Thomas Kucharski

About Thomas Kucharski

https://www.themercen.com/

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June 17 2020

Ahrefs vs SEMrush: Which SEO Tool Is Better?

Thomas Kucharski Tools 0

As far as SEO tools go, there are two pack leaders: Ahrefs and SEMrush.

They’re both powerful tools that provide resources to find the perfect keywords, optimize your content, and improve your rankings. Using one of these tools can put an end to the guessing game of choosing keywords and hoping they perform well.

There are several impressive digital marketing features provided by these platforms – some of which they have in common, but others are exclusive to one or the other. So, how do you choose between the two?

Keep reading for an overview of Ahrefs vs. SEMrush, how they can help you finetune your keyword research, and the differences between the two tools.

Ahrefs Overview

ahrefs semrush SEO tool to grow your search traffic

Ahrefs, released in 2011, boasts having a keyword index of over 10.3 billion keywords and the world’s most extensive backlink index offering new data every 15-30 minutes. Ahrefs has an incredibly accurate link database.

Some of Ahrefs best features are:

Customizable alerts for backlinks, mentions, new keywords, and more
Intuitive interface that allows you to quickly see the overall health of your website and search engine ranking
An in-depth look into search traffic with a site explorer
Domain comparisons
Reports with charts
JavaScript rendering and a site audit for finding SEO issues
A content explorer that provides excellent topic suggestions

SEMrush Overview

SEMrush main dashboard the most popular SEO tool

SEMrush is probably the most popular SEO tool – with so many features, it’s the leading competitive research service for online marketers. The total number of keywords for Google in the SEMrush Keyword Magic tool now exceeds 18.3 billion – it’s the largest keyword database on the market!

It was developed originally as SeoQuake in 2007 and began as a small Firefox extension (which still exists).

SEO quake a powerful SEO toolbox for your browser

Popular
features offered by SEMrush include:

SEO Rank Tracking that allows you to watch the day-to-day progress and rank changes of an SEO campaign or website
Backlink Audit Tool, which allows users to discover and remove toxic backlinks – with the option to outreach – and other tools that help in spotting good sites for getting backlinks
Integration with Google Analytics and Google Search Console
Advertising research that includes ad budgets and relevant keywords
Support for long-tail keywords within keyword research
Competitor research to determine the best keywords, organic competitors, and changes in position
Market Explorer, which shows your target audience and its interests
Traffic Analytics, which gives you insights about your competitors’ traffic
SEO writing assistant that checks the SEO potential and originality of a piece of content
Social Media and PPC tools

Get unlimited access to 50+ SEO, PPC, social media, content, and market research tools for 14 days with our special offer here:

Start your SEMrush trial today!

Direct Comparisons: Ahrefs vs SEMrush

Now that you know a little more about each tool and what they offer let’s take a look at how they compare. I’ll analyze each tool to see how they differ in the user interface, keyword research resources, rank tracking, and competitor analysis.

User Interface

Ahrefs and SEMrush have similar dashboards. They both offer comprehensive reports and analytics front and center. However, Ahrefs requires a bit more of a configuration process. You need to list your competitors, domains, and desired keywords to track. SEMrush, on the other hand, let’s you begin your research more quickly by immediately giving you access to your dashboard.

Let’s take a
look at the elements provided by each dashboard and explore how easy it is to
complete tasks with each tool.

Ahrefs

The Ahrefs dashboard is overall less cluttered than SEMrush. Its primary menu is at the very top of the page, with a search bar that exists only to type in domains.

Other notable
elements of the Ahrefs dashboard include:

You can see analytics from the dashboard, including search engine rankings to domain ratings, referring domains, and backlinks
Jumping from one tool to another is relatively simple. You can use the Keyword Explorer to find a keyword to target and jump directly to rank tracking with one click
They offer a tooltip helper tool that allows you to hover your mouse over something that isn’t clear, and you’ll get an in-depth explanation.

SEMrush

When you log into SEMrush, you’ll see a few essential modules right away. These include a quick analysis of your domains and information about organic keywords, ad keywords, and site traffic.

You’ll also find:

A search bar that allows you to type in a domain, keyword, or anything else you want to explore
A menu on the left side with quick links to things like marketing insights, projects, keyword analytics, and more
Customer support resources located directly within the dashboard. You can chat with the support team or check out other resources such as webinars and blogs
Thorough descriptions for just about every resource offered. This detail is beneficial, especially for online marketers who are just starting and may not understand all the acronyms yet

Who wins?

Both platforms’ dashboards have strengths and weaknesses. If you are someone who enjoys a clean, simple interface, then Ahrefs is less cluttered and easier to navigate. On the other hand, SEMrush packs more tools in its dashboard, including access to customer support resources.

Which dashboard you prefer will depend on what you look for in a user interface, so you should test both for yourself.

Keyword Research

Keyword
research is related to rank tracking, but it’s primarily used for deciding
which keywords you plan on using in future content, rather than tracking the
ones you currently use on your webpages.

When it comes to SEO tools, keyword research is probably the most critical area to compare the two platforms.

Ahrefs

The Ahrefs Keyword Explorer gives you thousands of keyword ideas with metrics included. You can also perform targeted keyword searches filtered by the search engine.

Other features
that Ahrefs support are:

The ability to type in multiple keywords at one time and analyze them together. However, SEMrush also has this feature in Keyword Overview, so it’s not a unique feature
Ahrefs has keywords for different search engines: Google, YouTube, Amazon, Bing, Yahoo, Yandex, Baidu, Daum, Naver, Seznam
Clicking on keywords that have potential shows the keyword difficulty and search volume, but also keyword suggestions related to the initial search. This feature can show you other keyword options you may have never considered

SEMrush

SEMrush’s core keyword research feature is called the Keyword Magic Tool and has more than 18 billion keywords for Google. You can type in any keyword you want to analyze, and an extensive list of suggested keywords will appear.

The Keyword
Magic Tool also allows you to:

View performance metrics by keyword
Search based on broad and exact keyword matches
See data like search volume, trends, keyword difficulty, and cost per click

Who wins?

Both of these
tools offer impressive keyword research features and provide the ability to
break down complicated tasks into something that can be understood by beginners
and advanced users alike.

However, if you’re interested in more keyword suggestions, SEMrush seems to suggest more keyword alternatives than Ahrefs.

Rank Tracking

If you’re looking to understand your position in search engines, rank tracking features are what you need. You can also use them to check how you compare to your competitors.

Let’s compare Ahrefs vs SEMrush to see which one performs better in this area.

Ahrefs

Once again, the Ahrefs Rank Tracker is the easier-to-understand tool – mainly because there’s just one page without many additional features. Use Rank Tracker by typing in the domain you’re interested in testing and some keywords.

Rank Tracker looks into how well your rankings are performing for those keywords. Ahrefs also offers:

Easy-to-understand results for things like visibility, traffic, average position, and keyword difficulty (KD)
The ability to go into the KD area to see whether a keyword is worth targeting or better to skip.

SEMrush

For Rank Tracking, SEMrush has a tool called Position Tracking. It is a project tool, so you need to set up a new project for it – similarly to Ahrefs. As for the most popular SEMrush Position Tracking features, among them:

Daily data updates and mobile rankings, available for all subscribers by default
Opportunity to track lot’s of SERP features including Local Pack tracking
Intuitive reports that allow you to change which pages and keywords are being tracked.

Who wins?

Ahrefs is a more user-friendly option and is a winner in this area. It only takes seconds to type in the domain names and keywords you’re looking to track. From there, you can quickly decide whether to move forward with a targeted keyword or figure out how to rank higher for other keywords.

However, SEMrush gives you the possibility to check mobile rankings and update rankings daily. Also, SEMrush offers social ranking analytics, which is a tool you won’t find within the Ahrefs platform.

Competitor Analysis

Both platforms
have powerful competitor analysis tools that eliminate the need to think of
keywords off the top of your head. Each has tools that will find keywords that
are effective for your competition, so you know they’ll be valuable to you.

Ahrefs

Ahrefs has a
domain comparison tool that allows you to type in up to five websites (your
website and four competitors) and compare them side-by-side. You can also:

View metrics such as backlinks, domain ratings, and more to see how well your site is doing compared to others
Use the Competing Domains section to see a list of your most direct competitors, along with a keyword intersection chart
Find more information by navigating back to the Site Explorer and Content Explorer tools and typing in a competitor’s URL instead of your domain

SEMrush

SEMrush offers
a plethora of opportunities to test and spy on your competitors in an efficient
way. The platform provides several resources for competitor analysis,
including:

Traffic Analytics, which helps you see where a website’s traffic comes from, how their audience engages with their site, what devices visitors prefer to use, and how multiple websites’ audiences overlap and much more
SEMrush’s Organic Research tells you about a website’s top organic search competitors, which keywords they get their traffic from, if they are ranking for any SERP Features, and more.
The Market Explorer search bar invites you to type in a domain and lists websites or articles similar to what you entered. Then, you have options for tracking these companies and markets with in-depth data analytics.

Who wins?

With more tools dedicated directly to competitor analysis, SEMrush wins in this area. This is not to say that Ahrefs slacks, however, it takes a combination of tools in Ahrefs to comprehend what your competitors are doing to rank higher than you.

Which SEO tool should you choose for digital marketing?

When it comes
to keyword data research, you really can’t go wrong with either Ahrefs or
SEMrush.

Consider
choosing Ahrefs if you:

Like cleaner interfaces
Are searching for simple keyword suggestions
Want to get more keywords for search engines like Amazon, Bing, Yahoo, Yandex, Baidu, Daum, Naver, Seznam.

On the other
hand, consider choosing SEMrush if you:

Want more marketing and SEO features to choose from
Need top-of-the-line competitor analysis tools
Need to keep your backlinks profile clean
Are looking for more keyword suggestions for Google.

Don’t forget to activate your 14 days FREE SEMrush trial here.

Win at business with keyword data research

With the right tools, you can use the power of social media, content, and digital technologies to transform your business. When it comes to choosing Ahrefs vs SEMrush, it comes down to personal preference and the specific tools you’re searching for.

Do you have any experience using either Ahrefs, SEMrush, or both? Let us know what did and didn’t work for you in the comments below!

Don’t forget to activate your 14 days FREE SEMrush trial here.

June 12 2020

We’ve got 10 super-useful apps with life time membership uses on sale today

Thomas Kucharski Tools 0

TLDR: From security to efficiency to extremely handy, take a look at Memorial Day deals on 10 of the very best software and app deals from TNW Deals.

Not to eliminate from the true significance of Memorial Day, however the informal start to the summer season has actually become– like the majority of American holidays– a fun time to discover some awesome deals.

Considering that many of us still aren’t ranging too far away from our homes simply yet, we pulled together 10 of the best apps and software application bundles on sale this weekend, all with life time subscriptions, into one location.

KeepSolid VPN Unlimited ($24 with promotion code: SUMMERSAVE20)

With over 10 million worldwide consumers, KeepSolid VPN is one of the most trusted security services around– and given that a solid VPN is your first layer of protection against online cyber-threats, spyware and more, that’s no little factor to consider.

Mondly Language Learning ($56 with promotion code: SUMMERSAVE20)

If foreign languages immediately make you flashback to grueling high school death-march classes, you’ll be pleasantly amazed at Mondly’s take on mentor you another tongue.

12 minutes Micro Book Library ($32 with discount code: SUMMERSAVE20)

Don’t have time to read? No problem. The folks at 12 min Micro Books have condensed numerous books in lots of different categories down to the essence– so you can get all the crucial takeaways from any of these best-sellers and more in simply 12 minutes. They’re even available in audio type, so whenever you have actually got a break in your day, you can seem like you just read a whole book without ever checking out a word. With this lifetime membership offer, the knowledge you glean from each book works out to simply pennies each

ITG.digital Online Illustrations Builder Pro ($24 with promotion code: SUMMERSAVE20)

Building graphics for a website, presentation and even a social media post can typically take longer than the time spent on the rest of the project. With ITG.digital, you get access to over 1,000 eye-catching professional-grade illustrations, graphic elements and more, each completely adjustable in minutes– even if you’re no artist. For under $25, you’ll never ever require to sweat your lack of creative skills again and can just concentrate on the rest of your work.

Blueprints Site Home Builder ($32 with promo code: SUMMERSAVE20)

How about if you’ve got to build a whole website?

Task Pigeon Service Strategy ($40 with promo code: SUMMERSAVE20)

If you’re looking for a tool to keep you and your entire group on point, this efficiency increase can get the task done.

SSEOZI: Your Expert SEO and Web Analyzer Tools ($20 with promo code: SUMMERSAVE20)

For those who understand the significance of SEO, but do not have the understanding yet to back it up, this suite of pro-level SEO tools can enhance your pages, identify top keywords, repair problems, and press you to the top of Google search rankings. With SSEOZI, you’ll get the web analysis that can put you ahead of competitors, all for one $20 cost

LingvaNex Translator ($64 with promo code: SUMMERSAVE20)

Because you’ll never learn all the languages of the world, the LingvaNex Translator makes sure you do not have to.

JumpStory Genuine Stock Photography ($80 with promotion code: SUMMERSAVE20)

Copyright violation claims are absolutely no joke, however with JumpStory, you’ll have access to over 25 million sensational images, illustrations, vector icons, and videos, all royalty-free and ready for use in your blog, website, emails, social media or anywhere else right now. JumpStory even uses artificial intelligence to help you find exactly what you’re trying to find in seconds or perhaps forecast the possible efficiency of images. At well over $ 2,000 off its regular cost, this is the biggest savings of any offer in this collection.

MindMaster Mind Mapping Software ($40 with promo code: SUMMERSAVE20)

Take all those random thoughts in your head and lay them out with order with this versatile, user-friendly, and expert mind mapping tool. MindMaster provides 12 various map structures, 33 themes, and over 700 pieces of cliparts for personalizing your mind maps with limitless possibilities. Today, it’s over $80 off its routine cost with this Memorial Day discount rate.

Prices undergo alter.

Celebrate Pride 2020 with us this month!

Why is queer representation so essential? What’s it like being trans in tech? How do I take part essentially? You can find all our Pride 2020 protection here

Learn More

June 9 2020

The Wild Web: How SEO Can Draw In, Engage and Retain Consumers for Brand Name Structure

Thomas Kucharski Software 0

In our linked world, nearly every company has an online presence they count on heavily to support the bottom line. Amid the ongoing crisis, that hasn’t been more true than now. While the web can simplify endpoint processes like sales, it also functions as a crucial entrance for consumer engagement. That’s why business require to place increased focus on their online existence for brand name building– and where SEO tools can make all the difference.

SEO has constantly been an important tool for optimizing a company’s brand name online in order to drive leads into the sales funnel. With a congested landscape and more content completing for customer attention than ever, it’s important that brands utilize SEO technology to ensure they’re maximizing brand awareness online in order to continue creating income by transforming leads into loyal clients.

Encourage brand-new client recruitment and acquisition
Building a brand name starts with converting audiences from being “brand-new visitors”– taking a look at a site to discover the business– to a “brand name visitor”– checking out the webpage because of what they understand about the company. This indicates increasing the volume of non-brand-traffic, which can be done by leveraging SEO insights to understand what consumers are searching for and discovering the best path to exposure to rank high in their searches. And the more familiar consumers are, the more likely they are to keep returning– a current study from Econsultancy discovered 82%of consumers click brands they recognize with first prior to taking a look at other choices. With significantly more brand name alternatives to turn to than ever, a sense of familiarity and consistency will assist you produce an engaged and faithful client base.

Boost client engagement through improved online experiences
A brand’s homepage might not have the appropriate information or the call to action needed which satisfies their preliminary intent. SEO can assist evaluate which pages have the least amount of bounceback– such as, what pages customers click on that influences them to check out another page and likewise what may be most appropriate to assisting customers attain their objective. The experience ends up being tailored to the customer, improving conversions per see, click-through rates, and rankings, which in turn increases conversion.

Ensure business can reduce online complexity
At the end of the day, the best method to develop a lasting online brand existence is to supply a seamless and constant virtual experience for your audience. Consistency can be difficult to handle online, where consistent upgrades and changes to innovation could easily impact the source code for a website and in turn, how the audience communicates with that business online. Safeguarding existing SEO performance is less expensive than replacing it if something goes wrong. As such, SEO technology can provide companies with increased control over their online existence by considering search optimization at every stage. This ensures that SEO, and as a result, prospective consumers, are never ever lost in the shuffle due to human mistake.

SEO requires to be part of the web advancement process from the start, and new tools can allow SEO teams and designers to evaluate for unfavorable SEO impact prior to releasing a modification to the site. Brands should also attempt planning out dynamic material within the site– maybe customizing by language or previous engagement with the website– however ensure SEO is leveraged throughout the process for a seamless experience for the end user.
SEO software is one of the main contributors to motivating brand-new customer acquisition and increasing customer engagement through boosted online experiences. And with online channels presently being the main– and for some, only– methods of interaction between brands and clients, it’s crucial that brands get it.

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June 8 2020

Upgrading Content: Here’s Why Your Old Material Requirements a Refresh

Thomas Kucharski Software 0

Best practices for upgrading material

The process of updating old content can be time consuming, specifically if your website has been around for a while. It’s finest to plan to deal with this project on an ongoing basis, instead of all at once.

Before you begin, here are some basic best practices to follow:

Conduct a content audit

Reasonably, you’re not going to have time to offer adequate attention to every post that needs to be updated. To make the best usage of your time, it is very important to determine which pieces of content are most likely to have the biggest effect. This is where a content audit can be found in.

A content audit is created to evaluate all the existing material on your site and examine its performance. Material that was when effective is a lot more most likely to bounce back. Goal to pick content that was composed to target high volume, evergreen keywords.

Develop a list to follow

No two pieces of material are the exact same and some will require more work than others. By now, you’re probably questioning precisely what changes are essential to make in order to see a significant enhancement in content efficiency. Research shows that modifications made to the body text of the article are more important to online search engine.

To keep your work organized and uniform, produce a checklist to follow for each short article that you upgrade. Here are some modifications to think about adding to your checklist:

Validate the reader intent of the keyword you’re targeting. Does the message of the short article directly line up with what readers are searching for when they look for this term?
Examine the catchiness of the headline compared to the completing short articles. How can you enhance your heading to stand out?
Update graphics and other visual elements that no longer fit your brand name design standards.
Sort through all of the internal and external links to make sure the content that you’re connecting to is upgraded and accurate. If there are broken links, fix them.
Identify opportunities to upgrade on-page SEO components such as the meta description and image alt-text.
Check for grammatical errors and writing design. When it concerns composing, there’s no right or wrong however you ought to aim to have a unified brand voice throughout all of your pieces.

Some modifications are quick fixes, while others can take a number of hours if a full reword of the article is deemed required. Once you think the piece remains in good condition, re-publish it and upgrade the post date. This is done differently based upon the web content management system you use, so make certain to consult your particular software service provider on how to do this.

Promote updated pieces on social media

As soon as your short article is republished, promote it throughout your social media accounts. If you already use a social media suite tool, scheduling old material into rotation should be a relatively basic step.

Track development and adjust accordingly

If you haven’t already purchased SEO software, now is the time to do it. This type of option is important to tracking the performance of the material you’re upgrading so you can understand if your efforts are making an effect. In addition to user traffic, most SEO tools enable you to determine the variety of backlinks and keywords picked up by your articles. When you have the ability to track progress, you can reproduce the procedure if it’s working or make adjustments to your strategy if you’re not getting the outcomes you expected. Provide your recently upgraded posts a month or so to see how they’re carrying out.

Bottom line

New is not constantly much better. If your marketing technique needs a much-needed boost, consider investing time in updating old material no matter if you’re targeting basic SEO or regional SEO If carried out correctly, a content refresh can assist you generate notable traffic results, keep your audience engaged, and reveal search engines that your article deserves the # 1 spot on the SERPs.

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June 6 2020

Required website hosting for your business? Here are 6 fantastic choices.

Thomas Kucharski Tools 0

The speed of your website and its reliability rely on the web hosting service you select. It’s difficult to know where to begin, so we did the work for you.

Finest for Speed

WPEngine

Fast and safe and secure, WPEngine offers useful functions like day-to-day backups, but lacks some other obvious details.

All items featured here are individually chosen by our editors and writers.If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.

By Jennifer Allen2020-05-3015: 28: 45 UTC

Your little business needs a website.

Web hosting is, as the name suggests, where your site is hosted. It’s the home of your site, which indicates the speed of your site and its dependability rely on the web hosting service you choose. That suggests it’s essential to select a host thoroughly. Similar to you wouldn’t desire your service to have an unsightly shop, you also desire your web hosting to be as professional as your operation. It can be a difficult process, however, specifically if you’re not tech-savvy.

Keep Reading, and we’ll describe exactly what to try to find when acquiring web hosting, and we’ll narrow your choices to the best web hosting for your specific scenario.

What kind of hosting is finest for my business?

Webhosting providers aren’t all the very same. Broadly, they can be divided up into 4 primary categories – Shared, VPS, Dedicated, and Cloud Hosting. Shared hosting is the most affordable out there due to the fact that your website is hosted together with other sites. It tends to imply that speeds are slower, and you don’t have as many features available to you, but it’s perfect for a small business that simply wishes to host specific details.

VPS hosting and Cloud hosting are both rather similar. They involve offering you with a virtual private server, which tends to offer you more flexibility and better efficiency, but at a rate.

The highest-end type of web hosting is devoted hosting.

What should I look for when purchasing webhosting for my business?

For many small services, the cost is a significant part of the decision-making process when purchasing web hosting.

Ease of usage is vital, too, with an user-friendly control panel making the process a lot smoother, as well as excellent client assistance. Some web hosting also offers built-in site home builders so you can get a website constructed within hours without the need for expert knowledge.

Speed is likewise something to consider, as a slow loading site is off-putting to clients and impacts your search engine ranking. Reliability is important, too, although the hosting companies we’ve noted here are all highly reputable and deal very little downtime.

Has whatever a small business requirements in one place – Really cheap – Website home builder consisted of.

Need to devote to 3-year prepare for the very best deal – Backups cost extra.

For a one-stop-shop service, HostGator has everything a small business needs, from trusted hosting to a domain and security functions.

1. HostGator

Cheap yet efficient, this popular hosting business is perfect for a small company with big plans.

Hatchling Plan:
$ 2.08 each month.
Infant Strategy:
$ 2.98 per month.
Business Strategy:
$ 4.48 each month.

HostGator is a welcoming web host in many ways. It’s simple to use, and you can sign up for a single domain, shared hosting, and unlimited bandwidth within seconds. It’s the kind of organisation hosting that need to work for the bulk of users until they feel the requirement for devoted servers or VPS assistance.
When it pertains to client support, it’s available 24/ 7 via phone and live chat, so you’re great to go at perpetuity, even if you’re diving into some late-night work. A drag-and-drop site contractor as well as one-click WordPress set up indicates you can get a website introduced quickly, although bear in mind that you need to spend for an organisation plan to gain SEO tools, which can be helpful. Uptime is regularly 99.9%and ensured to remain that way, so you will not need to stress over your website dropping at a critical time.

Advised by WordPress – Speedy performance – Suitable for newbies.

No uptime assurance – The fundamental strategy does not offer limitless storage.

Preferably matched to WordPress installs, Bluehost supplies practically all the features you might need when releasing a small company site.

2. Bluehost

Simple to use and with extensive support, Bluehost is perfect for beginner website owners.

Shared Plan:
$ 2.95 monthly.
VPS Strategy:
$1899 monthly.
Devoted Plan:
$7999 per month.

For a low price, Bluehost offers unmetered bandwidth across all its plans, along with a complimentary SSL certificate.
You understand how to run an organisation, however you may not be tech-savvy. 24/ 7 consumer assistance by means of phone, e-mail, and live chat implies you’re just minutes away from extra support too.

Lots of choices for growing companies – Fantastic customer care – 100%uptime guarantee.

No shared hosting strategies – Over the top for many services.

If you’re keen to have more functions readily available or wish to go the devoted path, Liquid Web is a great option, however it comes at a cost.

3. Liquid Web

Created for high-end small companies with ambitious requirements, Liquid Web is one of the very best of the innovative bunch.

Cloud VPS:
$59 each month.
Cloud Sites:
$150 monthly.
Cloud Committed:
$169 each month.
Dedicated Servers:
$199 per month.
Private VPS Moms And Dad:
$329 each month.

We have actually focused mainly on shared hosting strategies here since small companies are generally just fine with such strategies. If you’re believing long term, or you know your small business requires a significant online existence, Liquid Web has the best strategies here for VPS, Cloud, and Dedicated server alternatives. It’s an innovative service, so newbies will be daunted by the need to understand how different functions work, and you’ll need a site all set to publish, considering that it does not have a website home builder.
Nevertheless, it’s terrific for quick efficiency, guaranteed 100%uptime, all the security includes you could possibly imagine, and more. Its services will secure your website from DDoS attacks, amongst many other things, and your site will always run speedily. Liquid Web is likewise able to use 24/ 7/365 support via phone, e-mail, or live chat. It won’t be for each business, offered the high prices and intricate requirements, however if you know what you’re doing, this is probably the supplier for you.

Fantastic uptime – Daily backups – Fast loading.

No email consisted of – No domain name.

One of the speediest services out there, WPEngine is a reliable location to host your site, especially if you use WordPress.

4. WPEngine

Fast and safe, WPEngine offers helpful functions like everyday backups, but lacks some other obvious details.

Start-up Plan:
$30 per month.
Growth Plan:
$115 monthly.
Scale Strategy:
$290 per month.

WPEngine isn’t an all-in-one service like some web hosting. If you know what you’re doing however, it’s a beneficial cloud-based hosting service.
It also has great uptime with everyday backups, and assures that you’ll never ever have to fret about possibly losing important content.

Assures 100%uptime – WordPress preinstalled – SSD Storage.

Limited live chat – No e-mail on starter strategy.

As a primarily all-in-one service, DreamHost goes the extra mile by appealing 100%uptime even on shared hosting plans. It’s fast, too.

5. DreamHost

Straightforward and reliable, DreamHost is especially terrific at appealing unequalled uptime.

Shared Plan:
$ 3.95 monthly.
VPS Plan:
$1375 each month.
DreamPress Strategy:
$1695 each month.

DreamHost is a well-known name in web hosting for a great reason– it’s extremely reliable. It is so trustworthy that it assures 100%uptime for shared hosting plans, something that isn’t always easy to find.
There’s likewise comprehensive WordPress assistance here with a site builder app built-in and free WordPress migrations too. A free SSL certificate implies your business will be secure for all too. Just bear in mind that if you’re a big fan of live chat and don’t like phone assistance, chat is only readily available during select hours every day.

Really cheap – Easy for newbies – 24/ 7 tech assistance.

Costs increase after the very first year – No complimentary domain with the starter package.

For those who merely require some type of web presence, a budget strategy from Hostinger is perfect and simple to establish.

6. Hostinger

Simple to establish and really cheap, Hostinger is the perfect location for the tiniest of sites.

Single Shared Hosting:
$ 0.99 monthly.
Premium Shared Hosting:
$ 2.89 each month.
Organisation Shared Hosting:
$ 3.99 per month.

If you simply require an online presence, Hostinger is best. Its most affordable plan starts at just $1 each month and gives you enough bandwidth to keep your website ticking along every month, as well as a critical SSL certificate. Preferably, you’ll wish to upgrade to a higher-end bundle if you’re going to do more with your site, however it’s a terrific place to begin.
Whatever prepare you pick, there are one-click install choices and a simple site home builder so you can develop a landing page in barely any time.

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June 6 2020

Here Is Why You Should Pay More Attention To Marketing Automation Software

Thomas Kucharski Software 0

Marketing automation is the process of handling you repetitive marketing tasks like sending weekly emails, new product notifications, alerting customers about new sale or discounts, and many more such tasks. By automating such tasks, you can easily make time for coming up with the right replies for the right customers at the right time. Here are some details about the marketing automation software that you should know about.

IMAGE: UNSPLASH

How Does Marketing Automation Software Work?

Depending on the industry marketers deploy different software strategies from which the popular ones are as follows:

Specifying Criteria

Using a marketing automation tool, you can set goals and plan tasks to achieve those goals. The criteria entered by the user are then interpreted, analyzed, stored, and executed by the marketing automation software. This way, the software helps you score leads, and in the end, the leads are entered into the Customer Relationship Management software and passed on to the sales team to make sales.

Tracking Where The User Goes

As a business owner, you have to be acquainted with what your consumers are interested in. Marketing automation takes care of this by using tracking cookies on the website visitor’s web browser. The website owners can collect data when a visitor visits a website and build an ideal profile which they can then use to attract new customers to their platform.

Using Forms For Collecting User Information

The marketing department needs to generate quality leads for the sales team. For this purpose, they use forms to collect the user information that later on qualifies as leads—based on the information filled you can have the marketing automation tool in place to generate leads in their respective categories. Then you can determine which strategies to use on leads to ensure higher closing rates.

Features That Marketing Automation Software Includes

Lead Management

Lead management is one of the essential features of marketing automation software; with this feature, it is easy to identify prospects and capture leads. It handles all the vital functions from lead scoring to lead assigning. Allowing marketing and sales teams to work together using the marketing automation tool allows you to gain more leads, nurture them effectively, and increase your sales exponentially.

Integration

Marketing automation has many potentials and can offer plenty of excellent insights that can improve your business. Still, you are only going to get the most out of it if your automation tool can adequately integrate with Customer relationship management (CRM) software, Content management system (CMS), analytics tools, etc. The integration will allow you to easily track the behaviors and determine which marketing strategies are working and what you can do to boost the results.

Progressive Profiling

One of the biggest goals as a business owner for you is the generate leads and collect their information. Marketing automation allows you to take this process a step further. By progressive profiling, you learn more and more each time they fill out a form.

With this, you don’t need to present every time a user visits your platform, you can set it up once and just let it ride, which is excellent. The data collected from this then can help you segment better emails and configure more targeted email campaigns. It enables you to bring in more leads.

Social Media Automation

Social media engagement is essential if you want to grow your business today. Using a marketing automation tool, you can schedule posts in advance and send alerts to your audience about any special discounts or sales. You can use social media automation to:

Keep your social media accounts up to date with fresh content
Engage with customers to discuss your products or services
Keep track of your social media campaigns
Schedule and push timed updates
Gather customer feedback through comments and insights
Run targeted advertisements

Segmentation

An enterprise automation software should be able to manage data efficiently and filter customer information whenever required. Segmentation is the ability to select a target audience based on a specific criterion. Marketing automation tools segment the database by a combination of key interests of a targeted customer base.

Lead Nurturing

Lead nurturing is the last must-have feature of marketing automation software. This is one feature that requires a lot of time and effort from the user end. As a user, you will have to spend time developing marketing campaigns that take the customer from one stage of your buying cycle to another.

This requires a lot of research and content creation from your end, but once in place, it can help you create more opportunities from your product or services and nurture your existing leads until the sales team engage with them.

Author Bio: I am Greg Wilson, a content writer working with GoodFirms, a research and review platform for service and software companies. I am passionate about blogging, creative writing, social media, and content marketing. I write blog posts for GoodFirms about SEO software, Cloud computing, IoT development, and many more such categories.

If you are interested in even more business-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.

IMAGE: UNSPLASH

June 4 2020

10 Powerful SEMrush Alternatives You Need to Know About

Thomas Kucharski Tools 0

1src Powerful SEMrush Alternatives You Need to Know About

10 Powerful SEMrush Alternatives You Need to Know About

SEMrush is one of the best SEO tools. It’s an all-in-one SEO solution, it’s got great PPC research integration, and in 2020 it’s as time-tested as any pack of SEO tools out there.

But it does come with some drawbacks, the most significant of which are the price and the limitations on functionalities.

This is a list of SEO tools that could be great SEMrush alternatives. Disclaimer: the usual suspects like Ahrefs and Moz Pro are not on the list.

These tools are great, no question about it, but to my mind they are too similar to SEMrush. The tools presented here are actual alternatives, providing similar features cheaper, or similarly priced, but aiming at a different audience than SEMrush itself.

SEO PowerSuite

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/RhkvJuO65OJaDodFgUoUe5UZVx5pRppTEnMXfrQdqVhf_6wnfzQmOvs4D9RZq9ErZbAixDcJZ5lTDxPQ8t9qYZLxOtuV22ZixhKsrcgeaDpEotva6vG5dvqhzfZbfND-d_Ld47LkaM

What it does differently than SEMrush:

Desktop software
Free plan available
Cheaper for paid plans
You can buy just the features you need
No limits on keyword and backlink research, pages crawled or projects

SEO PowerSuite, in a way, is the best SEMrush alternative out there.

First of all, it’s also an all-in-one SEO solution, but it’s not cloud-based, which of course comes with its own fair share of difficulties. The tool is actually split into 4 apps, divided between keyword research and rank tracking, backlink research, website audit and on-page SEO, and link building.

So unlike SEMrush, you only need to pay for the functionality you require, and the paid plans provide a limitless experience, with restrictions only on the number of competitors researched, making it a decidedly cheaper alternative for marketers seeking that all-in-one solution.

Second of all, there’s a perfectly capable free version of the software. While it has some limitations on keyword and competitor research, it can still be effectively used by SEOs running lower-volume campaigns, making it one of the only free alternatives to holistic SEO tools like SEMrush.

Pricing: Free version available, the Professional plan is $299/year, and the Enterprise is $699/year.

SpyFu

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bbaZRdccxzsW-J6eavoM-O9Ld-WXfXt3PLDD9fWTJsrcZkyxrAxNq1Csg2SqPjPeNRlmF2VPIBzK3JGmpoKjT1sFpb58gZvPSk95fOrAKrLuxqSUrb-PVEGrFBhKX7jfcH7HoODwss

What it does differently than SEMrush:

It’s cheaper
Emphasis on competitor research
No on-page SEO
Unlimited keyword and backlink research

SpyFu is an all-around powerful SEO solution that presents one of the cheaper, more competition-oriented alternatives to SEMrush.

The entire set of its SEO features, from keyword to backlink research (both are unlimited, by the way) revolves around competition research.

On top of the usual competition research of looking for keyword gaps and backlink intersections, you also see your competitors’ entire Google Ads history, as well as all of the organic keywords they ranked for in the last 10 years.

Pricing: the Basic plan is $399/year, the Professional plan is $699/year, and the Team plan is $2388/year.

SERPStat

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/12hPC5Fu7srcsaZKMJokgEPahsrcmIRwBel2dX-oI3d9KKZ9TNXtScXVzv3LKqHA9L3R1imAWFSlOUZI_bBYv2tkINsQWfvRsXbLoUNpsrcNZyd-SzSc9_KjRusBsrcYAsA4OrT5TPEVUv5v

What it does differently than SEMrush:

Fewer projects available for research
Bigger emphasis on keyword research and audit
Wide selection of extensions for web browsers

Those who want to compare SEMrush to SERPstat will instantly see that both apps are aimed at people who want their entire SEO campaign run from a single HQ. Price-wise, it’s comparable to SEMrush. That said, at similar prices, it has much higher allowance for keywords researched and pages crawled.

It also sports very convenient extensions available for Opera, Firefox, and Chrome. Once you install it, wherever you go on the internet, you’ll immediately get a slew of SEO information. You’ll be able to look up PageSpeed insights, CPC information, research keywords — all in a couple of clicks.

Pricing: the Lite plan is $662, the Standard plan is $1.430, the Advanced plan is $2.870, and the Enterprise plan is $4.790.

SE Ranking

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Tsrconh1oKfzCMAFXpS7Rsrct6_UNQ3HAYOVhngILegUsUMRz2q-IEj5wc_iqZGvKggpOFVOFnD4yXO2BN7QBDQUkdsTnVyLAhKFII_GEIX1fqSDEXX5ytrXF26CV_1sfP-7z8H7tEwJ

What it does differently than SEMrush:

Adjustable limits which you can reconfigure to wildly change the pricing according to your current needs

Another comprehensive SEO tool, much like SEMrush, but with a twist: for every pricing plan, you can adjust the limits on keyword and backlink research. This adjustment comes with a change in price.

While all of the SEO features are available even with the cheapest plan, there’s also an interesting nugget for every website owner out there: you can set up to 100 alarms for your webpages, getting notified any time anything on them changes. This can prove a truly invaluable tool for many website managers.

Pricing: as per adjustments on keywords researched, Optimum is priced at $372-660/year, Plus is $852-1.428/year, and Enterprise is $1.812-8.628/year.

Raven Tools

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WhMZpnTv1bcS3K81e2w3qSVB5wPoSJpMMPASsTJty22Xc3DN6L16BuKoXJVEiWNTnLm8vFnOJA9wHC9uG89qcP9Ur5LVTHMvMlj6jzvx6i5nNRZZhuGhtIi-3OLAKNX2n5qth42R

What it does differently than SEMrush:

Pulling data from different sources
Great email automation integration
Call tracking integration

Raven Tools is similar to SEMrush features-wise, while still managing to be one of the best SEMrush alternatives because the tool takes a very different approach to data.

Instead of using an entirely original index, as SEMrush does, Raven Tools brings data together from a couple of different APIs, namely Moz and Majestic, and provides their users with the results.

On top of that, it can double as a perfect HQ for your entire sales operation, thanks to the smooth email automation and call tracking integration. Importing data from MailChimp here is exceptionally easy, so you can run your SEO campaigns side by side with your email campaigns.

Pricing: the Start license is $948/year, Grow is $1.668/year, Thrive is $2.988/year, and Lead is $4.788/year.

Surfer

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/xsBTFQG4taXQzdc9cUXu-7W-Q4LvA9XhHOPGsrcZwbXvqei54jQTqvW8ejfOnh5Dqdv2Q5E7rk1T5I-Z4A9oOqqxTLOmU3ENy23hEite5gRN9OIEQxXbNClBjHCqKSC-lYclDZCenK

What it does differently than SEMrush:

It’s cheaper
Unlimited keyword research
Free Chrome extension providing SEO data as you surf the web (hence Surfer)

Surfer is a suite targeting a slightly different audience than SEMrush’s. The functionality it offers revolves around analyzing the current SERPs in real time.

The idea is that you first put in your target keyword. The tool then analyzes the SERPs and provides you with recommendations and best practices not in a vacuum, but firmly relying on what’s ranking right now.

From then on, creating your content, in theory, will be as easy as following the instructions of Surfer.

Pricing: the Basic plan is $590/year, the Pro plan is $990/year, and Business is $1.990/year.

Woorank

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/to7Gz58qMudGpeV6E_srcXOn2JP5ydDDVJTmOaGJG75MWS1lQrnLU2iYxi3yzHcmpKKuhZROPNUODa3-UWyphuln6UUR98h5_V3C9Yz4bwSxfkrjjRVcnsrcfuUxcIkYGjWpVDMhequy

What it does differently than SEMrush:

It’s cheaper
Much fewer features overall
Sales-oriented tools included

Like many alternatives for SEMrush, this SEO tool is trying to seize on just a fraction of SEMrush’s audience.

Those of us running low-to-medium volume SEO campaigns, or working as in-house experts, will definitely get more out of it than an agency handling multiple clients or huge websites in highly competitive fields.

For an in-house digital marketer and website owner, though, it offers a convenient keyword and website audit tool, covering a part of the overall functionality of SEMrush.

There is no backlink research or content editor, but there is an integration of a lead generation tool, and a convenient feature for handling link outreach.

Pricing: the Pro plan is $470/year, Premium is $1.430/year, and Enterprise has a negotiable price, depending on the agreement you’ll have with Woorank Sales team.

LinkResearchTools

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/jFMhPGdsrcZ1aSaxvRrz8R3rcNoH8WfHMNg-lR2e1GhysrcMdYVcgb889qFJgeLvJMSIYR9hPsrcKXnn-7ONphjGwXQlqsrcGNrUl9wztva1gFjSJuAamd2BR3wMTxithIxqYf8zb9SMCriE

What it does differently than SEMrush:

Exclusively link management software
One of the only tools more expensive than SEMrush

LinkResearchTools, as per the name, specializes on links. You’ll get not just your own backlink profile all laid out for you, but those of your competitors, leaders of rankings, and more.

There’s a separately sold (although still quite expensive) Link Detox tool, which essentially analyzes all of your backlinks to find spammy links which you can then immediately disavow. Essentially it’s the same functionality available in SEMrush, Ahrefs, and SEO PowerSuite as part of the overall software.

The difference here is data: LinkResearchTools is relying on 25+ link data sources at once. It isn’t dipping into a single backlink index, as SEMrush does. Instead, it’s bringing together dozens of indexes for the fullest picture of a backlink profile.

Whether or not this is worth the exorbitant price tag is up to you, but it’s certainly one of the more interesting “one-feature” SEMrush alternatives out there.

Pricing: Superhero Small is $4.990/year, Superhero Standard is $7.990/year, Superhero Plus is $18.490/year, and Superhero Ultra is $30.990/year.

Advanced Web Ranking

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YfZsk3-lD-WAYFWEUuCMZ1Rp8lKPsWggjO32WxZukSqZ7BJUEo2tjrriP_MQ28gypbwEsG67mZT1aOOXVSnRiMFvz2SqqHioHMxdPDUKuSaVKtlGTRlEXZlYcurY16GDjXkHzdFO

What it does differently than SEMrush:

It’s cheaper
Fewer features
Emphasis on Google Analytics integration

Advanced Web Ranking is a tool that works best in concert with some other tools. Unlike some SEMrush alternatives like SEO PowerSuite or Ahrefs, it doesn’t boast its own index or a multitude of features for an SEO expert with any degree of proficiency.

What it does have is a robust rank tracking functionality.

In a nutshell, AWR is the tool you need if you want to boost your Google Analytics research with a powerful rank tracking tool. It is an all-in-one SEO solution, but only thanks to integrating Google’s own native and free tools.

Beyond that, it could work for an in-house SEO specialist looking for a rank tracker specifically, but it’s not the HQ that has absolutely everything within one app, as some of the best SEMrush alternatives.

Pricing: the Starter plan is $528/year, the Pro plan is $1.068/year, Agency is $2.148/year, and the Enterprise plan is $5.388/year.

WebCEO

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/xwDBlxbUEkwu-vEtJzz7pO7LX3JlO5TpQ-ZsM94FFXmUjeftXPendsoZmj4KpQRsrc3OQ9TkqMsrcLX7I26L5gqhClPcNNGhvxYRMHhSVm5uwM4lY3asXI_ebVP5v-WKCEGq_DlwAl7K

What it does differently than SEMrush:

Emphasis on sales functionality
Unlimited users under higher-priced plans
White-label SEO functionality

WebCEO is another one of the tools on this list that, as far as SEMrush alternatives go, improves upon it in certain ways. The pricing, though, is not one of those ways: it’s definitely not a cheaper alternative.

At base level, it delivers the same breadth of features as SEMrush for your sites, including social media management integration, backlink and keyword research, and more. On top of it, though, it’s distinctly B2B oriented.

WebCEO has a number of B2B features, and lead generation tools designed specifically for sales teams and departments.

Pricing: the Startup plan is $900/year, Corporate is $2.700/year, Agency Unlimited is $900/year + you can add more projects, extend keyword and backlink research limits for additional price.

Conclusion

I hope you found this article useful and will give some of these tools a try. We don’t all have the means or the desire to work with SEMrush, and there has never been as many perfectly functional tools on the market, as there are right now.

May 30 2020

Why legal companies can benefit from having an Apple app

Thomas Kucharski Tools 0

By Jane Sandwood

Over half of millennial-owned small businesses and around 42%of small businesses as a whole have an app – as reported in a Clutch study. Apps are utilized by companies of all sizes from a myriad of industries – consisting of the legal sector.

Having a dedicated app has to do with more than status; it is something that must be designed for the best reason: to satisfy particular goals that can help your legal firm move on. How can your company take advantage of app production, and why is an Apple App the way to go if you wish to stick out from the competition?

Apps benefit firms with devoted clients

Apps are especially beneficial for legal companies, because clients are longstanding and lots of obligations are required to be duplicated over a year or other specified time frame. A study by a legal marketing company discovered that 57%of people would use a smart device to look for a lawyer. Couple this with the fact that practically 89%of time spent on phones and tablets involves app usage, and you can see how having an app can make it easier for customers and possible clients to reach you.

Why choose Apple?

Some firms ensure their apps work with more than one kind of gadget, however from the outset, you ought to ensure yours is present on the App Store. This imposes extremely high requirements for apps to be released, so if you pass the test then you know that your app offers a smooth, dynamic experience for users. iphone apps are particularly beneficial for legal representatives, accounting professionals and administrators because they are known to safeguard firmware and software application with rigorous precaution These consist of information duplication avoidance, data file encryption, and incorporated data managing systems. Apple offers users a high quality user experience, which makes arranging through and filling in info less laborious.

You can consist of just about anything you consider useful for your customers on your legal app – such as intriguing cases, new legal developments, and information about your staff. Research study into the elements that bring in people to legal companies (including years of experience, expertise and area). Consider announcing a complimentary first consultation as a method for people to learn more about you and your standards.

Marketing and timelines

Your legal site should be SEO-strong if you are to cultivate awareness about your app. Improving your law office’s ranking by utilizing the ideal keywords, utilizing Google analytics, and employing SEO tools such as Yoast for WordPress can help bring more views to your page. Doing so will enable you to pin news about your new app and deal rewards for those who download it. Developing interesting blog site content, meanwhile, will likewise help bring in readers and links back to your page, so ensure you use info that deserves sharing

Once you choose the key features your app will have, attempt to work to a schedule. You must be able to work speedily, given that iOS apps take around 28%less time to produce than apps with similar specifications from other business. The reason is that other apps have to be pre-tested across a variety of gadgets and need to be adaptable to different screen sizes, OS versions and resolutions.

If you are working from another location at this moment in time, it may be the ideal time to deal with a brand-new app for your legal company. For functionality, security and time savings, Apple is a great option. To ensure your app generates more work, focus on quality material and SEO. Let existing and prospective clients know how your app can make their life easier and more safe and secure.

Learn More

May 29 2020

From contactless deliveries to selling flour online: how tech is helping London’s bakeries to flourish during Covid-19 – Evening Standard

Thomas Kucharski Tools 0

Amongst all the banana bread and sourdough loaves emerging from London ovens, it’s still tricky to get your hands on basics like flour in the supermarket. But Aries Bakehouse in Brixton has found a way to keep supplying its customers with flour, along with beer, wine, honey and gelato as well as its usual bakery items.

The bakery launched in 2018 at the helm of Jackie and Les, and the two are busier than they were before lockdown. “My partner and I had to scale back opening days from five to three just to cope with the spike in demand — we’re now selling around 300 sourdough breads in three days,” explains Jackie.

Aries has been able to do this thanks to using Square, the online payments company founded by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in 2009. The bakery was already using Square’s card reader for in-store payments and managed to set up a website for online orders to allow the bakery to keep selling.

“Our customers are loving the convenience of being able to secure their goods online and collect them later — maybe something that will remain in the future,” adds Jackie.

Just over a year ago, Square launched a revamped version of its Square Online Store feature which allows sellers to set up websites and take online orders. The e-commerce side of the company is headed up by David Rusenko, co-founder of Weebly, an online website builder, which Square acquired in 2018. “Square started out with the little white reader and was focused on in-person commerce and really revolutionised the industry in doing so successfully,” explains Rusenko. “Weebly’s strength was starting from the online perspective and getting businesses who traditionally do business in person to expand online. The combo of those two is really powerful.”

Since the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdowns in place across the world, Rusenko says there has been a huge increase in sales as sellers turn to using Square Online, five times more in March than in January. In the company’s recent earnings calls, sales via Square Online reached $59 million per week, which amounts to $3 billion a year in terms of gross-payment volume. A lot of that has been to do with food and drink businesses pivoting to online for the first time whether it’s delivery services or selling goods.

David Rusenko, head of e-commerce at Square (Square)

Prior to the pandemic, businesses had often said they wanted to sell online but had come up against issues, such as being too busy to focus on it. But when the ‘Stay Home’ orders came in in March, many had to switch that up. “What’s been really fantastic is seeing sellers who maybe wanted to go and sell online but hadn’t done so yet. But having the rich platform and integrated system [meant] that so many sellers were able to at almost a click of a button go online,” said Rusenko. “Before the pandemic, selling online was something that was sort of nice to have .. it’s really brought it to be something that was business critical and that they had to do it to help their business survive.

If a seller already uses Square for in-store payments, they can go to their Square account online and set up a new online store for free. They choose which items they want to offer online and then all the items, pricing and images will synchronise so they are ready to go. As well, they can include offerings such as local delivery, eGift cards, whilst taking advantage of Square’s inventory management and SEO tools. A new option since the pandemic is to offer kerbside or contactless pickups.

Today Bread in Walthamstow is another London bakery that has been using Square to sell online in the lockdown. As well as bread and flour, the bakery has been selling pastries, wild garlic pesto and local jam. Customers can order online for delivery and the bakery has expanded its delivery areas to accommodate the increased demand.

“The key ingredients for many bakeries right now will be finding a way to take orders online and a means to deliver. At Today Bread, it took us only a few days to start selling online and do deliveries on bikes,” says founder and owner Alexandre. “We started with ingredients we already had in bulk (flour, eggs and seeds) and now sell kitchen cupboard basics and home baking starting kits – our bread proving baskets are selling fast.”

It’s no wonder: according to research by Square, the average Londoner bakers 5.61 times a month, compared to 2.8 times a month for Mancunians. And brownies are the most popular recipe: 32 per cent of Londoners said this was their favourite treat to make.

As well as helping sellers get online, Square also set up a new search engine, named Give and Get Local. Simply input your postcode and find the local businesses around you to support, from coffee shops to bakeries and bookstores. For places that aren’t open and operating, you can support them with a gift card. “We’ve heard stories of sellers where their loyal customers and community came through for them and purchased gift cards that were able to cover a month’s worth of payroll for their staff,” says Rusenko.

There’s been a real impetus by customers to come together to support their local business. “They want the store to be there a year from now.”

As the UK starts to open up again, with non-essential stores allowed to operate from June 1, Rusekno thinks e-commerce will remain an important part of a business’ offering, Take Today Bread, who says they are busier now than pre-Covid. “I think the online tools can be really empowering to help them not just weather the storm but also expand their business and grow,” says Rusenko.

“What’s likely to happen is some will shift back to dine in but also a lot of the behaviours we’ve established such as restaurants having a Square online store, people will continue to use them. People were planning on doing them anyway, it’s just this is their forcing function to get them to use those technologies.”

May 26 2020

5 Ways to Find Trending Topics for your Blog

Thomas Kucharski Tools 0

We all know that content marketing is an important piece of your brand’s puzzle. But whether you’re a new or seasoned blogger, finding ideas for your brand’s content is not always easy. Where do you find ideas that will engage with your audience, aren’t overdone, and will add value to your brand (along with a little bit of SEO help)?

1. Find a problem and solve it

The best way to provide value to your readers is to solve their problems. What issues do your customers and leads have that your products or services can solve? How can you frame your content in a way that helps your readers solve these problems, but also makes them want to buy what you have to offer?

“All in all, listening for the problems people need solutions for, is our greatest content asset at the moment,” says Matt Erickson. Listening for problems includes jumping on your social media channels and seeing what people are complaining about, sending out customer service surveys and also checking out what the competitors are doing and not doing.

2. Find out what’s trending and write about it

As Jung Nguyen of Small PDF states, there are two types of trending topics. The first is those with high search volumes and then there are those that get shared a lot. Both types of trending topics can be found via search, topic research and SEO tools.

You can also find trending topics via the most-shared hashtags on Twitter or Instagram. HARO is a great resource for finding out what topics are trending by examining what questions are being asked. Or, go old school and skim the news and see what people are reading about. Develop content that makes sense for your brand around this trending topic.

“We largely use our social media to find new and trending topics for our blog. We also pay close attention to any trending hashtags within our industry to get an insight into current popular topics. This provides us with great insight into what people are talking about and the kind of questions that are being asked,” says Alex Nowak of Workout Depot. His team then looks through the comments on social media posts to help them find the right information to write about.

3. Subscribe to content in your industry

Whether that is a blog or a Facebook group, find the ones that are relevant to your niche and keep up on the content and discussions that are happening. This will ensure your content is very relevant to your audience, as well as topical.

“I have joined many Facebook groups that are relevant to my niche. These are the places for great discussions. Checking these groups’ content regularly helps me in understanding trending topics,” says Nirmal Kumar of Online Rockers Hub.

4. Highlight what makes you great

Many businesses feel like they can’t be promotional in their content so as not to drive readers away. But, it is your blog and you can definitely promote your products and services. The trick is to do so in a way that is interesting and valuable to your readers. For instance, letting your readers know about why a new product will help them is a great soft-sell tactic. As well, if the product is trendy, your readers want to know why everyone is in love with it.

“We mainly highlight trendy upcoming products and new supplement releases in our blogs. To stay on top of what products are new and interesting, we follow manufacturer’s and brand’s Instagram and other social media profiles to be some of the first to share about new products, says Jennifer Neylon of Supplement Warehouse.

5. Use the tools

There are plenty of tools on the market that help brands come up with topics for their content and many of them are low-cost and even free. These include Ahrefs, Google Trends, Buzzsumo, SEMrush, Exploding Topics, Ubersuggest, Spyfu and Social Animal. Each has its own pros and cons and features that will help you come up with ideas for your content marketing.