

1) Don’t rely on just one search engine

Location targeting — through Google Ads, for example — marks a huge revolution for advertisers and marketers. It enables them to maximize their PPC by targeting ads to specific areas.

Despite this being a very helpful tool, there are still significant blindspots. The data provided by Google Ads and others isn’t as detailed as necessary when it comes to things such as monitor competitor strategies or uncover opportunities that may crop up. Advertisers and marketers need to keep this in mind when gathering data on all different kinds of search engines in order to make their strategies effective and dynamic. For advertisers to juggle national, state, and local demand is almost impossible to accomplish manually or without the right data. Which is why AI is crucial to success when it comes to succeeding in the local search market.

2) Customize your local SEA ads

Ad customization by location is becoming increasingly more popular, and makes you that much more relevant to the customer. For example, 72% of desktop or tablet users and 67% of smartphone users want ads customized to their location. Additionally, 82% of smartphone users search for businesses near them; 90% click on the first set of results they see.

One of the main parts to local search marketing is customizing the ad to each location with messaging and strategy. Follow these five steps from Search Engine Land to creating click-winning location-based ads:

  1. Be there: Know where your products and services are most needed.
  2. Be relevant: Is your ad creative relevant and specific? Are you appearing at the right time?
  3. Be useful: Don’t be generic in your copy and CTAs. Each work must express your services and answer your questions.
  4. Be quick: Any delay in response to market and competitor shifts will set you back, no matter your size.
  5. Be top: Target the most relevant search terms in location. The closer you are to number one the greater the likelihood of a click.

3) Stay relevant with the Google updates

Keeping track of the multitude of updates Google is no easy feat. Google makes every month across its Shopping, PPC and SEO offerings. Difficulty is not the only complication, there is also a real necessity to remain ‘in the know’ about these updates. This is because, as search engine markets continuously show, even one missed update can dramatically and quickly send you spiraling down from position one.

More from Onimod Global

Onimod Global is looking forward to the future and helping your business reach your full digital potential. Interested in growing your digital presence for your company? Reach out to us here!

Onimod Global releases the latest digital marketing news and essential marketing tips every Tuesday and Thursday! To catch up on the top digital marketing news and trends, click here. To find out more about who we are and what we do, click here.

7 Ways to Improve Your Online Presence in 2021

All businesses are looking to attract more customers in their local area. Obviously, increasing local SEO efforts is going to be one of the best ways to accomplish this. 

Here are 7 local SEO ranking signals to concentrate on to improve your online presence in 2021. 

1. Google My Business 

Claiming your Google My Business page is one of the simplest and most effective ways to start improving your local SEO. Not to mention, it only takes a few minutes and is free. Once you’ve claimed your listing, you can optimize it further by choosing the most accurate categories for your business. You should also add photos of your location, products, staff etc. This helps add credibility to your business and serves as an additional local ranking signal. 

2. Increasing Reviews 

According to Google, high-quality reviews can improve your businesses’ visibility, especially positive ones. And similar to Google My Business, you should claim all listings on any review sites. Though it’s important to note that Google reviews carry the most weight when it comes to SEO. Location keywords being used in reviews are also valuable, as it sends signals to Google that you’re a trusted local business. 

3. Create Social Business Pages 

While Google still remains top for search engines, Facebook is also highly utilized. Which is why it’s essential to have a business page and keep it updated with accurate information and link back to your website. It’s also helpful to claim listings on other social platforms, like Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram, as well. Even if you’re not frequently active on those sites, it’s still beneficial. 

4. Consistent NAP 

Make sure your name, address and phone number are consistent across all online listings including review sites, maps, social media, etc. Google wants to make sure they’re providing accurate information to users, and this can help ensure that. 

5. Mobile Responsiveness

Since Google’s mobile-first indexing has rolled out, they look at the responsiveness of your mobile site first, not desktop. Make sure your site is optimized as much as it possibly can be for mobile. If you haven’t done this already, Google has a mobile-friendly test that can help you get started.  

6. Local Keyword Optimization 

Be sure you’re consistently sharing content that organically includes localized keywords. This could be about local events, news, weather or whatever makes sense for your brand. Includes location keywords wherever possible but still make it natural. For example, you wouldn’t want to just say “air conditioning repair.” To optimize for local SEO you would add “air conditioning repair in Chicago.” Also be sure to also optimize your titles and meta descriptions.

7. High-Quality and Diverse Inbound Links 

Links from trusted Google sites are important for SEO and especially for local SEO. You want a range of inbound links that are relevant, authoritative and gained organically. Links from news sites, community blogs, etc prove that your site is trusted by others in your community. But the most effective inbound link is from a high authority site using both your city and a main key term. 

Final Thoughts

SEO is absolutely vital to achieve long term search engine visibility for your website.There are a number of ways to enhance your local SEO efforts but these 7 tips are a great place to get started. For additional and more advanced practices, it’s best to consult SEO experts. 

At Onimod Global, SEO is our core attribute and a pillar of our marketing strategy. We develop organic search engine optimization campaigns that deliver increases in organic traffic through an increase in natural rankings across all major search engines. If you’re interested in digital marketing assistance or want to learn more about what we do, contact us today

How to Start Successfully Marketing Your Blog

A blog can be an extremely valuable asset to a business’s overall success. Over the last decade or so, businesses have increased revenue, improved brand awareness, and boosted conversions with valuable written content published for their target audience and customers. But for this to be accomplished, you must market the blog itself. 

Follow these best practices for promoting and marketing your blog content. 

Keep buyer personas top of mind.

When creating your blogs, you should always be thinking about who your ideal customer is and why they need your product or service. This way, you’ll be able to create content specifically suited to your audiences’ wants, needs, challenges, pain points, etc. When you create your blogs with these points in mind, it will be easier to use it as a conversion tool. 

Watch your competition. 

Competitors can provide insight into what’s working or not working when it comes to blog content and your target audience. Watch for thought-leaders in your industry and see what they’re writing about or experimenting with. How is their audience reacting? What gets the most traffic and drives the most discussion? This can help you determine what you need to do to stand out and provide your readers valuable content. 

Perform SEO and keyword research. 

An additional way to help you stand out among your competitors is by making sure your blogs rank higher on a webpage. Dedicate some time to keyword research to identify the phrases your target audience is searching the most. You can then tailor your blogs around these keyword phrases and include them in the blog when they naturally fit. You’ll want to perform this research prior to writing your blog. You can start by creating a list of 5-10 keyword groups you want to rank for, along with their associated long-tail keywords. 

Determine where the content will be distributed. 

It’s important to strategically determine where you’ll be distributing your content. Depending on the blogging software you use to host, it may be simple to add your articles to their corresponding landing page. Other ways to distribute your content include social media and online publishing platforms. You could also work with industry experts or influencers to share your content on their platforms as well. 

Final Thoughts 

Creating a successful blog in your niche is a great way to reach and nurture potential customers. Consistent content that solves common challenges of your readers can help build trust and advocacy. This will inevitably contribute to your overall business success. 

At Onimod Global, we’re your in-house marketing team, your partner experts for specific marketing verticals or some nice balance in between. We excel in customer service and serving as our clients consultative marketing team. If you need assistance with your blogging strategy, contact us today

Optimize Your SEO With User-Generated Content

User-generated content, or UGC, has been very successful in terms of being effective in creating a highly successful, long-term SEO and conversion strategy. UGC can improve KPIs for your search marketing:

  • Increase your page rankings
  • Increase Google Ads click-through rates up to 20%
  • Increase organic traffic up to 400%
  • Increase conversion rate up to 75%

UGC should be part of your 2021 SEO strategy, and Onimod Global experts are here to help you discover why.

Why is the impact so great?

Any content coming from consumers talking about or reviewing a product is immediately seen as more trustworthy. For example, 88 percent of consumers trust online reviews written by other consumers as much as they trust suggestions from their personal network. Content from a consumer ultimately is more relatable, therefore signalling a psychological response called “social proof” which makes people assume that others’ actions reflect correct behavior for a situation. For example, if we see someone go through something negative such as slipping on a patch of ice on a sidewalk, we will likely learn not to follow those same actions.

We are also influenced very much by the opinion of others. So if you didn’t see it directly, but you hear from a friend at school that the sidewalk is slippery, you are likely to avoid the sidewalk and the icy patch. We are simply more open to accepting the opinion of our peers.

Switching this from ice patches back to marketing, from a customer point of view, social proof helps to increase conversion rates by building trust. A brand telling you that their products work, they’re a great price, they are quality material is great, but the opinion of someone else outside of the organization carries a different weight and is more believable.

Check out this graph from Search Engine Journal comparing conversion rates with and without UGC:

It is evident that there is a strong correlation between the use of UGC and converting users into paying customers.

How UGC helps with SEO

Step 1 for a lot of buying processes begins with Google, and the Seach Engine Journal found that organic page visits greatly increased over the span of nine months by simply adding customer reviews to website pages.

  1. UGC provides new and relevant content to your site. There is without a doubt a high need of relevant authentic content that your customer base can relate to.  The practice of displaying UGC on the website demonstrates that brands aren’t just talking at customers, rather they show that customers have a way to dialogue with the brand.
  2. UGC helps naturally rank your pages for long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are specific search phrases that are much easier to rank highly for due to the low search competition. For example, if you’re a skin care brand trying to rank for “skin cleanser”, you’re facing a large amount of competition. Instead, “skin cleanser for dry mature skin” potentially may have much less competition and be searched by users with a specific intent to find and buy this product. UGC will include this type of verbiage and therefore allow you to gain insight on what exactly is the pain-points for consumers.
  3. Ideal for manual and automatic optimizations. Automatic search updates with crawlers scope out things like customer reviews and automatically push your page higher in search results. In addition to the automatic updates, Google and other search engine companies employ search quality raters to manually evaluate websites. Things that they look for are rating for key credits like mastery of the topic, authority of the author, and truthfulness in content, which can easily be obtained from your customers’ content.

More from Onimod Global

Onimod Global is looking forward to the future and helping your business reach your full digital potential with SEO and user-generated content. Interested in growing your digital presence for your company? Reach out to us here!

Onimod Global releases the latest digital marketing news and essential marketing tips every Tuesday and Thursday! To catch up on the top digital marketing news and trends, click here. To find out more about who we are and what we do, click here.

Top 4 Digital Marketing Trends For 2021

Many businesses have completely altered the way they operate in 2020. More and more products and services move online and many employees will continue to work remotely or in a hybrid setting for much of next year. What are the most relevant digital marketing trends for 2021 that your business should keep in mind to build customer loyalty and generate more traffic, leads, and revenue? Check out the top 4 areas Onimod Global experts recommend to invest your time and resources into next year. If you’re not sure where to begin, this list is the perfect starting point.

Businesses must embrace the digital transformation

The post-COVID world we will hopefully experience in 2021 will make a digital presence for companies almost mandatory. “Digital transformation” has become a popular buzzword since March 2020, and all types of companies are investing heavily in the migration to digital platforms. This includes platforms such as e-commerce, chatbots, email, apps, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, omnichannel marketing and augmented and virtual reality.

Google listings and local SEO will be a top priority for small businesses

If you own a small business, one of the most important things you can do is ensure your local listings are verified and kept current on various search platforms. For B2C businesses that draw in primarily local traffic, the Google My Business listing provides valuable information about your hours and whether or not they are affectd by COVID, services, and geographical location. It’s one of the key factors in search and business owners are often blown away to learn how many directories there are out there.

One tip you can easily implement today: make sure that you have a geographically-defined service area in your local listings. Doing this will help your business show up in “near me” searches. That’s because Google and other search engines will prioritize relevance in their search algorithms.

Voice search and its power

Voice search queries will often populate different results than if the user had typed in a text-based search. Even though voice search is not a part of Google’s algorithm, it still dictates current search results. This means that businesses should be up to date on voice search components for their consumers who are adapting and switching over to that medium.

Content must be specifically optimized for voice searches, according to experts in voice search. The content needs to be more direct and conversational, and by doing so it will accurately sync with search queries. This will help boost traffic by staying relevant and more visible to consumers.

Influencer marketing a key pillar of marketing for consumer brands

Consumer brands have historically used social media influencers to present authentic unbiased advertising to appeal to prospects and customers. The pandemic amplified the impact influencers have on the purchase of products, due to a limited ability to shop at stores and increased online shopping traffic.

A recent study found that 40% of people reported that they purchased a product online after seeing it used by an influencer on YouTube, Instagram or Twitter. Influencers and their impact are expected to gain even more popularity and followers and businesses to use influencers more than ever before.

More from Onimod Global

Onimod Global is looking forward to the future and helping your business reach your full digital potential. Interested in growing your digital presence for your company? Reach out to us here!

Onimod Global releases the latest digital marketing news and essential marketing tips every Tuesday and Thursday! To catch up on the top digital marketing news and trends, click here. To find out more about who we are and what we do, click here.