December 2021 Newsletter
In This Issue:
WordPress Working to Improve Site Performance
WordPress (WP) has assembled a new Performance Team to ensure that the platform is keeping up with competitors like Wix and Duda. The fastest platforms on the market are fairly lightweight and targeted toward low-content sites. Since WP is known for its power and ability to customize large, complicated websites, it’s no surprise that its performance could be better. As a leading company, however, WP recognizes this and has taken steps to make progress.
There are 19 areas that WP is looking to improve:
- Images
- JavaScript
- CSS
- Web fonts
- Asset caching
- Page caching
- Object caching
- Bootstrap
- Embeds
- Facades
- SQL/Database
- Redirects
- CDN support
- Themes/Plugin requirements
- Host configuration
- Site Health
- Localization
- Measurement
- Hints
They are also focusing on helping plugin and theme developers create products that work well with the platform by educating them about performance standards. Tools like performance indicators may help both developers and users understand the effects that products will have on their site.
Read more about WordPress’s initiative on SearchEngineJournal.
Top Of The List Client News
Welcome Kids Crafts!
Top Of The List is excited to welcome a new member to our digital marketing family. Kids Crafts creates craft kits that encourage leadership, entrepreneurship, and creativity in young girls. Their activities share inspiring stories of female trailblazers like Rosa Parks, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Maya Angelou while empowering kids to learn skills and use their imagination for progress. We love their goal of inspiring girls to become leaders and to express themselves through art! We will do our very best to help this business rise to the top!
Whiplash, Top Of The List’s Client, to be Acquired by Ryder SystemRyder System, Inc. (NYSE: R), a leader in supply chain, dedicated transportation, and fleet management solutions, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Whiplash, a leading national provider of omnichannel fulfillment and logistics services, for approximately $480 million in cash. According to Robert Sanchez, chairman and chief executive officer for Ryder, “Whiplash’s best-in-class ecommerce platform and key geographic strongholds—coupled with Ryder’s industry-leading transportation logistics solutions, including our robust Ryder Last Mile delivery network for big-and-bulky goods—positions us to deliver incredible value for our customers who are looking for more advanced e-fulfillment solutions in today’s ever-changing landscape.” Read more about the acquisition.
Tip of the Month
Use social media to improve SEO. It’s clear that social media is part of most users’ online experiences, but it’s helpful to understand that it can help SEO in indirect ways. Social media can factor into search engine rankings, but it also gives your audience information about your business, alerts them of new promotions, and makes them generally aware.
SERP Exposure
Most of the time when you search for a brand or business on Google or Bing, the brand’s social media profiles appear almost as high as its website on the results page. This makes them almost as important!
Customers want to see how you present your business on social media and what other people think of your services or products as much as they want to visit your website. The more social profiles you have and optimize, the larger your online presence will be.
Social media platforms themselves serve as a way for your business to be discovered. According to GWI, 54% of social media users use social media to find new brands and products. Social media is like having another search engine.
Promote Links and Blog Posts
Once people follow your page on social media, they become a captive audience. You have created a pipeline straight to your customers to let them know whatever you want about your business. This is an opportunity to alert them about website updates such as blog posts and news articles and drive traffic to your site.
Include Information in Profiles
If a potential customer wants to find out business contact information or what services they offer, they will often do a search directly on social media. This is why it’s crucial to make sure that your profiles are always up-to-date. Additionally, Google will pull information from social media like Facebook to add to Google Business Profile results, so incorrect info could show up right on the search results page.
Build Brand Awareness
Find out what platform your audience uses and run with it. If you have a B2C with a great aesthetic that markets to people under 35, create an Instagram or TikTok account. If you are a B2B that deals mainly with professionals, use LinkedIn. Customers need to see a message several times before they convert so the more they see you post, the more likely it is that they will visit your website.
Think of social media profiles and Google Business Profile as supplements to your website. Keep them updated and use them often. SEO has become more than just keywords — give search engines a great reason to put your site at the top of the search results list.
Just for Laughs
Mary-Jo was going to the Christmas office party but needed a new dress. So she went out shopping and in the clothing store she asked the assistant, ‘May I try on that dress in the window, please?’
‘Certainly not, madam,’ responded the salesgirl, ‘You’ll have to use the fitting room like everyone else.’
Our best for your success!
