As the festive season approaches, we wanted to take a moment to share our upcoming Christmas schedule.   Our agency will be taking a well-deserved break to allow our team to chill, recharge, and spend quality time with their loved ones.   Please note : Our phone lines will be closed off from 1 pm on Friday 20th December until we re-open again on Monday 6th January 2025.   There should be no variance in service, with work delivered before Christmas week and back to normal in January for the usual reporting cycle.   We've got cover for the Christmas week but limited staff, however, we’ll have front-loaded the larger chunks of work into the first few weeks of December.   As a remote-first business, we remain accessible for critical emergencies. Our current clients know our direct communication channels and can reach out if urgent matters arise. For any new clients, please use our contact form (click below), and we'll respond as soon as possible.   Lesson Learned: The temptation of running a growth company can be to chase every single client that comes your way, and I have learnt recently that this is a slippery slope. We've always advertised ourselves as much of a bespoke agency, and we've never worked with more than 20 clients at a time, and this has enabled us to deliver solid results for our clients, consistently. Keeping under 20 clients at a time also means we always have time for our paying customers, nobody is ever overstretched, and both the Market Jar team and the client really have a personal service, which I will keep as we head into 2025. Contracts! There are too many agencies, mainly the larger ones that make you sign a 12-month contract, so you're stuck paying enormous fees, with no concrete results! We don't see the value of locking businesses into long contracts, so following the 6th of January, we will work with 30-day rolling contracts. Most importantly, this offers you a degree of flexibility and also makes us work harder! After all, running a business should be on your terms, and most importantly; should be enjoyable! Finally, a heartfelt thank you! To everyone who’s been part of our journey this year, from our lovely clients, and our incredibly talented team, and trusted mentors, thank you so much. None of this would be possible without you! Thank you for everything this year, we wish you a very Happy Christmas and New Year's Eve and would like to thank you for your continued support. Ps; I was trying to find a picture of myself, for this article, but it looks like in the whole year, I have not taken any, so that's another thing for the list in 2025! I don't want to run a faceless business!

In the world of new business, landing clients is the gateway to growth, success, and sustainability. But how do you reach potential clients? One strategy stands out: cold email outreach. Cold email, when done right, can be a powerful tool. It's a direct line to potential clients, cutting through the noise of crowded markets. But it's not as simple as sending a mass email and hoping for the best. Success in cold email outreach requires strategy. It requires knowing your audience, crafting great messages, a/b testing, and improving them constantly. This guide equips you with these skills. We'll explore: the art of personalisation, the power of keeping your text “ below 3rd grade ”, great subject lines, and the need for a targeted prospect list. We'll explore the structure of an effective cold email and the impact of clear calls to action. We'll also discuss the importance of follow-up emails and the benefits of segmenting your email list. We'll guide you through the process of A/B testing to refine your strategy. But it's not about the emails themselves. We'll also cover the legal aspects of cold emailing. We'll discuss the key success metrics and tools to enhance your campaigns. This guide is for you. It is for startup founders who want to bootstrap their brand. And it is for D2C CEOs who want to scale. It's a comprehensive resource. It has insights and tips to help you land clients via cold email. So, are you ready to transform your cold email outreach and drive your business forward? Let's dive in. Understanding the Basics of Cold Email Cold email is a direct marketing strategy. It involves sending unsolicited emails to potential clients. Unlike spam, a good cold email provides value and relevance. The goal is to start a conversation, not push an aggressive sales pitch. Successful cold emails focus on the recipient's needs and pain points, and how you can address them. Timing is crucial in cold email outreach. Knowing when your audience checks emails can boost response rates. We will find the best time to send emails by testing different days and times. Depending on the industry you're targeting, you might find that Mondays, are not the best, and Saturdays are, for example. Building a quality email list is fundamental. Target individuals who are most likely to be interested in your offerings. Research potential clients. Find their pain points. Then, tailor your approach to meet their needs. Sounds easy right...? Wrong! Crafting Compelling Subject Lines That Actually Get Opened A compelling subject line is crucial for cold email success. It's the first thing recipients see. It decides whether they open or ignore your email. Crafting the right subject line can lead to a notable increase in your email's open rate. Make subject lines relevant and intriguing. They should spark curiosity without being misleading. An irrelevant subject may lead to immediate deletion or a spam report. Keep them concise and clear. A clear subject line conveys your email's purpose in a brief manner. Busy professionals often skim their emails. So, simplicity can capture attention better. Use numbers or specifics. Quantifiable details or precise claims often draw more attention. For example, "Boost Your Sales by 25% in 30 Days" is more compelling than a vague "Boost Your Sales." Test different subject lines with A/B testing. This strategy can help identify what resonates best with your audience. Tips for Compelling Subject Lines: Start with a question to pique interest. Use personalisation, like mentioning their name or company. Create urgency with time-sensitive offers or limited places. Highlight a benefit or solution straight away. Avoid spammy words like "free," "guarantee," or excessive punctuation. These can trigger spam filters or make your email seem untrustworthy. An effective subject line sets the stage for the content inside. It plays a pivotal role in the recipient's decision to engage with your email. A perfect subject line is key to your campaign's success. So, invest time in crafting it. Structuring Your Cold Email for the Largest Impact The structure of your cold email plays a crucial role in its effectiveness. A well-organised email can improve readability and response rates. Let's explore how to create a structure that captivates your audience. Start with a strong introduction that captures attention. Use personalisation and relevance to engage your reader from the outset. This introduction sets the stage for the value proposition you will present. Next, present your main message in a clear manner. Ensure the recipient understands what you're offering and how it benefits them. Keep this section concise to maintain their interest. Following your main message, you need to provide supporting details. This could include case studies, testimonials, or data that back up your claims. Including social proof can enhance your credibility. Conclude with a clear call to action (CTA). Your CTA should prompt the recipient to take a specific next step. Be direct about what you want them to do. This applies to scheduling a call or requesting more information. Consider this basic structure for your cold emails: Personalise and engage without delay. Main Message : Explain your offer and its benefits. Supporting details:  Use evidence to build credibility. CTA : State the desired action in a straightforward manner. Finally, keep your email concise and to the point. Avoid unnecessary details that dilute your message. Each sentence should serve a clear purpose. Crafting an impactful cold email takes practice and iteration. Analyse responses and refine your structure based on feedback. With time, you will master the art of creating emails that not only get opened but also elicit a response. The Power of the Follow-Up Following up on cold emails is often where real opportunities lie. Initial emails may get ignored or lost in busy inboxes. A thoughtful follow-up can bring your message back to the forefront. One follow-up email rarely suffices, too. So you need to get clever, ideally, you'd have one follow-up per sequence, and you have three sequences per campaign of leads. A well-timed follow-up can enhance response rates. This increases the chances that people will notice your email. Here are essential tips for crafting effective follow-up emails: Be concise: Respect  the recipient's time by keeping your message short. Personalise the message: Reinforce  that you understand their needs. Remember, follow-ups help to build familiarity and trust.  Short emails are much more effective at securing meetings. Your success rate will increase by simply following up 24 hours later with an in-thread reply: "Thoughts?"   Empirically, shorter emails paired with a "thoughts" follow-up are 15 times more likely to lead to a meeting. Writing below 3rd Grade “Below 3rd grade” usually means: Simpler words. Shorter sentences. Fewer adverbs. No passive language. No excess words. If you want to take your cold email outreach to the next level, actually write your emails inside Hemingway . This gives you real-time feedback and makes you a better writer much faster. It's one of the things that's transformed my writing. To be clear: simplifying language doesn't mean you attract dumb people. It means you help high-level people and enable low-level ones. Result: more people understand you and buy your things. Here's an example, that was incredibly successful for our client; Modi Lighting : This email alone has brought in 56 qualified customers for Modi in the past 7 days. Lead with problems (industry dependant) Prospects don’t care about you or what you do, they only care about what you can do for them.   Put yourself in the prospect's shoes and ask yourself   Does this really grab me? Does this really compel me to want to hear more? Does this really make me feel something?   The prospect doesn’t relate to what you do and this is why you need to stop talking about your solution. The art of the reply Landing a client through cold outreach is one thing. But the next biggest challenge is the response.  Once you get a warm response, like, "Please send more info," you must do a multi-threaded response. Connect with that person on LinkedIn . Then call and ask for them.  Then respond to their email. Your response depends on their reply to your email. But, I'd suggest something simple, like this: Hi [first_name], When is a good time to talk? [your_name] Always keep it direct, and simple, never overcomplicate it. Coming in too hot. 97% of your prospective buyers are not in a position to buy the very moment you call. I know I know how buyers can be so rude and not buy when we're ready to sell. But that's the reality of how the buyer-seller world works. First of all, you can't make people buy because you're ready to sell. Lean back.  Give them a reason to remember you when they are ready to play the long game. Overcoming Common Challenges in Cold Email Outreach Cold email outreach is not without its challenges. Many founders and CEOs face obstacles that can hinder campaign success. Understanding these challenges is the first step in overcoming them. One common issue is low response rates. Crafting emails that stand out in crowded inboxes requires creativity. Personalization and value offerings can significantly improve engagement. Continuous Improvement and Adaptation Cold email outreach is a dynamic process. It requires ongoing refinement to remain effective. As trends evolve, strategies must adapt to meet new demands. Continuous improvement is crucial. Analyse campaign performance on a regular basis to identify areas for growth. Use data-driven insights to make informed adjustments. Adaptation involves embracing change. Stay updated on industry best practices to keep your approach fresh. Incorporate new tactics that align with your brand's goals. Finally, Here's a list of some essential tech tools to consider: CRM Systems:   HubSpot , or Monday Automation Software:   Smartlead A/B Testing Tools:   Optimizely Data Enrichment:   Listkit Using these cold email tools will streamline your outreach. By leveraging technology, you can focus more on strategy and creativity. Embrace these advancements to elevate your campaigns and achieve better results.

SEO is much more simple than people sometimes make out. At its heart, it comes down to two things: links and content. High-quality links let Google know that your website is trusted. High-quality content lets users know that your website is trusted. Fail on either of those things, and your Defence content has no chance of appearing in Google search results. Here’s where you could be falling. Link problems When it comes to SEO, links come in two categories: internal links and backlinks . Let’s take a look at how each of them influences your website search ranking – and where you might be going wrong with yours. Internal links Internal links point to other pages on the same website. And what SEO professionals call the internal link structure of your website is pretty important for your search ranking. A good way to understand how this works is by understanding the concept of SEO juice . Essentially, your website has a big container of SEO juice that should be distributed throughout your web pages. Your internal links tell Google where to put that juicy SEO goodness. For this reason, you need to send most of that SEO juice to your most important pages: they will most likely be your homepage, your cornerstone content and your service pages. It helps Google to understand which of your web pages to prioritise and starts building a kind of website structure. Backlinks If internal links let Google know where to distribute your SEO juice, backlinks are the ingredients that make up the juice. A backlink is a link from another website that points to your domain. When we talk about a high-quality backlink, we’re talking about a link from a respected and authoritative website. In practice, that means a link from the BBC to your website is going to be much more valuable than a link from getfreemoneynow.com . But clearly, not everyone can easily acquire links from the BBC, The New York Times and The Guardian. Getting high-quality backlinks can be a time-consuming and challenging process, which is why you might want to consider hiring an International SEO agency. Agencies often have access to a network of websites where they distribute your content, increasing your backlinks and improving your search ranking at the same time. Content problems The next piece of the SEO puzzle is your content. If Google use links to measure the credibility of your website, your readers measure your credibility based on your content. So it has to be relevant, it has to be valuable, and it has to be unique. Your content isn’t unique enough Your content might look good and read well. But there are thousands of other people writing content on the very same topic. So if your content isn’t unique, it will sink in the search results. A good way of figuring out if your content is truly unique is by checking out the top search results for your target keyword. Let’s say you’re writing an article about the defence threat of drones. Does it differ from the top results? Does it offer anything different? Is the information laid out logically and concisely?  If the answer to any of these questions is ‘No’, go back and sharpen up your content. It needs to be different enough from the other search results for users to click on it and read it. Your content doesn’t add any value for the reader But it’s not enough for your content to just be different. It also has to add value for the reader. By that, we mean it has to give the reader something that your rival content doesn’t. What could that be? Well, maybe you could include a free PDF with your article. You could get some quotes from an expert on the topic. You could even just make the most important information easier to access than your competitors do. All of these are reasons why the reader would choose your content over your competitors. Keep that in mind for every piece of content you write, and you won’t go too far wrong. You’re not writing the content that your users are looking for If you’re not writing the content that your users are looking for, they won’t read it – no matter how good it is. In SEO-speak, you’ve got to understand something called search intent. Let’s say that someone types in ‘seo defence’ into Google. When you browse through the results, you can quickly see how the search intent of ‘ SEO defence ’ is different for different people. Some users want more information about so-called SEO defence tactics – ie, how to protect your search ranking.  However, other users are looking for help with SEO for the defence industry. People are using the same search term, but looking for different content. So when you’re writing your content, you’ve got to make sure it matches up with what the user is looking for. It’s generally better to be as specific as possible. In this example, you might optimise your page around ‘SEO for the defence industry’ instead. Website SEO errors If your website is full of errors then it won’t make any difference how brilliant your content is, how many links you have, or how respected your website is – it will still struggle to appear in Google. Luckily, most website SEO errors are easy to fix. SEMrush has a free SEO audit tool that will make you aware of most of them. It could be anything from broken links to more technical stuff like multiple H2 tags or a low text-to-HTML ratio. But for a more in-depth analysis, you might be better off hiring the services of an SEO pro. Once you’ve ironed out the errors, improved the speed of your website and improved the user experience, it’s over to your backlinks and content to get your content appearing in Google. Looking to rank better in search engines? If you’re looking for an international SEO agency to provide you with professional SEO services , book a growth audit .

What exactly is dropshipping? Dropshipping is a retail method. A store doesn't keep the products it sells in stock. Instead, when a store sells a product, it buys it from a third party. They ship it to the customer on your behalf without any delays. This unique model has its perks. It can be cheaper than renting office space. It offers flexibility and is accessible. It also offers a reduced amount of financial risk. But, dropshipping isn't exactly a walk in the park. It comes with its own set of unique challenges. You must navigate a lot. You must choose the right niche, find trusted suppliers, and manage inventory and customer service. That's where this guide comes in useful. Our guide is for you. It covers starting or scaling a dropshipping business. So, is Dropshipping still Lucrative? Dropshipping continues to be viewed as one of the more profitable business models in ecommerce, even with the unique challenges involved. Image source: Statista The Benefits of Dropshipping for Startups Dropshipping is an appealing option for startups. It has low startup costs, no need to hold inventory, and the capability to adapt and test products in a short timeframe. This model cuts risk. It doesn't need a big inventory. It lets startups test their market quickly. They can learn and evolve fast.  Understanding the Dropshipping Model The dropshipping model is a chain reaction that demands simple, yet organised coordination, and understanding this model is pivotal for the success of your business. The dropshipping model lifts the burden of the traditional inventory management model. This means fewer upfront costs, much less risk, and much less time spent on stock management, it's more of a plug-and-play model, that offers flexibility, enabling you to offer a vast range of products. The Benefits of Drop Shipping as a New Company For startups, dropshipping is an exciting opportunity. It has low startup costs, making it accessible. It also lets bootstrappers avoid holding inventory. This reduces the pressure of storing and managing products. It also provides flexibility to quickly adapt to market changes and trends. It lets entrepreneurs test different product lines to find what suits their audience. It also minimizes risk by avoiding heavy inventory costs and preserving capital for other areas, like organic or paid growth.  What are some Common Challenges in Dropshipping? Despite the many perks of drop shipping, the model is not without its hurdles. Many bootstrappers overlook supplier reliability, as choosing the wrong supplier can affect your reputation through issues like delayed shipping, sending the wrong items, and agreeing to the wrong terms, but also poor quality while managing customer expectations due to limited control over the supply chain and shipping times. Another challenge is maintaining competitive pricing, as many drop-shippers compete in the same space. So building a strong brand presence can be tough since you don't handle products directly, limiting customization options. Navigating these challenges requires meticulous planning and execution, and understanding them is the first step to wading through them. Building Relationships with Suppliers One of the most overlooked, yet important tasks of any business, is building relationships with your suppliers! But, in dropshipping they are even more important - as you will be relying on them to send out your orders to your customers! A reliable supplier can significantly grow your business reputation.   Effective communication is crucial to maintaining strong business relationships. Always be clear, professional, and prompt in your interactions.   Consider creating a checklist when approaching potential suppliers: Assess their online reviews and supplier track record. Verify their understanding of your product and market. Establish their shipping and return policies. Clarify their pricing structure and flexibility. Remember, authenticity is key. Craft a Compelling Brand Story! Nobody wants to be faced with a faceless business, using stock imagery. They want to see a story, a brand, the people behind the business, and where the stock is made. A compelling brand story is a must when you're starting a new company. This will be the heart of a successful dropshipping business, as it speaks to your audience, and helps to create that emotional connection, after all, people buy from people! Creating this connection will help set your brand apart in a crowded market. In order to craft a strong brand story, identify your core mission and values, highlight the problem your brand solves, showcase your unique offerings, incorporate customer testimonials and experiences, and maintain consistency across all platforms, as authenticity is key to resonating with customers and building trust. Here are a few drop-shipping brands that speak volumes for us: Modi Lighting Wooden Soul You're hit, immediately, with what they do and where they come from. That's all you need to want to know more. That's the main aim of ecommerce: to get people clicking! Standing out requires more than offering great products. It involves creating a distinct identity that resonates with your target audience. Begin with comprehensive research on your competitors. Understand their strengths and weaknesses. Identify gaps in the market that your brand can fill. Ensure your prices are competitive. Don't undercut your suppliers enough to get de-listed. Instead, match their prices and offer free shipping until you have a big email list.  Focus on your unique selling propositions (USPs). These are the foundations that set you apart from the competition. Use your USPs. They are key. Address your customers' pain points or exclusive products. Building a business without a USP is like walking through sludge backwards.  Then, from there build a community around your brand that fosters a loyal customer base. Encourage engagement through social media, cold email outreach and other marketing aspects that are relevant to reaching your ideal customers. Creating a sense of belonging among your customers is really important.   Consistent branding is crucial. Maintain a unified look and voice across all communications. This reinforces your brand identity and makes it easily recognizable. In a saturated market, differentiation is the key to capturing and retaining your audience's attention. Marketing Strategies for Drop-Shipping Growth Well, for starters, I wouldn't use any CMS other than Shopify if you're a drop-shipping business. Shopify has a full suite of tools to make your business a success straight out of the doors!  Once your Shopify site is up, your brand needs visibility and engagement to thrive. Before you reach out to anyone, please do all the above first. Paying a marketing partner before, for example, doing a pricing analysis will rinse through your budget. A strategic marketing approach will drive the best results here. So, find a marketing partner with a track record of growing dropshipping businesses. It's a different kettle of fish from normal marketing! With organic marketing, consistency and patience are crucial. Nothing is going to happen overnight, so please make sure you have enough budget before getting impatient and giving up after 6 weeks. Traditional Marketing and Dropshipping If your product could be exclusive or sold to the trade (not directly to consumers), add cold email outreach to your marketing. This can effectively reach audiences who haven't received many cold emails. However, you'll need to be very tactful. These people are busy, and if they feel spammed, you'll lose more than just potential business.  Here is an example campaign that we ran for one of our dropshipping clients: That's 10 positive replies asking for more information, in just 5 days...the campaign is not even half way through... SEO Best Practices for Dropshippers In most cases, organic search traffic will be vital for sustainable drop-shipping growth.   Begin by finding an SEO partner that has been through the troughs with other clients before. Do Not try and do SEO yourself, especially after spending a load on a new website, as most go backwards.   A well-structured site improves user experience and search rankings.   Link building is another critical element. Acquire backlinks, or digital PR from reputable sources to boost domain authority. Strong link profiles signal trustworthiness to search engines and improve rankings.   SEO is a long-term investment. Consistency and adaptability are necessary. Make sure that your SEO professional provides monthly detailed reports with easy-to-read commentary, so you can easily monitor performance and adjust tactics to keep up with SEO trends and algorithm changes. Marketing Reporting ... There are a lot of marketing providers out there still that will take your money, and you won't hear from them until they want your money again - make sure that you get visibility on what they're doing for you, every step of the way! Reporting is so important - otherwise, you could end up £12k down, and with no gains. We provide our customers with personalised data about campaigns, which allows us to effectively plan and evaluate the scope of work, and easily store and share client-related files, this not only increases the automation and efficiency of our client management workflows but also keeps you updated on every step of the way. CRO for Product and Collection Pages Another aspect of ecommerce marketing that's often overlooked is CRO (conversion rate optimisation), and product pages play a pivotal role in ecommerce stores. A well-optimised page is informative, engaging, and trustworthy. Make sure you have a relevant copy above the fold: Also relevant copy below the products: Make sure you highlight key features and benefits to spark interest and relevance. Use new paragraphs for easy readability and impact. Incorporate trust signals on your product pages. Display customer reviews, testimonials, and satisfaction guarantees. Trust elements reassure potential buyers and help overcome purchasing hesitations. Focus on a seamless user experience. Ensure fast page load times, easy navigation, and a straightforward checkout process. Frictionless browsing keeps users engaged and less likely to abandon their carts.   By refining product and collection pages, you're setting up stronger conversion opportunities. Each optimization invites users to take decisive action, thus driving higher sales. Sustaining Growth of a Successful Dropshipping Business In the fast-paced world of dropshipping, maintaining growth and staying competitive is essential. As the industry evolves, adaptability becomes key to sustaining success. Make sure you're signed up to people in e-commerce, that you can learn from, listen to podcasts, and keep growing! Embrace new strategies and remain agile to adjust to market shifts. Continuously explore new ways to improve your product offerings, marketing tactics, and customer service. Efficiency is vital for sustainable growth. Streamline operations and focus on process optimization. Use technology to automate routine tasks , freeing up resources for strategic initiatives.   Looking ahead, the future of dropshipping is promising. The rise in online shopping and advancements in technology, as we head into 2025, creates fertile ground for growth. By focusing on innovation, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, you can thrive in the ever-evolving dropshipping landscape. If you need a helping hand with your marketing, just get in touch!

In today's digital age, all businesses need a strong online presence. This includes furniture stores. As more consumers use the web to buy furniture, furniture sites need a strong SEO strategy. This article will explore the best SEO strategies for furniture websites. They aim to boost traffic and sales, including through the furniture industry, higher rankings, and effective link-building. Why SEO is Important for Furniture Websites? Before we dive into SEO strategies, let's first see why SEO matters for furniture websites. Increased Website Traffic The main goal of SEO is to improve your website's visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). By optimising your site for relevant keywords, you can attract more organic traffic. So, customers searching for furniture online are more likely to find and buy from your website, driving more traffic to your furniture website. Cost-Effective Marketing SEO is a cost-effective way to promote your furniture website. With SEO, you don't have to pay for ad space or clicks. Instead, you can create high-quality, optimised content. It will attract organic traffic to your site, helping you achieve higher rankings without expensive advertising. Cold Email Outreach Sometimes the best opportunities are found where others aren't looking! And, so with cold email outreach, is the best marketing aspect you can add to any furniture marketing campaign. Furniture is an industry that conventional wisdom says 'doesn't respond to cold email.' However, by thinking differently and crafting the right message, we're proving innovative approaches can unlock hidden opportunities. A recent campaign we ran for Modi - warranted 8 positive replies in 36 hours! Here is the proof to show it: Better User Experience SEO isn't only about optimising for search engines. It's also about improving your website's user experience. Improving your site's structure, navigation, and content will help users find what they need. This will increase the chances of a sale through an effective link-building strategy. SEO strategies for furniture websites Now that we know SEO is key for furniture sites, let's explore ways to improve your site's search rankings. Keyword Research and Optimization Keyword research is the foundation of any  successful SEO strategy . It means finding the keywords and phrases your audience uses to search for furniture online. After you have a list of relevant keywords, optimise your website's content, meta tags, and URLs to include them. When doing keyword research, consider both short-tail and long-tail keywords. Short-tail keywords are shorter, general phrases (e.g. "modern furniture"). Long-tail keywords are longer, specific phrases (e.g. "mid-century modern sofa"). By targeting a mix of both types of keywords, you can attract a wider range of potential customers to your website. High-Quality Content Creation In addition to keyword optimization, having high-quality, relevant content on your website is crucial for SEO. This includes product descriptions, blog posts, and other informational pages. When creating content, make sure to use your targeted keywords naturally and provide valuable information for your audience. It’s also important to regularly update your website with fresh content. This not only keeps your website relevant and engaging for users, but it also signals to search engines that your website is active and should be crawled more frequently. Optimize for local search For furniture stores with physical locations, it's vital to optimise for local search. This means you must include your store's address, phone number, and hours on your website. Also, create a Google My Business listing. This will help your store show in local searches for furniture in your area. Mobile Optimization With more and more people using their smartphones to browse the internet, furniture websites must be optimized for mobile devices. This includes having a responsive design, fast loading times, and easy navigation on mobile devices. Google also prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in its search results, so having a mobile-optimized website can also improve your search engine rankings. Utilize Social Media While social media may not directly impact your website’s search engine rankings, it can still affect your overall SEO strategy. By sharing your website’s content on social media, you can drive more traffic to your website and potentially attract backlinks from other websites. Additionally, having a strong social media presence can help improve your brand’s online reputation and credibility, which can indirectly impact your search engine rankings. Tools for SEO Success In addition to implementing the strategies mentioned above, various tools can help you maximize your furniture website’s SEO potential. Google Analytics Google Analytics is a free tool that provides valuable insights into your website’s traffic and user behaviour. By tracking metrics such as website traffic, bounce rate, and conversion rates, you can gain a better understanding of how your website is performing and make data-driven decisions to improve your SEO strategy. SEMrush SEMrush is a comprehensive SEO tool that offers features such as keyword research, backlink analysis, and website audits. It can help you identify areas for improvement on your website and track your progress over time. Yoast SEO If your furniture website is built on WordPress, Yoast SEO is a must-have plugin. It helps you optimize your website’s content for SEO by providing real-time feedback and suggestions for improvement. Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid While implementing SEO strategies can greatly benefit your furniture website, some common mistakes can slow down your SEO efforts. Keyword Stuffing Keyword stuffing is the practice of overusing keywords in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings. This not only makes your content sound unnatural and spammy, but it can also result in penalties from search engines. Duplicate Content Having duplicate content on your website can also negatively impact your SEO. This includes using the same content on multiple pages or copying content from other websites. Make sure to create unique, high-quality content for your website to avoid any penalties. Ignoring Technical SEO Technical SEO refers to the behind-the-scenes elements of your website that impact its search engine rankings. This includes things like website speed, mobile optimization, and website structure. Ignoring these technical aspects can hinder your website’s SEO potential. Conclusion In today’s digital landscape, having a strong SEO strategy is crucial for the success of any furniture website. By conducting keyword research, creating high-quality content, and utilizing tools and best practices, you can improve your website’s search engine rankings and attract more potential customers. Avoiding common SEO mistakes and regularly monitoring and adjusting your strategy can help you stay ahead of the competition and drive more sales for your furniture business.

HTML header tags make it easier for people and search engines to get a quick understanding of what a page is about. Moreover, it can indirectly influence your search engine rankings. For the untrained marketer, these tags can be broken down into varying priorities, from to tags. It’s vital to know precisely what they are, why they’re essential, plus how to use them properly for increased benefits. Part 1 of this article looked at header tags, their benefits to your website, and how to properly use them. Now, we’ll break down each header tag and how you can optimise their function. Let’s begin! Looking Closely at Header Tags Header tags are a type of HTML tags used to mark headings and other vital parts on a page and draw out critical pieces of information. This visually separates your web page into sections, making it easier to read for your users or followers. Heading tags generally come in six different levels of importance, with the most important one being until , the least important. For example, a tag on a website notifies search engines and users that this is the most significant content on the page and should be displayed first. Therefore, the most significant component of your web page will be your content, not your navigation. How to Properly Use Header Tags 1. Tags The tag is used to identify titles like the name of your website or a key phrase. There are two things you should always keep in mind when using an tag. First, make sure that the text you’re using to identify the top of your web page should be the same as the headline of your web page. Second, don’t overuse tags, as each tag should only be used once per page. Over-emphasising your heading can take away from the text you want your visitors to see instead, resulting in a poor user experience. 2. Tags Just like the tag, the tag should be used only once per page. It should always be placed immediately after the content in a section, as long as it’s not followed by an image or link. The only exception is if you have an h3 tag that comes after one or more headings that are tags. 3. to Tags You can further divide your web page into sections by adding several sub-header tags behind your main heading, from tag to tag (if needed). Most readable SEO articles often end with to tags. These tags should be used sparingly, as they are generally used to identify subheadings, titles, and captions. They appear smaller than to tag and must be used after a level or a tag, as it’s generally easier to scan. The text should be short and sweet. They should also be placed below any images, as they should not be separated by more than a few lines of text. Remember that each time you start a new section, you should also decrease the font size by one level. 4. Primary versus Secondary Headers By default, anything that’s not a tag is considered a secondary header. It’s important to know when to use a secondary header so that you don’t take up too much of your users’ precious time. Use a secondary header to highlight the main point that is not necessarily the most important in the section, such as an essential supporting fact or a side point. A secondary header should be used in the same way as an tag but can also be used in place of an tag. Prioritise Header Tags for Better Rankings Header tags are important for having a great user experience and search engine optimisation. Make sure to use them properly for the best results for your website! Looking to rank better in search? If you need a trusted SEO agency to provide you with professional SEO services in London, book a growth audit . Market Jar is a dedicated full-service SEO specialist , prepared to provide professional SEO services  to businesses in need.  Whether your desired reach is local or global, hiring us to help you rank number one in search engine results is your best investment. Contact us today , and let’s get started! Click here for Part Two!

Domain names are essential in the digital world. They create an online identity for businesses, people, and organizations. A distinctive, unforgettable domain name builds credibility, increases brand recognition, and brings in potential customers. Without a domain name, accessing a site would require remembering long IP addresses, which is tough for users. In addition, domain names support successful online marketing. By adding relevant keywords to the domain name, companies can raise their search rankings and make it easier to find them online. This raises visibility and brings organic traffic to websites, raising conversion rates. How to get a powerful domain name : Find a catchy, unique name that fits your business or personal identity. Pick top-level domains (TLDs) like .com, . co.uk ., or .eu for increased visibility. Buy multiple variations of the domain name to protect your brand from rivals (. co.uk , .com etc.) Keep the domain name short and easy to recall to support word-of-mouth marketing. Minimise special character use (-, or numbers). By using these tips, you can maximize the advantages of having a strong domain name that fully reflects your brand, while drawing more traffic and potential customers or clients online. Domain names are the basis of a successful online presence within the digital world. What is a Domain Name? Domain names are essential for websites on the internet. They act like unique nameplates, helping to distinguish one website from another. Domain names are important for creating a memorable brand identity and gaining visitors’ trust. They should also accurately reflect the purpose and nature of the website. Moreover, keywords in domain names can give a website an edge in search engine rankings. This means more organic traffic for the website. Also, domain names need to be registered with accredited registrars, so no one else can claim ownership, thankfully Market Jar can help with this. The Importance of a Domain Name To establish an online presence, build your brand and credibility, and ensure easy access and memorability, the importance of a domain name cannot be underestimated. Let’s delve into how each of these sub-sections can contribute to your future online success. If we take this as an example: If you Google the search term; “Wine Investment”, it will show this domain: wineinvestment.com – However, if you click on the domain, you get sent to Cult Wines. or, if you Google “ International SEO Agency ” the first link will be: https://www.internationalseoagency.com , which if you click on it, you will be faced with: Yup! You guessed that’s our website, clever hey! The best thing is that these domains, also act as a keyword search (a search term that your customers are searching for online) so this, in turn, will send traffic automatically – when your domain (URL) is established. Establishing an Online Presence through your domain name Having an online presence is essential for anyone wishing to succeed in today’s digital age. It allows you to reach more people, show off your products/services, and build trust. Here are five things to consider when getting an online presence: Select a Respectable Domain Name: Your domain name is like your online address. It should be easy to remember, be linked to your brand, and represent your identity well. A good domain name can have a lasting effect on people and help you stand out from the crowd. Design a Professional Website : An attractive, user-friendly website is essential for gaining credibility and drawing in potential buyers. It needs to have simple navigation, interesting content, and show your brand’s values. Invest in professional web development services for your website to meet industry standards. Use SEO Techniques: Utilizing search engine optimization (SEO) services will improve your website’s ranking on search engine results pages. Make sure you use a company that will research proper keywords with intent and use them strategically in your content to gain organic traffic. Interact on Social Media: Social media platforms are valuable for connecting with potential customers and increasing brand awareness. Pick platforms that suit your target audience and create consistent, compelling content that draws people in. Watch Your Reputation: Keeping track of reviews, comments, and mentions allows you to actively manage your reputation. Respond quickly and professionally to feedback, addressing any customer concerns. You can set up alerts on Google for this. Also, it is important to keep your website content up-to-date and modify marketing strategies with data analytics. Monitor web traffic, conversions, and other metrics to make informed decisions about optimizing your online presence. Research done by the International Data Corporation (IDC) reveals global online sales are estimated to reach $6.5 trillion by 2023. This emphasizes the potential and significance of having and maintaining a strong online presence in today’s digital world. Branding and Credibility It’s essential for any business, especially online, to have branding and credibility . Your domain name makes a major contribution to this. Here are 6 reasons why : It reflects your brand. Choose one that accurately shows your values and customers get an idea of what you do. Customers trust it. Having a professional and relevant domain name increases their confidence in you. Memorability. A short, catchy, and relevant name is easier to remember. Search engine rankings. Keyword-rich names can help potential customers find you. Protects your brand. Register your domain name to stop others from misusing it. Consistency across platforms. Use your domain on social media and email addresses for a unified brand identity. Make sure your website is user-friendly and has great content to make a lasting impression. Get your domain name today and take your brand to new heights! Easy Access and Memorability Back in ’85, Symbolics Computer Corporation bought Symbolics.com – the first-ever registered domain name. It was the start of a new era that showed the value of having a unique and memorable domain name. Nowadays, millions of domain names are registered globally, demonstrating the continued need for a user-friendly and easily memorable web address. Easy access and memorability are key for any business or individual. They enable users to quickly find and visit a website. Plus, a memorable domain name promotes brand recognition and encourages return visits. It also helps with your SEO efforts as search engines prioritize user-friendly URLs. Lastly, a memorable domain name creates trust with your potential customers, making it easier to attract and retain them. You can even add relevant keywords to your domain name for increased visibility in search engine results pages. How to Choose the Right Domain Name To choose the right domain name with research and keywords, considerations for your target audience, and domain extension options are essential. By conducting thorough research and incorporating relevant keywords, you can increase your website’s visibility. Tailoring your domain name to resonate with your target audience ensures a strong connection. Additionally, exploring different domain extension options adds versatility and uniqueness to your online presence. Research and Keywords Research and keywords are key when picking a domain name. Research helps you discover info about your target audience and industry trends. This helps you pinpoint important keywords that match your brand and appeal to customers. Include the right keywords in your domain name. This boosts SEO and makes it more visible in search engine results. Balance is essential; you must have a memorable, catchy domain name. Here is a great example of the above: thesoftwaredesignagency.com – an amazing keyword, that customers wanting software design will type in every month to find bespoke software. Kudos to these guys! Your domain name should accurately reflect your brand, and be easy to say, spell, and remember. It should be unique and separate your business from the competition. A great domain name example is “ Amazon.com “. It includes the keyword “ Amazon ” which links to the company’s mission. It also has a strong, memorable effect. Amazon.com shows how important the right domain name is for your business. Researching and choosing relevant keywords is vital for choosing an effective domain name. Invest time and effort into this process to make sure the domain name goes with your brand strategy and drives traffic to your site. Considerations for Your Target Audience When selecting a domain name, it’s good to think about what appeals to your potential customers. Think about your business and what your target audience likes. It’s useful to consider the geographical area of your target audience. If you are targeting one country or region, you could incorporate related keywords or terms specific to that location in your domain name. This will make it easier to find and remember your site. It’s also important to take into account your target audience’s preferences and needs when choosing a domain name. This will help you get the most out of your online presence. So, take the time to research, and brainstorm ideas! If you’re looking to take this under your wing, there are a few sites that we use to buy client domains: Dan.com Godaddy.com Alternatively, if you’re spending upwards of £5k per domain, you can use a domain broker service, the best way to find an excellent broker, is through Twitter. Importance of Domain Extension Options Domain extensions have an important role in creating a strong presence online. Select an extension that reflects your brand image and target audience. Popular choices are .com , .org , and country-specific extensions such as .uk or .de . When selecting a domain extension, consider SEO and existing brand recognition . Although .com is widely recognized and favoured by search engines, newer extensions can also rank well if optimized correctly. The best domain extension depends on your goals and target audience. It’s important to evaluate different options before making a decision that meets your brand identity and marketing strategy, just ensure that they have both intent and commercial value. Protecting and Managing Your Domain Name To protect and manage your domain name effectively, it is crucial to consider trademarks and legal aspects. Make informed choices for domain name registration and renewal. Additionally, find reliable domain name services and providers, like GoDaddy , and Tech Optimised. for domain security These sites will provide you with the necessary solutions to safeguard and efficiently maintain your valuable domain. Trademarks and Legal Considerations When it comes to managing your domain, trademarks and legal considerations are very important. You should search to make sure that your desired domain name does not infringe any existing trademarks or copyrights. Registering your domain name as a trademark is also key. It provides extra protection and prevents others from using a similar name. Be aware that trademarks are territorial. If you plan to expand internationally, you must register in each respective jurisdiction. Monitoring your domain name regularly is also a good thing to do. That way, you can quickly identify any potential infringement or misuse. Lastly, consider consulting with a trademark lawyer or specialist . They can provide legal guidance and assist with the registration process. This can save you time and ensure that all legal requirements are met. Domain Name Registrations and Renewals Managing and protecting your domain name is essential. Secure your website address by registering it. Renewal ensures you retain ownership of the domain name. Choose a reputable registrar, such as GoDaddy or Namecheap . Provide accurate contact information and pay fees during registration. Renewal is also crucial; failure to renew can result in losing ownership. Suggestions to manage your domain name: Monitor expiration dates. Set reminders or use a calendar. Enable auto-renewal and save time. Keep your contact info up-to-date. Secure your domain with a reliable registrar. Stay organized with renewals to maintain online presence and branding. Take control of your domain name! Domain Name Services and Providers Domain name services are essential for keeping your website running. Find a provider that offers secure registration & DNS management. Look for excellent customer support & value-added features like WHOIS privacy protection. Domain forwarding is another great option! GoDaddy is a reliable provider. They have many years of experience & user-friendly tools to make it easy for beginners. Last but not least Domain names are key in the digital world. Not just an address, they create identity, trust, and brand recognition . A great domain name draws more visitors and ups visibility. In the current competitive online market, having an original and unforgettable domain name is essential. It stands out from the competition and builds user trust. A branded domain name makes a lasting impact and encourages return visits. Plus, domain names help with search engine optimization (SEO) . Including keywords in the domain signals to search engines that the website is related to a certain topic or industry. This boosts the chances of appearing higher in search results. Furthermore, domains are valuable virtual assets that can increase in value. Some premium domain names have been sold for millions due to their perceived worth and market demand. Investing in the right domain name can deliver excellent returns. Knowing the history of domains shows why they’re important. The first .com domain was symbolics.com in 1985. Since then, businesses globally have seen their significance and strive to get meaningful and unique domain names. Frequently Asked Questions Why are Domain Names So Important? What is a domain name? A domain name is the unique address that identifies a website on the internet. It is what users type into their web browser to access a specific website. Why are domain names important for businesses? Domain names are crucial for businesses as they help establish a professional online presence and build brand identity. They make it easier for customers to find and remember a company’s website. Can domain names impact search engine rankings? Yes, domain names can have an impact on search engine rankings. Having relevant keywords in the domain name can improve a website’s visibility and search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Are domain names permanent? Domain names are not permanent and need to be renewed periodically. Usually, a domain name is registered for a specific period, often annually or for multiple years, and needs to be renewed to maintain ownership. Can I have more than one domain name for my website? Yes, it is possible to have multiple domain names pointing to the same website. This can be helpful for businesses with different products, services, or target markets, allowing them to enhance their online presence. How do I choose the right domain name for my website? When choosing a domain name, consider it should be easily memorable, relevant to your business, and reflect your brand. It’s also beneficial to keep it concise and avoid any trademark or copyright infringement.

First of all; What is Link Building? Link building is the process of trying to get other websites on the internet to link back to your website. There are many ways to achieve this, ranging from local directories, asking partners, guest posting, acquiring web properties, and much more. Search engines use these links to discover new web pages and determine how a page should rank in the results. The more high-quality backlinks a page has, the higher it will rank in search engine results (SERP's). What's our approach to Link Building? Link building is by far one of the highest-impact tasks that can be completed in SEO. However, “link building” comes in many different shapes and sizes and many different price points. We take an anchor text-first approach to link building. This means that before we build any links, we analyze the pages that are being returned in positions 1-3 to understand the anchor texts for top-performing competitors. We learn what percentage of links are brand mentions, or keyword-focused, etc. This helps us map out the ideal anchor texts for your specific pages. After this, we build out an anchor text document - which is basically a document that outlines the priority pages we are targeting and the “ideal anchor text” for each link acquired before we acquire them. Then, when it comes to actual link sources, this can vary a lot depending on the type of business and industry but is usually comprised of: -         Local directories and citations . These are also used within our local SEO efforts but are a great source of brand-based links. -         Link placements and guest posting . We have relationships with many website owners and are able to place links in existing content or create new content for linking purposes. This is not a large-scale outreach-based approach and is very much focused on existing relationships we already have. -         Acquiring expiring/expired domains . In addition to placing links on other websites, we are constantly acquiring new domains every week as potential link sources. These are websites with existing authority and link profiles that we acquire and repurpose as industry-specific content based on the history of the website. Once these sites have been indexed and start ranking on their own, we can leverage these for link placements and guest posting internally as well. Links vs. Citations. Citations are references to a business name, address, and phone number. Often, they are also linked to a website, but this link is typically branded or URL-based and a mix of no-follow and do-follow. They are a great way to add local relevance and round out a link profile. While they should be included in all link profiles, they are not the highest authority links that can be acquired. The Mechanics of SEO Backlinks SEO backlinks are not all created equal. Their value can vary greatly depending on several factors. These factors include the linking site's authority, the relevance of the link, the anchor text used, and whether the link is a dofollow or nofollow link. Understanding the Different Types of Links There are two main types of links in SEO: dofollow and nofollow. Dofollow links pass on link equity, while nofollow links do not. Dofollow links are the most valuable type of link in SEO. They pass on link equity, which can improve your site's ranking in search engine results. Nofollow links, on the other hand, do not pass on link equity. However, they can still drive referral traffic to your site and increase your brand visibility. The Role of Anchor Text in Link Building Anchor text is the clickable text in a hyperlink. It plays a crucial role in link building as it provides context to search engines about the linked page. The anchor text should be relevant to the linked page and provide a clear indication of what the page is about. However, it's important to avoid over-optimizing your anchor text with keywords, as this can lead to penalties from search engines. Instead, aim for a natural and diverse anchor text profile. Content Creation and Marketing Creating high-quality, link-worthy content is the cornerstone of any successful link building strategy. This involves understanding your audience and creating content that resonates with them. Here are some content types that are particularly effective for attracting backlinks: In-depth guides and tutorials Original research and data Infographics and visual content Thought leadership articles Interactive content, such as quizzes and calculators Promoting your content is equally important. This can involve sharing it on social media, sending it to your email list, and reaching out to influencers in your industry. Outreach and Relationship Building Outreach is a critical component of link building. It involves reaching out to relevant websites and influencers in your industry and asking them to link to your content. Here are some effective outreach strategies for link building: Guest blogging : Write a post for a relevant blog in your industry and include a link back to your site. Broken link building : Find broken links on other websites and suggest your content as a replacement. Influencer outreach : Reach out to influencers in your industry and ask them to share your content. Link reclamation : Find mentions of your brand that aren't linked and ask the site owner to add a link. Building relationships with influencers and other industry professionals can also lead to more link opportunities in the future. This involves engaging with their content, attending industry events, and collaborating on projects. Measuring Link Building Success The success of a link building campaign is not just about the number of links acquired. It's about the impact those links have on your overall SEO performance and business goals. This requires tracking a variety of key performance indicators (KPIs) and using the right tools to measure progress. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Link Building There are several KPIs that can help you measure the success of your link building efforts. These include: The number of new backlinks acquired The quality and relevance of the linking sites The diversity of your backlink profile The impact of your backlinks on your search engine rankings The amount of referral traffic generated by your backlinks It's important to remember that link building is a long-term strategy. It can take time to see the full impact of your efforts. Tools and Techniques for Tracking Progress There are many tools available that can help you track your link building progress. These include SEO tools like Ahrefs , SEMrush , and Moz , which can provide detailed backlink data and analytics. These tools can help you monitor your backlink profile, identify new link opportunities, and track changes in your search engine rankings. They can also provide insights into your competitors' link building strategies, which can inform your own approach. In addition to these tools, it's important to have a system in place for tracking your outreach efforts. This can involve using a CRM or a simple spreadsheet to keep track of who you've contacted, what the response was, and any follow-up actions. The Need for Campaign Transparency Transparency in link building campaigns is not just about honesty. It's about providing clear and accurate information about the progress of the campaign. This includes sharing key performance indicators (KPIs), such as the number of new backlinks acquired, the quality of these backlinks, and the impact on search engine rankings. It also involves being open about any challenges or setbacks and how these are being addressed. Transparency can help build trust with stakeholders, including team members, clients, and senior management. It shows that you are accountable and committed to delivering results. Reporting and Communication Effective reporting is a key part of campaign transparency. This involves regularly sharing updates on the progress of the link building campaign. Reports should be clear and easy to understand, with a focus on meaningful metrics. They should also be timely, providing up-to-date information on the campaign's progress. Communication is another important aspect of transparency. This includes regular meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and next steps. It also involves being responsive to questions and feedback, and being open to new ideas and suggestions. The Future of Link Building As we look to the future, link building will continue to be a vital part of SEO strategies. However, the focus will increasingly shift towards quality over quantity, with search engines becoming more sophisticated in their ability to evaluate the value of backlinks. The future of link building will also be shaped by the evolving digital landscape, including changes in user behavior, search engine algorithms, and industry best practices. This underscores the importance of staying informed, being adaptable, and continuously refining your link building strategies to ensure they remain effective and aligned with your brand's goals.

SEO specialists pinpoint a range of different SEO tactics that can boost a page or site for search engine results pages (SERPs). A suite of factors work in harmony to get a site or page in the first 5 results in a search. However, Google doesn’t exactly reveal everything regarding how their algorithms operate, which can be a challenge for businesses that want to be more visible in SERPs. So, how do organisations or digital teams create a proactive, well-curated strategy that keeps pace with SERP trends and delivers results? The great news is there are plenty of concrete actions you can take to expand your visibility and optimise for search.  A great place to start is with on-page SEO. What’s on-page SEO? Simply put, on-page SEO is the process of page optimisation for SERPs, focusing on a primary keyword. The more variety and concentration around on-page SEO practices, the more likely the page will rank higher in SERPs, resulting in more visitors to the page and stronger visibility. Difference between on-page SEO and off-page SEO On-page and off-page work together to improve visibility. On-page SEO Off-page SEO Quality content Keywords Titles Internal links External links HTML tags/headings Images URL Meta description User Engagement Social sharing Content marketing Listings Promotion of page/site Guest posts Backlinks Brand mentions 10 on-page SEO Tactics 2024 1.   Keyword research A great place to start. Identify the primary keyword you want to rank for. There are multiple keyword research tools to help online. They will often suggest related keywords that may help to shape your content. Pro tip: select one main keyword for each page, supported by related long tail keywords for reach. An example of this would be ‘keyword research’ as the primary keyword, with ‘keyword research tool’ and ‘keyword placement’ as supplementary terms. Remember, appropriate and natural keyword placement supports your page in SERPs. There are a few places where it helps to place your target keyword:   Page title : the title on the page   Title tag : the title as it appears on SERPs.   First 100 words: naturally placed in the first few paragraphs.   H2 headings : feature keywords in a couple of these.   Image alt text : great for user accessibility.  2.   Quality content   Google doesn’t like thin content lacking in tangible value. Any scraped content or auto-generated information generally doesn’t rank very highly. This means that creating high-quality content that answers users’ questions so they are informed is key to improved rankings.  Users will react much more positively to helpful, truthful content that resolves their pain points. Their interest in your high-grade content will boost visibility, further strengthening your page’s position. Sites that rank highly with search engines and audiences generally refresh their content regularly to ensure user queries are answered and that content is moving with the times and connects to where audiences are right now in their lives. Content freshness can make all the difference when it comes to dwell time (how long your user decides to spend on your site). If your content is no longer in line with the right here, right now, then it may be judged as old and irrelevant. In turn, this will undoubtedly increase bounce rates, with users leaving and search engines revising any strong rankings you may have. This a situation most site owners would love to avoid! A positive step is to have a content calendar planned out for the year, with time built in to revise and update old content to better suit user needs. Once you’re in a routine with content checking, it will only take a short amount of time to make sure what you’re showing to users will benefit them. 3.   Titles An essential element of on-page SEO, website page titles (title tags) let search engines and users know what a page is about. Take care to consider intent – each page should have the target keyword naturally as part of its title. Title tips:  Keep it under 60 characters. The title needs to be relevant to its page. Natural use of target keywords is best. 4.   Headings Headings naturally follow from your page title. These refer to the HTML elements: H1, H2, H3 and so forth. Your readers and search engines will find these helpful when assessing the value of page content. Hint: use keywords related to your target keyword in headings. 5.   Meta description Meta descriptions are essentially page summaries that sit below titles in search. It helps users to clarify page content and give further detail, therefore encouraging readers to click on and consume content. Meta description tips: Keep it under 160 characters for full readability. 1-2 short sentences for clarity. Use the target keyword or related long tail keyword. 6.   Image optimisation Optimise images for improved accessibility with image alt-text. This helps search engines, like Google, to clearly ‘read’ your image, which is vital for visibility as Google provides image-based results in addition to text-based ones. Image alt-text also helps improve accessibility for those with visual impairments, a lack of sight or other conditions that limit viewing access to online images by enabling screen readers to read image information for the user. Image alt-text hints:  Keep it short – no more than 125 characters.  Be efficient with keyword use. Describe the image accurately. 7.   Page URLs The best page URLs are simple and easy to read for users and search engines. Additionally, having a URL for each page keeps them consistent and in the right order for your site. Try to begin with https:// as Google uses this as a ranking factor. 8.   Internal links Creating links between pages on your site is a great way to keep visitors on your site for longer and gives users more beneficial content which answers their pain points. Search engines also like internal links as they can crawl your site, looking for content that meets the needs of users so they can rank and index your pages properly. All of these factors mean that your site becomes more visible and potentially may rank higher on search. For example, linking to our SEO Services page can help direct users who want to know more about on-page SEO but need more specialist help.  They may be looking to refine their offering and help boost visibility online so they can engage better with a wider audience. 9. External links External links are, in many ways, just as important as internal links to your on-page SEO strategy. This is because if you link to sites with authority it can increase user engagement and trust in your site. Google has acknowledged that adding external links to trusted sources helps to improve rankings and is a way to create real value for your audience. How can you do this effectively? If you’re including sources from some great sites, make sure to link to these sites to build site strength and visibility, you’re demonstrating to users that they can have confidence in your content. 10. User engagement If users spend more time on your site, it can be a real advantage. This is because search engines like Google take notice of how long users like to interact with sites. When there’s too quick an exit, this can indicate something may be incorrect with the site. Search engines, such as Google, optimise interaction data that tells them if a search result – and a site – are relevant and in line with a search inquiry. Something called ‘bounce rate’ can support this analysis, as this data informs about user behaviour and if they leave a site without performing a specific action. If Google takes a variety of data, such as dwell time and bounce rate into account, they can build a picture of how useful a page or site is to the audience and rank that site according to its user value. This is where site design boosting the user experience can create valuable benefits. If your audience has what they’re looking for within seconds, then they’re so much more likely to stay and look for helpful content to support their needs and answer their problems.   How do you achieve better user engagement? One way is to ensure what’s above the fold on the page (what users directly see as soon as they land) has measurable value for users. It’s answering their questions with information they need to resolve pain points as soon as possible. What you don’t want is for your users to have to scroll down for a while to find what they need, as most will bounce to find a more helpful site. Information that’s easy to read, skimmable and simple to digest is best. Regular subheadings help direct attention and keep users focused. Consider additional layout options, such as short paragraphs, bullet points, lists, graphics, images and pull-out quotes to help your audience find the right information to suit their query. One more thing… Fit for mobile So many sites look great on a desktop but fail miserably at the mobile hurdle. If users can’t see a site on mobiles then it’s going to damage the brand. It’s reported around 50-60% of all online searches are performed on mobile. How can you make sure your site is mobile-friendly? Try to incorporate responsive design right from the start of the site creation process so that your site will work on any screen. Even if you do this, it’s a good idea to check that any embedded images, videos or graphics are workable on different screen sizes so that you can have confidence your audience – wherever they are interacting with your site – can access everything they need and find value during their visit. How we can help you with on-page SEO As SEO specialists, we listen closely to your needs and requirements. We personalise your SEO strategy so that you have a clear target-driven plan to track your SEO performance for future refinements and fine-tuning.

As we fast hustle into late 2024, online businesses need to take a long hard look at the content they’re producing, and make sure they’re hitting the Google mark. Because, as with everything Google does, the rules change frequently. And content is king. What was acceptable one year becomes next year’s Black Hat SEO . So many small businesses fail to update their content writing practices and then wonder why they’ve been penalised for it.  So, here’s the basics of content writing, a simple checklist you can use to ensure you’re adhering to Google’s requirements, and setting yourself up to rank highly in the SERP.  1. Brand matters  Let’s start with the most important element of content writing and your reason for doing it - to build and strengthen your brand.  For any business, regardless of your size or industry, your brand is the most valuable asset you have. So focus your efforts on strengthening this essential element of your company.  And don’t think, as the CEO, that getting involved in content writing is below you. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes - if you want to find out more about a company would you want to read an article written by Joe Bloggs, a random employee, or by The Kingpin, the CEO?  It stands to reason, when you’re wanting to engage with a brand, you want to engage with the people behind the brand. So ghostwritten or actually produced by the CEO, it doesn’t matter, just stamp the CEO on the copy, and give your brand an authoritative face.  OK, onwards to the actual basics of content writing. 2. Keywords Keywords, keywords, keywords.  Wow is there a fine line between keyword stuffing (very bad Black Hat SEO technique) and lightly sprinkling them throughout the copy.  But before you can use your keywords strategically, you have to do your research to determine which are the best ones for your brand/business/company.  Keyword research should be the first step in creating your content.  Read more about keyword research here.  Essentially, if you fail to perform keyword research, you’re just shouting into a void. Your content won’t have an anchor and your audience won’t find you. It’s really that simple.  What keywords should you be targeting? A good rule (according to Search Engine Journal , the bible in SEO) is 80% evergreen keywords: 20% trending keywords .  If you know what your target audience is searching for, you can give them content that matches their search. The goal with your content, after all, is to provide value to your users and solve their problem.  Keep track of keywords through a helpful tool such as SEMrush  and if you find any of your keywords aren’t working for you, tweak and adjust the content to find the ones that do. It can be as simple as swapping words in a title to help boost you up the rankings.  And don’t forget about long tail keywords and synonyms. Using related keywords in your content highlights your knowledge and authority on a subject. You’ll be rewarded by the Google gods for your wide choice of vernacular.  3. Optimise your title tags According to David Ogilvy , the father of advertising:  “On average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.” So make yours count. Not only do you have to strike the tricky balance of appealing to your audience, you also have to satisfy the insatiable SEO Gods. The easiest way of doing this?  Include your keywords in your title. Especially your headline.  If you can, put your keyword as close to the beginning of the title as possible.  And keep the titles short.  Anything between 40-50 characters  is best. Any longer and Google will cut it off.  4. Include numbers The simple reason to include numbers in your content is because in a wall of text, they stand out. And when people are skimming your content, as we all have a tendency to do, the numbers jump out.  Plus, numbers have an innate appeal. Statistics  show that when you include numbers in your headlines, they get 36% more hits  than headlines featuring words alone.  Don’t have numbers for your headlines? Then use brackets instead. This increases the click rate up to 38% .  Seriously, the simplest tricks are the best.  5. Don’t skip the meta description This one is vital.  When your audience is scanning the SERP and the only way for them to see if your content is the one that will give them the most value, is to include that value in your meta description. You have just 140-160 characters  to play with, so make them count.  How do you know what will entice readers to click on your link? Put yourself in their shoes. Create a solution statement that is too good to miss. Something that includes a call to action, and don’t forget to include those all important keywords.  Even though Google has said that meta descriptions don’t count towards your ranking value, they definitely INDIRECTLY count.  How? If your keyword is being searched for, and you’ve included it in your meta description, well, it’ll match the user’s search intent, making it more likely the reader will click on your link, propelling you up the SERP. 6. Optimise your headers Headers work twofold - first they break up your content into manageable, bite size chunks. Second, they provide context to the reader, giving them an at a glance understanding of what the text below is about, making it easier to skim read.  Help yourself, Google and your readers out - don’t forget to include keywords in the headers (just don’t stuff them with keywords). Only use one H1 . Make them interesting.  7. Format the body of content This can’t be emphasised enough.  No one will read a wall of text. So break it up.  Keep sentences short.  Use plenty of white space.  Break up lists with bullet points. Bold important words.  Keep paragraphs to a 3-4 sentence maximum.  And remember, most people read articles on their mobile phone, so optimise content for mobile first.

If you’re a wine maker or you’re a wine merchant , you’ll no doubt be on the hunt for great wine marketing ideas. Because in these trying times, if there’s one thing we’re all guaranteed to turn to in the evening, to take the edge off a hectic day or to try and shift the feeling of cabin fever, it’s wine.  But how do you persuade your audience that they want to buy your wine? What can you do - marketing wise - to get customers to not just check your brand out, but to actually purchase your products?  And here’s the thing you need to know - Millennials are the people you need to be targeting with your wine marketing efforts.  Millennials are fast becoming instrumental to a winery or a wine business’ success. In fact, Millennials drink more wine now than their parents do with Millennials representing 42% of total expenditure on all wine purchases. So what are the best wine marketing campaigns you can deploy to bring this generation over to your side?  First though, what exactly is wine marketing? What is wine marketing? You’d have thought that selling wine to young adults would be akin to selling sweets to children, not so much.  With more and more wineries competing for a slice of the market and consumers demanding more transparency, authenticity and sustainability from the brands they purchase from, guaranteeing wine sales is getting harder.  Millennials (the generation born between 1981-2000) will soon represent the vast majority of the workforce, making them the main consumers of almost everything, including wine. And they’re the generation who demand more from a brand, not just value for money. For them being socially conscious is essential, they know that their choices impact the world around them.  So how can you market wine to Millennials? Here are 5 tips to help you on your way.  Top tips for marketing wine to Millennials 1. Use a specialist drinks marketing agency Using a dedicated food and drink marketing agency, who understands how to market wine to Millennials, as well as have experience doing it (and seeing tangible results too), should be your first port of call.  A specialist drinks marketing agency such as Market Jar will help you develop creative and effective ideas in order to connect you with your target customers. They have the know-how to get you in front of your audience and can position you head and shoulders above the competition.  As a specialist food and drink marketing agency, Market Jar has an intimate knowledge of the sector and a solid process to develop a bespoke wine marketing strategy for you, to ensure your brand’s success.  We're the team behind multiple sucessful wine brands, including Plonk, Pull The Cork, Gasm drinks, London Wine Shippers, Pandemonium Wines, and Quello Drinks. And, we've recently launched the new website for Res Fortes , which you can see below: 2. Understand they know their stuff Millennials know their wine and they can navigate the internet like a pro - they already know more than you think. So don’t treat them like children or novices, talk to them like an equal.  Tell them about the wine’s provenance.  About how the grapes were grown.  How the vineyard is sustainable.  Tell them about the winemakers - what makes them and their technique unique.  By giving your audience what they want - great wine and an authentic wine drinking experience, you’ll have created a happy customer. 3. Communicate with them through their preferred channels Millennials are social creatures, so if you want to connect with them, you have to set yourself up where they can be found - i.e. on social platforms. Ditch the old, stuffy traditional means of marketing i.e in trade publications, and go where your customers are.  Use visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest to create eye-catching imagery, or create and engage a community of like-minded wine lovers on Facebook or LinkedIn. By engaging Millennials on their preferred platform and taking your brand to them, you’re creating the opportunity to make loyal customers  for life.   4. Leverage your reviews Millennials are the generation who do care what people think. Reviews are a vital source of truth for them because they grew up on the internet, they know and understand about fake news and they have a tendency now to trust people over brands.  According to Forbes , 97% of all Millennials will read online reviews before selecting a business, with 89% of those believing what they read. How can you leverage this faith in someone else’s opinion?  Ask for reviews from everyone - from customers, suppliers, your logistics chain, your mum, your postman, everyone, and integrate these reviews into your product pages. 5. Be authentic in everything you do Millennials value authenticity, so create original content and be proud to be unique. In fact, if you have a point of difference, highlight it!  Not only will it make you more appealing to your target audience it will also set you apart from the competition. And when the noise in wine marketing is as loud as it is, anything you can do to get your voice heard is a bonus.  This original content can take many forms - social media posts, blog posts, videos - however you choose to connect with your customers, do it, and be true to who you are.

When you’re running a business online, the last thing you want to worry about is web design mistakes - your cup is already overflowing.  Web design mistakes But web design mistakes can creep in when you take your eye off the ball. And you don’t want your customers’ first impression of your website to be a bad one.  So take some time to look over your website and make sure you rectify any silly web design mistakes it may have. Ask yourself several important questions to ensure you’re on the right track.  Questions such as: What are my business goals with my website? Who is my target audience? How will I reach my target audience? How will I drive traffic to my website? The reason you need to answer these questions is because if your website doesn’t help you reach your target audience, nor achieve your business goals, then rather than waste more time, energy and money flogging a dead website horse, you might need to go back to the website drawing board.  Common web design mistakes Some silly web design mistakes can be easily remedied, others not so much. Easy ones include: 1. Unclear calls to action If your calls to action are'nt obvious, or are too vague, or missing entirely, then you need to get your thinking hat on.  Because once you’ve achieved the holy grail of drawing people to your website, don't assume they will know what you want them to do next. Most visitors need to be told where you want them to go, what you want them to do.  Use compelling language that is persuasive and prompts action. You don’t need to write riddles or use flowery language. Keep your call to actions simple and easy to follow: Get started Sign up Buy now Share this These are simple commands that we’ve all seen on various websites. There’s no misunderstanding, it’s apparent what the website designer wants you to do.  2. Not measuring performance If you don’t know how your website is performing, how will you know if it’s working or not? Keeping track of your website’s KPIs has never been so easy.  There are so many analytics tools you can use, the easiest of which is Google Analytics  - a freemium tool from the very people who can get your website where you need it to go.  Google analytics gives you a wealth of information about your website users, you can even use it to set up goals and track conversions. It’ll also help you reach the right customers and show you what action you need to take to improve UX.  And the best thing about keeping on top of KPIs? With digital marketing, it’s so easy to test and adjust when things aren’t working as well as you’d hoped.  3. Telling bad stories  How do you ensure your website is persuasive? By telling a story that people can understand and connect with.  It doesn't matter what your core values are or what great work you’re doing, if your web design tells a bad story, or doesn’t convey your message, or if it’s too generic, no one is going to pay you any attention because you won’t stand out from the competition.  The easiest way to make a connection with your target audience is by addressing their needs and solving their problems.  Here’s a key business lesson (if you aren’t already aware) - no one cares about your business or what it does. People only care about themselves and making sure their needs are met.  Want to ingratiate yourself with people? Give them what they want. Acknowledge their pain points and show them how you can help them.  4. Too much going on up top Have you ever clicked on a website and been overwhelmed by a barrage of information, photos, text etc? What did you do? Click off it again to save your sanity?  Don’t let your website be that website.  Don’t try to cram in as much as possible above the fold because you heard that if you make users scroll down, they’ll bounce. They’ll bounce for sure if your website is overcrowded, that much is certain.  5. Using poor visuals What’s worse than no visuals? Poor visuals.  Blurry photographs, stock images that don’t convey any message other than your company brand as a personality void zone, or badly optimised images all leave a bad impression. If a picture paints a thousand words, save on your copywriting bill and use a great image. Not a low quality image or an irrelevant image, a great one.  Not sure how to rectify your silly web design mistakes yourself? Use a web design company , (most importantly, that knows what they're doing) to help you out.  They will show you where your website could be improved, or better yet, use a professional to avoid making silly web design mistakes in the first place.