• FAQs

          Search engine optimization (SEO) helps businesses drive visits to their website through organic search traffic. Given that the top organic search results receive a third of the clicks, a decline in ranking could be detrimental for your business. Implementing SEO best practices on your website will help to ensure that your web content is seen by as many potential customers as possible. The more visitors you have, the better your chances are of converting those visits into sales!

          Local search engine optimization (SEO) helps local businesses gain visibility by optimizing their local business listings for local search. A business that leverages local SEO will include its address, phone number, local opening times, and exact location in the form of a local citation. The goal is to rank for local searches which are usually performed by people in a specific geographical region looking for a business near them.

          We typically see results within the first 30 to 60 days, but when it comes to SEO, there are many factors at play. It's important to remember that SEO is a long-term strategy and results may not come as fast at you wish.

        • FAQs

          Digital advertising uses the internet to send advertisements to customers who are online through different websites and social media platforms like Google, Bing, LinkedIn and Facebook.

          The price for Google Ads management depends on the monthly ad spend. For accounts with $1,000 in monthly ad spend, the price is $550/month. Between $1,000 and $5,000 a month in ad spend, the price is $950/month. For $5,000 to $10,000 a month in ad spend, the price is $2,000/month. For more than $10,000 a month in ad spend, the price is $4,500/month.

          The price for Social Media Ads management depends on the monthly ad spend. For accounts with $1,000 in monthly ad spend, the price is $550/month. Between $1,000 and $5,000 a month in ad spend, the price is $950/month. For $5,000 to $10,000 a month in ad spend, the price is $2,000/month. For more than $10,000 a month in ad spend, the price is $4,500/month.

        • FAQs

          This depends on the complexity and size of a redesign and if eCommerce is needed. On average, it takes around 14-18 weeks from the web design intensive stage to launch.

          If your website experiences the following issues: it’s not responsive on all devices, has a slow loading speed, the design appears old and tired, users don’t spend long on the site, sales are stagnant, or your business is going through a rebranding - your website needs a redesign to boost your brand awareness and sales.

          Sometimes there’s no need to rebuild a website. Minor edits, refreshing page content and images, or restructuring page layout for SEO best practices can boost traffic and sales.

        • FAQs

          Semantic search launched in 2013 with the release of Google's Hummingbird update. Since then, Google's search engine has become more complex. The integration of machine learning, with RankBrain, and NLP, with BERT, has enabled the search engine to better understand the context of a query and deliver more personalized and targeted results. Semantic SEO is the process of creating machine-readable content using structured data and linked open data to help search engines better understand your content.

          On-page SEO is the practice of optimizing individual web pages in order to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. On-page SEO refers to both the content and HTML source code of a page that can be optimized, as opposed to off-page SEO which refers to links and other external signals. From meta tags to page content, website structure, and HTML, on-page optimization services are focused on making your website more visible to search engines.

          Structured data refers to any organized data that conforms to a certain format, such as information in a relational database. When information is highly structured and predictable, search engines can more easily organize and display it in creative ways. Structured data involves using a piece of code that is laid out in a specific format easily understood by search engines. The search engines read the code and use it to display search results in a more dynamic way.

        • FAQs

          An SEO agency has experts in different areas of search engine optimization that may be out of the realm of your marketing team's abilities. SEO can be very complex and time-consuming. Furthermore, as search engine algorithms change it can be difficult to stay current on the latest ranking factors and strategies for improving online visibility. You will likely see a greater return on investment and better results from using a professional SEO agency than you would from tackling this on your own.

          As a digital marketing agency, SMA Marketing provides products and services in four areas: SEO, Local SEO, Digital Advertising, and Web Design

          We focus on building authentic, long-lasting relationships with our clients. We’re goal oriented and results driven and believe in doing good and making a difference in the world.

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How and Why You Should Respond to Customer Reviews

Amanda Fallace

October 5, 2018

Online reviews are important for a number of reasons, particularly because of their ability to impact your rankings in local search engines and how they affect which search results rank highest. This makes online reviews critical to your SEO strategy.

We live in a world where your online reputation can either make or break your business. Employers, customers, and clients are constantly checking Google before making important decisions. Customer reviews are extremely important to customers. In fact, nearly 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business and around 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations (Forbes).

Responding to Good Reviews

A lot of great things can happen when you take the time to respond to positive reviews. This is an excellent way to show your customers that you are friendly and caring and helps you market your business. At the same time, this gives your SEO a little boost. Here are some important components you should include in your response:

  1. Always thank your customer. Tell them how much you appreciate the positive feedback and thank them for their business.
  2. Acknowledge what the customer has included in their review with a personalized response. You want people to know that their response is from a human and is not an automated message.
  3. Include your company’s name, location, and services to help boost your response’s SEO. For example, “At Shelley Media Arts, we are proud to be one of Melbourne, Florida’s best Digital Marketing Agencies.”
  4. Market your company’s product or service. Use this as an opportunity to invite this particular customer back. Encourage them to try a new service or refer a friend or family member.

See this example:

Responding to Bad Reviews

There may be times where your business leaves a customer feeling unsatisfied. Responding to an unsatisfied customer’s concerns gives you the opportunity to turn a negative review into a positive one. The customer may be more likely to make additional purchases or refer your business to a family or friend. Prospects will see your willingness and ability to solve problems, ensuring you are caring and trustworthy. Here are some important components to consider when responding:

  1. Respond as promptly as possible. This will help solve issues quicker and more efficiently.
  2. Thank your customer. Reviews may not always be positive. However, it is important to thank your customer for taking the time to leave you a review and for identifying any potential weaknesses within your business.
  3. Acknowledge and admit your mistakes. Be sure to apologize clearly. Don’t make excuses for your customer’s poor experience.
  4. Identify what you’re going to do to fix the issue. Don’t just apologize. Figure out an appropriate resolution. Consider leaving them your customer service contact information. This will show others that you are willing to go above and beyond to please your customers.
  5. Try to avoid using SEO related terms like your business name, location, and services. It is best if this review does not appear within a Google search.

What not to do:

What to do:

Related article: Local Review Sites Your Small Business Should be Using

Putting This to Action

Whether your business receives positive or negative feedback, you should always take a moment to respond. By sharing your acknowledgment and gratitude, you build trust and expand your community, all while reaping the benefits of an effective SEO strategy. 

Looking for more ways to improve your SEO? Check out our SEO Guide below. 

On-Page SEO Guide
Amanda Fallace

Amanda is SMA's Lead SEO Strategist working from her home office in Port Orange, FL. She is passionate about SEO and the Inbound Methodology. As a Florida native, she enjoys spending her spare time at the beach with her beloved dogs, Bentley and Kona.

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