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Nadine
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As a long-time expert in SEO (and web analytics), Nadine Wolff has been working with internetwarriors since 2015. She leads the SEO & Web Analytics team and is passionate about all the (sometimes quirky) innovations from Google and the other major search engines. In the SEO field, Nadine has published articles in Website Boosting and looks forward to professional workshops and sustainable organic exchanges.

Nadine
Knowledge

- Blog Posts

As a long-time expert in SEO (and web analytics), Nadine Wolff has been working with internetwarriors since 2015. She leads the SEO & Web Analytics team and is passionate about all the (sometimes quirky) innovations from Google and the other major search engines. In the SEO field, Nadine has published articles in Website Boosting and looks forward to professional workshops and sustainable organic exchanges.

Nadine
Knowledge

- Blog Posts

As a long-time expert in SEO (and web analytics), Nadine Wolff has been working with internetwarriors since 2015. She leads the SEO & Web Analytics team and is passionate about all the (sometimes quirky) innovations from Google and the other major search engines. In the SEO field, Nadine has published articles in Website Boosting and looks forward to professional workshops and sustainable organic exchanges.

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Why Usability Is So Important for Your Website

Jun 11, 2025

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

SEO

Whiteboard with design mockups

Website usability means that users can reach their goals without frustration, overthinking, or detours—whether their goal is to get information, make a purchase, download something, or get in touch. The easier and smoother your website is to use, the more likely visitors are to stay—and come back.  Good usability not only saves time but also builds trust and improves the perception of your company or brand. Especially in the digital market, just a few seconds often determine whether someone stays or leaves. Therefore, it's crucial that your website is logically structured, easy to understand, and technically impeccable—for all users, on every device. In this article, we'll provide you with an overview of the fundamentals of website usability, explain why it's so important, and outline which aspects you should consider. What is Usability? Usability can be translated as "usability" and describes the ability to achieve the desired result without difficulty. The term "user-friendliness" is also often used. Optimal usability means that a product, service, or website fulfills its intended purpose precisely. On a website, this could mean a completed purchase, the provision of relevant information, strengthening your brand, etc., depending on the intention. Usability is a key factor in determining whether and to what extent visitors engage with your website content or move on to another site. It is an important factor in customer satisfaction and website quality. A usability analysis can help identify errors, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement on the website. What does Usability encompass? Website usability includes all aspects that affect the user-friendliness of a website—how simple, understandable, efficient, and pleasant it is to use. Many factors interact to create a positive user experience. Specifically, they include: Navigation and Structure: Clear page layout (e.g., an easy-to-navigate menu, logical hierarchy), simple, logical navigation, breadcrumb navigation, and an easily searchable effective search function Layout and Design: A consistent layout across all pages, a visual hierarchy (important elements stand out), responsive design (works on all devices), and appropriate use of colors, font sizes, and spacing Content and Language: Clear, understandable language, relevant, up-to-date content, good readability (paragraphs, titles, lists), and accessibility (e.g., alt text, contrasts, keyboard accessibility) Interactivity and Feedback: Meaningful feedback (e.g., after clicks, forms), helpful and friendly error messages, and buttons and links that are clearly recognizable Loading Times and Performance: Fast loading times of pages and content and technical stability (no crashes, malfunctions) Accessibility: Support for screen readers, keyboard operability, good color contrasts, and scalable font sizes Trust and Security: SSL encryption, transparent data protection information, and a professional appearance (e.g., legal notice, contact information) Conversion Support: Clear calls to action (e.g., "Buy Now," "Learn More"), no distractions from the actual purpose of the page, and support for processes like forms or checkout What are the Goals of Website Usability? The goals of website usability are aimed at designing websites so they can be used effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily by users. Interaction should be as intuitive as possible to lead to the desired outcome. Jakob Nielsen - one of the leading experts on usability, who has been studying the topic for decades - developed 5 key criteria of usability : 1. Learnability Goal: New users should be able to quickly understand and use the website. Navigation, structure, and functions must be intuitive . Example: A first-time visitor immediately understands where to find information or how to make a purchase. 2. Efficiency Goal: Experienced users should be able to complete their tasks quickly and effectively . Optimized workflows, fast loading times, and clear paths lead to goal achievement. Example: A repeat customer can reorder with just a few clicks. 3. Memorability Goal: Users who haven’t visited the website for a while should be able to easily use it again. This is helped by consistent design, familiar symbols, and a logical structure. Example: A user remembers how to find customer support even after weeks. 4. Errors (Error Prevention and Handling) Goal: The website should be as error-tolerant as possible and help users avoid or correct errors. This can be achieved through clear and understandable error messages, opportunities for correction, or well-thought-out forms. Example: An incomplete form clearly indicates what is missing without deleting all input. 5. Satisfaction Goal: Using the website should be a pleasant experience and generate positive feelings. An appealing design, useful content, and easy navigation lead to higher satisfaction among users. Example: A user-friendly interface with clear texts provides trust and enjoyment while using the site. How Can Usability Be Measured? Measuring usability means systematically evaluating the user-friendliness of a product or website using specific criteria, tasks, and user tests. While usability is partly subjective, it can be objectively measured if you use the right methods. Aspects of the above five listed criteria - learnability, efficiency, memorability, error prevention, and satisfaction - are often tested. Various methods are employed for measurement: Usability tests with users who have to perform specific tasks Questionnaires filled out by users after a test An expert examination based on specific criteria (does not replace user testing) Analysis of analytics and user behavior through web analysis tools, heatmaps, or mouse tracking A/B testing - different versions are tested against specific questions and data Why is Usability Important? There are numerous positive impacts of good website usability and just as many reasons why you should pay attention to good user-friendliness. It makes it easier for users to navigate your website, helps you stand out from the competition, and enhances the impression you leave on potential customers. Let's take a closer look at the individual reasons: Users Want to Be Guided A good website makes it easier for users to navigate. It allows them to quickly get to their desired goal (completing a purchase, downloading a document, finding the needed information) without thinking too much. The offered content should be self-explanatory in terms of the positive user experience. In fact, users don't want to think about how to do something on a website. They want to be guided and don't want to search laboriously for certain elements and "discover" the website on their own. They want to intuitively reach their desired goal as quickly as possible. The content offered needs to be self-explanatory for a positive user experience, and any interactive elements should be directly usable. Website Usability as a Competitive Factor The lack of willingness to stay on a website just because is partly due to the market situation. In the online world, a competitor is just one click away. Unlike a physical shopping street, there's no need to walk past a series of stores. The reality is usually different. Most companies don’t have the luxury of offering something so unique (services, physical products, digital products like apps) that users would endure a cumbersome website. Instead, well-prepared and easily accessible website content has the power to convince users to complete conversions on your site rather than a competitor's, making usability a crucial competitive factor. Your website needs to make a good impression from the first second. Many website owners are unaware that users often judge the entire company based on their first impression of the website. A poorly maintained website can negatively impact the entire company's image. Users might question whether the company is capable of offering good service if it can't even manage to keep basic things on the website in order. While this assumption is often incorrect, it illustrates the potential consequences of poor website usability. Usability is More Than Just Good Design The challenge in website design is that it's unlike any other medium because people often have different expectations for how websites are used versus how they're actually used. When website owners and designers sketch out a site, they have a certain image in mind. It's often assumed that users will study all the content thoroughly. But in reality, users often only skim through a page initially. They quickly scan the text and click on the first link that seems interesting or appears to be the closest to their searched goal. As a result, a large portion of the page might not be actively noticed by your users. How users read a webpage greatly depends on their goal in mind. They focus on words and phrases that match their personal interests, known as trigger words. If they don't find these on your website, it can still be beautifully designed and contain seemingly informative content, but it won’t hold their interest. Technical Performance is Part of Usability too Besides graphical design, technical preparation is a key aspect of usability. While large images, videos, interactive graphics, and other moving elements may look visually appealing, they significantly increase loading time. The problem is not all users have access to a fast internet connection. Ideally, a good load time is important for two main reasons: it reduces the chance that visitors lose patience and leave the website, and page load time is becoming an increasingly important ranking factor for search engines. Usability Engineering Usability engineering is a structured and systematic process for developing user-friendly systems, where the usability of a product—or, in this case, a website—is deliberately planned, tested, and improved throughout the development process. This means that usability should ideally be considered from the conception of a website or a relaunch. Good usability doesn't happen by chance; it's systematically planned and tested. SEO and Usability – A Strong Team SEO ensures the necessary flow of traffic through organic search results. But you shouldn't focus solely on generating traffic. Without usability, your visitors will quickly leave again, often without converting. If you only focus on usability, you will reach a significantly smaller group of visitors who may convert well, but due to the small number, may not generate enough revenue to financially sustain the company behind it. Choosing usability doesn't necessarily mean writing off SEO. If you think SEO is just about ranking first in Google's organic search results and driving traffic to the website, you're not thinking broadly enough. SEO measures aim not only for top placement in search results but also ensure that users can find their way around the site. This goal is shared with usability. Classic OnPage SEO measures include, for example: Clear page structure Logical navigation Breadcrumbs and HTML sitemaps Pagination Avoidance of 404 error pages Logical internal linking On closer inspection, it becomes clear that these points simultaneously significantly improve user navigation. So, there are indeed significant intersections between the two online marketing disciplines, which do not contradict each other. Good SEO specialists and user experience managers are aware of this close connection and ensure that all elements of the website complement each other effectively. Website Usability and Accessibility/Accessibility In the context of website usability, the topic of accessibility is also important. Both disciplines pursue the same goal of facilitating the use of websites, but they are approached from different perspectives: Usability aims to improve user-friendliness for as many people as possible. Accessibility seeks to make the website fully usable for people with disabilities (especially visual and hearing impairments). Numerous measures improve both web usability and accessibility (for example, a clear structure and understandable language or good contrasts). Accessibility also requires compliance with technical standards such as the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), including screen reader compatibility or alternative texts for images. Since the Accessibility Enhancement Act , you should assess (or have assessed) whether your website is not only user-friendly but also accessible. This is important to ensure that people with disabilities can use your website without restriction. Usability issues usually only become apparent when expected conversions don’t occur. Retrospective improvements can be expensive or, in extreme cases, unworkable. That's why you should focus on a good user experience at the launch or relaunch of your website. However, this doesn't mean that you should completely disregard usability in favor of SEO. Those who believe that SEO is only about ranking first in organic search results and driving traffic to the website are thinking too narrowly. In addition to good placement in organic search results, SEO measures also aim to ensure that users can navigate the website. This goal is shared by search engine optimization with usability.

Bing SEO: A Comprehensive Guide for Outstanding Results in 2024

Apr 12, 2024

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

SEO

In the dynamic field of search engine optimization (SEO), professionals tend to predominantly focus on Google. However, Bing, the often-overlooked search engine from Microsoft, offers unique opportunities and challenges that deserve closer examination. With a steadily growing market share and a user base with specific demographic characteristics, Bing SEO is no longer an optional addition but an essential component of any comprehensive SEO strategy. This article highlights the importance of Bing SEO, its differences from Google, and offers practical tips and strategies to boost your website's position in Bing search results. Bing Usage and Market Share In 2023, Bing achieved a significant market share, making it an indispensable element of any SEO strategy. Interestingly, Bing users are, on average, older and have higher incomes than Google users. These demographic factors can be particularly relevant for businesses whose products or services are targeted at this audience. Image 1: Global Search Engine Market Share - up to November 2023 Image 2: Market Share Divided into Desktop and Mobile Analyzing Website Performance - Bing Webmaster Tools Analyzing how your website currently performs on Bing is a crucial first step. Bing provides its own tools for this purpose - the Bing Webmaster Tools. These Webmaster Tools can be seen as the counterpart to Google Search Console (GSC). This tool offers you deep insights into your website's performance in SEO. You can see how your page is indexed, which queries generate traffic, and where there may be issues that need to be resolved. Bing offers specialists a detailed Bing Webmaster Tools Guide in the form of guidelines. Image 3: Integration of IndexNow from Microsoft Bing Webmaster Tools Unlike Google Search Console, the Webmaster Tools show the status quo of backlinks. This is also reflected in the ranking factors relevant to Bing. While Google recently confirmed that backlinks are no longer among the three relevant ranking factors, this metric still holds significant importance for Bing SEO. IndexNow - The Solution for the New Bing IndexNow is an innovative technology that allows website operators to directly submit their latest updates and content changes to search engines like Bing. This tool breaks through the traditional waiting period for search engine crawlers, bringing fresh content into the search results almost in real-time. It is particularly valuable for dynamic websites that change frequently. The integration of IndexNow into Bing Webmaster Tools is straightforward, either via an API or through user-friendly plugins in popular content management systems like WordPress. This integration ensures a quick and smooth update of content. Image 4: Integration of IndexNow from Microsoft Bing Webmaster Tools In an era where Bing is enhancing its search with advanced AI technologies, understanding the interactions between conventional search and AI-driven chat functions is important for effective SEO. Using IndexNow allows search engine crawlers to be directed. Alongside IndexNow, the classic SEO fundamentals such as maintaining the XML sitemap and providing high-quality content with structured data remain important for successful search engine optimization. Challenges and Solutions in Bing Search Engine Optimization Bing presents its own set of challenges and opportunities in the SEO space. A common issue is that many websites are over-optimized for Google, which can negatively impact Bing rankings. A key aspect of SEO for the Microsoft search engine is the quality and structure of backlinks. Bing places high importance on the authenticity and authority of backlinks, meaning that high-quality, relevant links are crucial. Another challenge is content adaptation. While Google uses complex algorithms to analyze user intent ( keyword E-E-A-T ), Bing tends to take keywords and title tags more literally. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully select keywords and phrases and integrate them naturally into the content. Key Factors for Bing SEO To succeed on Bing, certain factors need to be considered. Content-wise, the factors are no great surprises. It is important to recognize the weighting and relevance and derive measures accordingly. Backlink Quality: Invest in building a strong backlink profile with links from high-quality, relevant websites. Keyword Optimization: While you should incorporate keywords naturally, it is important to use them in titles, headings, and main text. Technical SEO: Bing places significant emphasis on technical aspects like loading times, mobile responsiveness, and clean code. Social Signals: Bing considers social signals such as likes, shares, and comments as indicators of content relevance and popularity. Practical SEO Optimization Tips for Bing To effectively optimize your website for Bing SEO, there are several key aspects you should consider. The first and perhaps most important step is creating high-quality content. This content should not only be informative and relevant to your audience but also user-friendly. A clear structure, engaging headings, and easily understandable language are key elements. The goal is to create content that is not only optimized for search engines but also provides real value to your visitors. Another crucial step is utilizing the Bing Webmaster Tools. By regularly reviewing and adjusting your SEO strategies based on this data, the visibility and performance of your website on Bing can be significantly improved. Mobile optimization of the website is also essential. Bing places great emphasis on websites functioning well on mobile devices. This means that your website should be easy to navigate, load quickly, and look good on smaller screens. Mobile compatibility is important not only for Bing but also for your users as more people access the internet via mobile devices. Finally, local SEO should not be overlooked. Bing places great emphasis on local search results. Therefore, it is important to integrate local keywords into your content and ensure that the website is optimized for local search queries. An effective way to increase local visibility is to use Bing Places for Business. By listing your business, you can ensure that it appears in relevant local search results. This is especially important for businesses that offer local services or have physical locations. By following these steps and continuously working on optimizing your website, the visibility of the website on Bing can be improved, ensuring it appeals to both search engines and your users. Optimizing for Bing Chat To optimize your website for Bing Chat, Bing's AI-driven chatbot, it is important to focus on the quality and credibility of your content. Bing Chat pulls information from reliable sources, so your content should be accurate, well-researched, and trustworthy. This increases the likelihood that your website will be used by Bing Chat as an information source. Format content to provide clear and concise answers to frequently asked questions in your field. A well-structured FAQ section can be particularly helpful here. Bing Chat looks for content that provides direct answers to user queries, and a clearly structured FAQ section can make your content more accessible to Bing Chat. The use of structured data and schema markup is also crucial. This technique helps the Bing Chat algorithm better understand the context and meaning of your content. Implement schema markup to highlight important information on your website and assist Bing Chat in extracting relevant data effectively. Since Bing Chat prefers up-to-date information, it is important to regularly update content. It is highly recommended to keep your website content always up-to-date. This increases the chances that Bing Chat will classify the content as current and relevant. Mobile optimization is also a critical factor. Many users access Bing Chat on mobile devices, so it is crucial that your website loads quickly, is easy to navigate, and looks appealing on smaller screens. Additionally, promote engagement and interaction on your website. Bing Chat might consider user engagement indicators for the usefulness and relevance of the content. Comments, reviews, and frequent user actions can help your website be positively perceived. An overall strengthening and positive reputation of the online presence should always be kept in mind. Be active on social media channels, publish guest contributions on other websites, and network with other authorities in the industry. A strong online presence can increase the credibility and reach of your content and thus boost your visibility within the Bing ecosystem. By incorporating these aspects into your SEO strategy, these measures can increase the likelihood that Bing Chat will use your website as an information source and enhance visibility and reach within the Bing ecosystem. Google vs. Bing - No Winners In the world of organic search engine optimization (SEO), the debate between Google and Bing is one that frequently arises. Both search engines have their own strengths, weaknesses, and peculiarities that are of great importance to SEO experts. Google, the undisputed giant among search engines, is characterized by its highly developed algorithms that process an immense amount of data to deliver the most relevant and high-quality results. Google is known for its constant algorithm updates aimed at improving the search experience and combating spam or low-quality content. For SEO experts, this means constantly staying informed and adapting their strategies to keep up with the latest changes. Google places great emphasis on factors such as mobile compatibility, page load times, user experience, and high-quality content. Bing, on the other hand, may have a smaller market share but offers some unique advantages. Bing places great importance on social signals and integrates them more strongly into its ranking algorithms. This means that content that performs well on social media may do better on Bing than on Google. Bing is also known for its strong emphasis on local search results, offering great opportunities for local businesses. Additionally, Bing has a somewhat more transparent relationship with SEOs by providing more insight into its ranking factors. An interesting difference between the two is also how keywords are handled. In recent years, Google has increasingly focused on the intent behind search queries rather than exact keyword matches. Bing, on the other hand, tends to weigh more precise keyword matches more heavily. The user base is another important factor. Google has a broader and more diverse user base, while Bing attracts specific demographic groups more strongly, such as older internet users. This can impact the type of content that should be optimized depending on the target audience. For SEO experts, it is essential to recognize that an effective strategy often involves optimizing for both search engines. It's about finding a balance and understanding and utilizing the unique aspects of each platform. A well-rounded SEO strategy should not focus solely on one search engine but consider the advantages of both systems to achieve the greatest possible online visibility. The art lies in understanding and adapting to the ever-changing algorithms of both platforms to achieve the best performance for a website. Conclusion The comparison between Google and Bing clearly shows how different their algorithms and user interfaces are. Google uses advanced AI and machine learning to deliver results based on the context of search queries. Bing, on the other hand, places more emphasis on backlinks and social signals. These fundamental differences in the approaches of both search engines have significant impacts on developing an effective SEO strategy. If you want to find out which SEO strategy and which search engine is right for your target audience, get in touch with our SEO experts.

TikTok as a Search Engine - Its Growing Importance in Digital Marketing

Dec 28, 2023

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

SEO

In the world of digital marketing, TikTok has sparked a revolution. With more than a billion active users worldwide , this platform is no longer just a source of entertainment but has also established itself as a tool for online marketing and SEO. In this article, our SEO experts highlight the role of TikTok in the context of search engine optimization (SEO), examine how TikTok functions as a search engine, and outline strategies to optimally utilize TikTok search to maximize platform reach. TikTok has become a preferred platform for discovery searches among Generation Z users. The format of short, engaging videos provides a new type of search experience that appeals to this demographic group. Google and YouTube inevitably need to adapt to keep up with this trend. These insights reflect the changing digital media landscape in the way people consume news and search for information, especially among younger audiences. This article also addresses the development of a potential partnership between Google and TikTok - whether sooner or later, the world of search engines will completely reorganize. What is TikTok SEO? TikTok SEO refers to the optimization of content within the social media platform TikTok to maximize visibility and engagement. Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on websites and search engines like Google or Bing, TikTok SEO focuses on optimizing video content for TikTok's internal search function and algorithm. This involves the strategic use of hashtags, the creation of trend-appropriate content, and targeting the interests and behavior of the audience. With the growing popularity of TikTok as a platform for digital marketing, it is essential to understand and apply the principles of TikTok as an organic search engine. An effective TikTok SEO strategy can lead to increased visibility, generate more engagement, and ultimately contribute to greater reach and brand awareness. The TikTok algorithm evaluates content based on user interactions such as likes, comments, shares, and watch time. Therefore, creating engaging, authentic, and interactive content is crucial for success. Key Factors for TikTok as a Search Engine Some of the most important factors to consider in TikTok SEO are: Selection of relevant hashtags: Using trending hashtags and specific hashtags that fit the target audience can significantly increase visibility. Creation of trend content: Adapting content to current trends and challenges on TikTok can help increase engagement. Understanding audience behavior: Analyzing what appeals to the audience and motivates interaction is essential for creating effective content. Profile optimization: A compelling and appealing profile helps gain user credibility and trust. For brands and businesses, being present on TikTok and utilizing search functions is crucial to reaching a younger audience and increasing brand awareness. By optimizing their content for TikTok search, companies can enhance visibility and connect directly with their target audience. TikTok vs. Google In the current digital landscape, users, especially the younger audience up to their late 20s, prefer TikTok over Google for searching information or answers. Here are some examples: Recommendations and recipes: Instead of reading lengthy blog posts to find a new recipe, users prefer the TikTok platform for quick, concise video content. TikTok’s algorithm offers personalized and relevant content based on users’ previous video interactions. Learning platform: TikTok has established itself as a learning platform offering a variety of small communities on topics such as gardening, DIY projects, or dog training, and more. Users interact directly with content creators to ask questions and receive useful advice. This type of knowledge transfer and direct interaction makes TikTok a preferred platform for acquiring information and learning. Currently, there is no officially confirmed source for tracking search volume and trends of keywords on TikTok. The origin of data used by third-party providers like keywordtool.io remains uncertain, making direct comparisons of search volume between TikTok and Google difficult. Although TikTok offers its own Keyword Insight Tool , it does not provide traditional search volume data. Instead, it offers indicators like impressions and likes that can give insights into popular topics on the platform. A comparison of search history data for the month of November can be insightful in understanding the visibility of certain topics both on TikTok and in the universal Google search. It is expected that TikTok will continue to grow, which means tools must be upgraded to provide adequate data in the future. In addition to the aforementioned example, further industries are identified where Google may lose relevance. Industries such as gaming, travel, as well as beauty and fashion are expected to increasingly focus on TikTok, creating new challenges and opportunities for search engine optimization and marketing in these areas. Partnership Between the Giants: Google and TikTok In the fall of 2023, it became known that TikTok is testing a “search” partnership with Google. This meant that in the TikTok app, Google search results were visible. The partnership between Google and TikTok represents a remarkable step in the world of digital media. It involves integrating Google search queries into TikTok's search stream, a response to TikTok's growing influence as a search engine among younger users. Google hopes to strengthen its presence among these users, while TikTok could benefit from expanded discovery opportunities. This collaboration also involves the integration of Wikipedia content for certain search queries. However, details of the financial arrangements and regulatory implications of this partnership remain unclear. This initiative showcases both platforms’ efforts to expand their offerings and adapt to changing user needs to remain relevant. We can look forward to seeing how developments progress in 2024. Conclusion - TikTok in the Fast Lane The interaction between TikTok and Google, as well as the insights into the social media platform's target audiences, offer unique opportunities and challenges for brands and shops! TikTok for organic search engines requires a different approach than conventional SEO. The keys to success are utilizing TikTok search, understanding the TikTok algorithm, and creating captivating content. Opportunities for brands : TikTok offers tremendous opportunities for brands and businesses to reach target audiences. Adaptability and creativity are critical for long-term success on the platform. This overview demonstrates that TikTok is a dynamic and growing platform that is constantly evolving, opening new horizons for both users and brands. Internetwarriors GmbH already has extensive experience in SEO optimization for channels like YouTube or Instagram. In the long run, TikTok is expected to overtake YouTube search. To remain visible in the organic sector, a TikTok SEO strategy should be firmly embedded in the processes. We can support you in this. Contact us.

Properly Utilize E-E-A-T Signals - We Have SEO Recipe Suggestions

Oct 23, 2023

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

SEO

The world of organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO for short) is constantly evolving. Especially after the AI/AI offensive, which made waves at the beginning of the year, the conceptual and strategic orientation of a website must be rethought. With the annual updates of search engine algorithms, especially Google's, website operators and SEOs must stay continuously informed to meet the demands. One term that has particularly emerged in recent years is E-E-A-T . But what does this term mean, and why has it become so important? What master plan does Google have behind it? This article describes Google EEAT in detail, defines concrete measures for website implementation, and we also take a look into the crystal ball. What is Google E-E-A-T? Recently, Google celebrated its 25th anniversary. Since its founding in 1998 , the search engine has been constantly evolving with the goal of providing users with the most relevant and high-quality information. Over the years, the way Google evaluates the quality of websites has changed and been refined. E-E-A-T has emerged as one (of many) key factors in Google's quality assessment. Let's take a closer look at the acronym. What does E-E-A-T mean E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These criteria play a crucial role in evaluating content and websites. Experience: Experience refers to the extent to which authors have direct knowledge or practical familiarity with a product, service, or webpage content. In short: Are there really expert insights into a particular topic? Expertise: This refers to content being written or created by someone with deep expertise in a specific field. Authoritativeness: This refers to the reputation of a website or an author. Content written by a recognized authority or expert in a field is considered more credible. Trustworthiness: This refers to how secure and trustworthy a website is, including technical aspects (like a secure connection) and content-related aspects. When examining the individual factors, it becomes clear that differentiation of the four core themes is not always possible. There are many overlaps in SEO EEAT. However, the basic principle should always be kept in mind. Figure 1: Composition of EEAT Since when does E-E-A-T exist? The concept of E-E-A-T is not new. It was first introduced in the so-called "Quality Rater Guidelines" in 2014. However, it has gained significant importance in recent years as Google places increased emphasis on high-quality content. With the latest Helpful Content Update (September 2023) from Google, the importance of the four Google EEAT factors was emphasized once again. Why is E-E-A-T so important for SEO? With a strengthened focus on experience, expertise, trust, and authority, Google has made it clear that quality is at the center of its evaluation criteria. Websites that follow the E-E-A-T signals have a better chance of ranking higher in search results. Therefore, it is crucial for anyone dealing with these factors to understand, apply, and, of course, make the successes associated with E-E-A-T measurable. Let’s take a look at the manual - Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines Google uses a complex algorithm to determine the order of search results - and thus the relevance. The algorithm is one of the best-kept secrets in the world. This algorithm is continuously adjusted and updated. This often happens silently or with a " Core Update " bang. However, to ensure that the algorithm works effectively and to include human feedback in the process, Google uses so-called " Quality Raters ". Despite the AI/AI wave, it is still the case that Google relies on real human beings. These raters follow a specific guide, known as the Search Quality Rater Guidelines (SQRG for short). What are the Search Quality Rater Guidelines? These guidelines are a detailed document provided by Google to help quality raters assess web pages and search results. They are not direct instructions for the algorithm but a guide to help raters evaluate the quality of web pages in terms of user search queries. However, the ratings defined by the raters can certainly influence the Google algorithm . "Our Search Quality Rating Process measures the quality of Search results on an ongoing basis. We work with ~16,000 external Search Quality Raters who provide ratings based on our guidelines and represent real users and their likely information needs, using their best judgment to represent their locale." Source https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/hsw-sqrg.pdf In detail: Raters are instructed to identify and assess the main content of a page to determine if it fulfills the intended purpose. Possible intentions might be: Explanation : Content aimed at clarifying misconceptions or debunking myths. Inspiration : Posts intended to motivate people, find new ideas, or promote creative thinking. Education : Content that conveys specific knowledge or skills. Persuasion : Texts or presentations aimed at changing opinions or prompting action. Reflection : Content sharing personal thoughts, feelings, or life experiences. Criticism : Analyses or reviews highlighting strengths and weaknesses of products, services, or ideas. Interaction : Posts encouraging active audience participation. The Google EEAT factors are an essential part of the guidelines. Raters are instructed to evaluate the main content on how well it meets these criteria. These criteria include, for example, page quality and search results. Page Quality: This refers to the overall impression of a website, including the main content, user experience/usability, and other factors. A high-quality page should have a clear purpose and provide genuine value to users. Search Results : Raters evaluate whether the displayed search results for a given query are useful, aiming to ensure that the results help users find the information, content, or answers they seek. YMYL (Your Money or Your Life): Google identifies certain pages as particularly important because they can have a significant impact on the life, health, or financial well-being of users. Such pages are evaluated by higher standards - also in terms of E-E-A-T. In short: Websites with YMYL content hold a higher value in evaluations by EEAT criteria - Google looks closely. Figure 2: User Intention with the Keyword Batman: Superhero vs. City in Turkey In summary, the Google Search Quality Rater Guidelines are an essential document for anyone wanting to understand how Google works and what the requirements for high-quality web content are. By familiarizing yourself with these guidelines and adhering to their principles, you can increase your chances of being more visible in search results and providing genuine value to users. Optimizing the Website according to E-E-A-T signals The concrete question now arises: How must a page's content be optimized so that users find it, human quality raters rate it as relevant and positively, and the world's leading search engine Google is satisfied? Here are some concrete recommendations for optimization based on SEO EEAT signals. Author Boxes - Don’t Hide Expertise A classic author box is a small, prominent box usually at the end of a post or article. Featuring brief information about the authors in the form of a resume, an attractive photo, and links to social media or other relevant sites. The advantage is obvious. This element gives the entire article a face as a trust-building measure. It clearly demonstrates (professional) expertise, which has weighting in the E-E-A-T signals based on qualifications and links. Links to possible social media profiles like LinkedIn strengthen credibility and thereby further enhance the entire user experience on the website itself. In summary, a seemingly small element offers real added value. An even stronger influence on EEAT in SEO can be generated if these info boxes themselves link to entire author subpages. These pages offer the opportunity for rankings from the specific names of the authors or in combination with possible subject-specific keyword combinations. Figure 3: Example of an Author Box Reviews are Good - Trust is Better Reviews on websites (also in combination with tools like Trusted Shops, etc.) are still an important indicator for users to assess a website's trustworthiness. Building Trust: Reviews, especially positive ones, help strengthen users' trust in a brand or company. Indicator of Quality Content: Reviews can provide a clue about the quality of products, services, or content. User Engagement: Reviews encourage user engagement, which can be a positive signal to Google that the content is relevant and valuable. Companies should strive to receive genuine and predominantly positive reviews from their customers and manage and respond to them appropriately. It is essential that the review profile is realistic. Users are naturally skeptical, and completely 5-star reviews are more likely to be viewed suspiciously. Figure 4: Example of Google Reviews No Excuses – The Technology Must Perform Just as a train cannot run on broken tracks, a website cannot have organic visibility if it has significant technical errors. The technology of a website is crucial for the EEAT concept in search engine optimization, as it forms the foundation for a high-quality user experience and determines the integrity and credibility of a website. The following points are the focus: Secure and Accessible Website: One might think that this topic should have arrived everywhere by now. Unfortunately, numerous sites on the web are still not equipped with basic security measures. Secure access via HTTPS shows that a website takes data protection and security seriously, which, among other things, increases trustworthiness. Accessibility ensures that search engines can easily crawl and index the content. Avoiding Technical Errors: Errors such as dead links, 4xx/5xx errors, or duplicate content issues can undermine trust in a website. The health of a website should be regularly critically examined. Information from the Google Search Console provides many helpful insights. Fast Loading Times: Fast loading times improve user experience and can increase trust in the site. A solid technical foundation is essential for a website to be seen as authoritative and trustworthy. If the technical foundation or CMS of a website is not up-to-date, the EEAT profile , regardless of the quality of the content, could suffer. Conclusion on Dealing with E-E-A-T When implementing EEAT factors, it is the reasons and derivations (from Google) that matter. These insights should be in the back of the mind of anyone optimizing their website. Also crucial are the regularly published updates or significant changes by Google that may affect the search algorithm or the appearance of search results. In summary, it is clear that E-E-A-T is crucial for creating and presenting high-quality content on the web. Websites providing content with high expertise, authority, and trustworthiness tend to have better rankings in Google’s search results. If you want to optimize your website according to the Google EEAT signals, we can significantly support you in the implementation. Contact our experts in this area and schedule an appointment .

Headless Systems and SEO - Pitfalls

Jul 31, 2023

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

SEO

A headless CMS is a flexible content system that delivers content via an API. In these systems, several aspects change regarding SEO: On one hand, different indicators must be considered for in-depth technical analyses. On the other hand, the advantages, such as load time and performance, are enormous. In this blog article, you will learn about the synergy effects of headless CMS in SEO and how to leverage them for optimizing your website. What is a Headless CMS? A Headless Content Management System (CMS) is a modern approach to managing and delivering content for websites. Unlike traditional CMS models, which tightly link content with presentation, a headless CMS separates these two aspects, allowing developers and editors to focus on what they do best. In a traditional Content Management System, the frontend and backend systems are interconnected. The CMS not only allows content creation and management via the backend but also displays this content to end users via a specific frontend - in the form of a website. Some examples of such traditional CMS are WordPress, TYPO3, or Drupal. By contrast, a "headless" CMS separates these two systems. It focuses solely on the backend: the creation, management, and storage of content. It has no predetermined way to display this content. That's why it is called "headless," where the "head" is a metaphor for the frontend or presentation view. The Advantages of a Headless CMS In a headless CMS, content is typically provided via an API (Application Programming Interface), often a RESTful API. This allows developers to use the content in any context: from displaying it on a website to using it in a mobile app or on digital displays. This architecture, combined with the separation of backend and frontend, offers several advantages: Flexibility: Developers are no longer limited by the technologies or templates dictated by the CMS. They can choose technologies and frameworks that best suit their requirements. Omnichannel Delivery: Since content is provided via an API, it can be used on a wide variety of platforms and devices. This means the same CMS could deliver content to a website, a mobile app, a smartwatch app, and so on. Scalability: Since content display is separated from content management, both parts can scale independently. This can be particularly useful when the load on one of the systems fluctuates, potentially affecting performance. Security: As the frontend is separate from the backend, a security breach in the frontend does not directly affect the backend and vice versa. Headless systems also offer variability in content creation. Developers can create and store content once, allowing for faster updates and more efficient distribution across multiple platforms. Moreover, developers can tailor their content for various devices and screen sizes to ensure optimal display, regardless of the device or browser used. Headless CMS & SEO - Can It Work? Headless SEO is a methodology that has increasingly established itself in the field of digital marketing. It is a form of search engine optimization (SEO) that optimizes web content for discoverability and indexing by search engine crawlers, without being tied to a specific website or platform. In other words, headless SEO allows content to be created once and then indexed and found on multiple websites. And this is where one of many challenges in SEO lies. In terms of website speed and Mobile First, a headless CMS certainly offers advantages over a traditional CMS. However, there are some content-related pitfalls. By considering this more strongly in the backend from the outset, a headless CMS can be just as SEO compliant as a traditional CMS. Combined with the advantages in technical SEO, this brings significant benefits to the headless CMS itself. Despite the many benefits of headless SEO, there are also some challenges involved. Primarily, headless SEO requires a webmaster to be well-versed in both web development and search engine optimization. Without comprehensive knowledge of both disciplines, it may be difficult for webmasters to handle the complexity of a headless CMS. Moreover, since content is stored on multiple platforms, it can be harder to monitor content performance and make changes when necessary. Handling JavaScript SEO in Headless CMS The Googlebot initially crawls the HTML of a website. This is because JavaScript rendering consumes considerable resources and is therefore postponed. If there is JavaScript on the page, the page is queued and then rendered with delay (this delay can be a few seconds, but can also be longer). After rendering, the rendered HTML is added to the previously indexed content. Thus, the HTML framework of the page is first in the index. This means that until the JavaScript is rendered, an incomplete page is in the index. If, therefore, important elements are delivered via JavaScript, they are missing. For example, the search engine would then display individual title tags because the optimized snippets are delivered with JavaScript. Headless SEO Issues - Not Everything That Glitters is Gold JavaScript SEO is an often underestimated but important discipline in organic search engine optimization. Headless systems come with not only advantages. As described above, all relevant and important content, which is typically delivered via JavaScript in headless, may be delayed or not read at all. These include: Metadata (Title Tag would then be perceived as identical) Canonical Tags (can massively impact crawling and indexing) Hreflang Tags Redirects (Google might then not read the redirects, leading to duplicate content and indexing problems) For in-depth SEO analysis, other tools should therefore be used to avoid losing visibility after a CMS switch. This is How SEO Works with Headless CMS Architectures It should be ensured that all SEO-relevant elements are delivered in HTML and not in JavaScript. Additionally, JavaScript files should be cleansed of unused code. Only the JavaScript (JS) needed on the page should be loaded, if necessary, the extensive JS-code can also be split across multiple files (for a smaller payload). Better performance can ensure that Google renders JavaScript (faster), but this is only experiential and not officially confirmed. If Google does not render the JavaScript or it takes too long (several days/weeks are certainly possible), prerendering or server-side rendering may be advisable. JavaScript links should be avoided at all costs. The old-fashioned link implementation with <a href=""> should still be used. We strongly recommend using a crawler that understands and can read JavaScript SEO with headless systems that use a lot of JavaScript. Nowadays, major tools like SEMrush, Sistrix, or Screaming Frog can handle it. However, as with non-headless-based systems, the  outcomes of the tools should be carefully questioned. The Path to More Organic Traffic: Web Analytics as the Key to SEO Optimization Without solid data, you're in the dark. Web analytics provides you with the valuable information you need to refine your search engine optimization (SEO) and increase your organic traffic. A precise analysis of your website data enables you to identify which pages and content are particularly well received and where optimization potential still exists. By specifically adapting your content and optimizing your pages, you can enhance your SEO performance and draw more organic traffic to your website. However, data is only as useful as you interpret and apply it. This is where detailed web analysis comes into play, allowing you to analyze various metrics—from bounce rate and average session duration to the most visited pages. Through targeted adjustments of page elements and content that have high user engagement, you can further strengthen your SEO and effectively promote organic traffic. In this continuous process of data analysis and optimization lies the key to a successful SEO strategy and an increasing number of organic website visitors. Conclusion - JavaScript & SEO In summary, headless CMS offers a range of benefits for developers, editors, and website operators looking to harness the potential of search engine optimization. While there are some challenges associated with headless SEO, these can be overcome with a thorough understanding of web development and SEO practices. Are you planning a relaunch to a headless CMS? How can you ensure that no visibility is lost during the relaunch and that you benefit from the full headless power? Contact us! 

SEO is not dead

Jun 1, 2022

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

SEO

Table of Contents There is ongoing discussion about how relevant SEO will continue to be as a marketing measure in the future. Repeated adjustments to Google's sophisticated algorithm cause uncertainty, and competition in the search engine constantly rises. And some people ask themselves: Is SEO dead? Why is SEO important? There are several reasons! Although search engine optimization will change and come with new challenges, SEO will continuously be of enormous importance for securing successful positions in the rankings. Search engine optimization comes with many advantages and is definitely part of a holistic online marketing strategy. As an SEO marketer, it's crucial to flexibly respond to changing conditions and new adjustments to emerge as a clear winner from the complex competition of search engine optimization. The Importance of SEO as a Marketing Channel Search engine optimization (SEO) is a long-term process aimed at improving rankings in organic search results. In reverse, this means: As long as there are search engines based on algorithms, the significance of SEO as a cornerstone of digital marketing strategy will be tremendously high. Accordingly, SEO is the foundation of all online marketing measures, even for SEA and Google Ads. The success of search engine advertising is also dependent on SEO optimization because, even in this competition, the highest bid is not always counted, but the relevance of content also matters. Ultimately, only users who encounter a user-friendly and relevant page will lead to a conversion. SEO Importance - A Practical Example Traffic sources by type for ebay.com from the SEMrush tool   Looking at a real-world example from ebay.com, it becomes clear the significant role SEO plays as a traffic source. While paid search accounts for only 0.5% of total traffic, SEO contributes 71.45% of total traffic through direct entry. There is no question that SEO is indispensable for successful online marketing. Search Engine Optimization: Benefits and Advantages The benefits of search engine optimization speak for themselves. Unlike other marketing channels, SEO does not involve immense costs, reaches the target audience directly, and grants long-term, sustainable marketing success. Meaning: SEO is definitely not “dead” but continues to offer enormous potential: SEO Advantage 1 - Long-term Reach Through Top Positions Compared to paid search ads, search engine optimization offers a significant advantage: SEO is a long-term marketing strategy . Successes are only visible over time, but they last much longer. While the effect in paid search only occurs during an active campaign, SEO has a sustainable impact. At the same time, users assign higher trustworthiness to organic search results in comparison. Top positions in SERPs generally achieve very high click-through rates . This effect can be further strengthened with professional SEO implementation, be it through optimized meta-tags or structured data . SEO Advantage 2 - No Cold Acquisition Thanks to SEO Organic top rankings are built on a pull marketing strategy . A user actively searches for a term, service, or product and usually chooses a domain that is found in the upper rankings. Cold acquisition measures to convince potential new site visitors of the nature of a product or service are unnecessary. Instead, the focus is on directing already interested users to your own site through a successful SEO strategy. SEO Advantage 3 - Search Engine Optimization is Cost-efficient The marketing channel SEO incurs relatively low costs. Search engine optimization does not depend on who has the largest advertising budget available, but rather evaluates how relevant and optimized your own content is presented on the website. Of course, implementing an SEO strategy requires extensive expertise and years of experience, but this time and cost investment pays off in the end. A website that records lasting top rankings for relevant keywords due to SEO measures does not need to be advertised in the SERPs via paid search ads because it essentially advertises itself. SEO Advantage 4 - SEO Improves the User Experience Although search engine optimization primarily aims to achieve high rankings in the SERPs, it also serves as the foundation for an accessible and user-friendly website . This applies to both technical SEO and content marketing SEO. A site, for example, that is difficult to access due to long loading times and poor structure will lead to a dropout for most users. The same can be observed with SEO content, if a site does not meet the user intention, especially in informative searches, due to poor content quality. Especially in terms of accessibility, an SEO-optimized site is essential. Easy-to-understand language, a clear structure, and stored image alt tags are crucial to making content accessible to users with disabilities. SEO Advantage 5 - SEO is Suitable for Any Business No matter how big a company is or what budget is available - in principle, search engine optimization offers everyone a chance! In the search results, it's less about popularity and budget but rather about how relevant the corresponding SEO content is to the user. Small regional service providers and businesses can achieve good rankings just as well as large, well-known brands. The same goes for newcomers who mix into the SEO competition. With a targeted SEO strategy, there are no limits to success here either. internetwarriors - Search Engine Optimization Consulting in Berlin As a 360° online marketing agency based in the heart of the capital, we support you in all areas of search engine optimization - from creating SEO content and coordinating content marketing to technical SEO analysis and optimization of your website! We understand search engine optimization as a cornerstone of digital marketing - from SEA to social media - and use our years of experience and expertise in search engine optimization to develop a successful online marketing strategy together with you. As part of our SEO support , we identify errors and weaknesses on your website, actively assist in implementing SEO measures, and provide comprehensive consulting for all your questions. Get in touch with us now without obligation! Did you enjoy the blog? Recommend it now! Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn Envelope WhatsApp AUTHOR

Basics and Building Blocks of a Professional SEO On-Page Analysis

Feb 17, 2022

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

SEO

Table of Contents The SEO Onpage Analysis is one of the most requested services at our agency, but it is also one that is often misunderstood. The ideas of what an analysis means vary widely. What we understand as a professional SEO analysis and what doesn't deserve this name is explained in this article. Do you need a comprehensive SEO analysis of your website?

Gendering - A Good Idea from an SEO Perspective?

Oct 14, 2021

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

SEO

Table of Contents Is Gendering a Good Idea from an SEO Perspective? Gender-inclusive language is a topic that occupies many people. According to a survey by Infratest , only 26% of respondents have a positive opinion on gender-inclusive language, while 36% completely reject it. In contrast, 35% of companies, according to a Randstad-ifo survey , use gender-neutral language in their external communications. The website is an important part of external communication. Since many companies optimize their texts for search engines, the question arises: to what extent does gender-sensitive language affect rankings, and how does it influence SEO performance? Our SEO Warriors reveal the current state and tips in this article. What is "gender-sensitive language"? German is a very binary language, with personal titles coming in both male and female forms (example: expert vs. Experte and Expertin, experts vs. Experten and Expertinnen). Previously, the "generic masculine" was popular - the male form was used as a general term, implying all non-male persons without explicitly addressing them. Gender-sensitive language is not a new topic, even if the public attention it currently receives from the media and politics suggests otherwise. It is about using language that includes everyone - challenging the male "default" and replacing it with inclusive language. Depending on the interpretation, this means addressing both men and women - or additionally people who do not fall within this gender binary. Since the end of 2018, it is possible to register one's gender not only as female and male but also as "diverse". Depending on which forms of gender-sensitive language are used, these people are either included or not. What are the options for gender-sensitive language? There is no uniform guideline for how gender-sensitive language should look. Over the past few years (even decades), various forms have emerged, none of which have clearly prevailed: Including both women and men: Mentioning both female and male forms (Radfahrerinnen und Radfahrer) Inner capital I (RadfahrerInnen) Slash (Radfahrer/innen) Including all genders: Gender gap (Radfahrer_innen) Colon (Radfahrer:innen) Gender asterisk (Radfahrer*innen) Additionally, there are neutral formulations, for example: Cyclists People who ride bikes Bike-riding people Why and when is "gendering" important? As mentioned, opinions on gender-sensitive language vary widely. As does its implementation. Critics see the German language at risk or believe that mere language change doesn't create equality, and there are more important issues. However, language certainly has the potential to change reality. There are various studies on how language influences perception; for example, the FU Berlin found that language affects children's perception of professions. A sensitive approach to the topic is therefore appropriate and important. Which approach is the best choice for companies depends on various factors, such as the target audience and the company’s positioning on the topic. If you're unsure, you can consider these questions beyond the SEO aspect: What values does your company want to represent (conservative, traditional, modern, inclusive, etc.)? What is your target audience, and how do they view the topic? What is common in your industry? As the topic is very polarizing, it has the potential to appeal to or repel people just by how language is used. A target group that highly values inclusion will, for example, feel addressed by a website using inclusive, gender-sensitive language, while a more conservative audience might even consistently avoid purchasing from a company that uses gendering in their communication. What is the problem for search engine optimization? How does Google respond to gendering in texts? Does the use of gender-specific terms alone influence visibility? There is no clear answer so far, so we try to approach the topic. The generic masculine as a standard Since the generic masculine has been in use for so long and is generally the shortest form of a designation, it is used significantly more often in searches than female forms or gender-inclusive terms. Some examples: Hairdresser Berlin: 21,600 searches/month Female hairdresser Berlin: 20 searches/month Cardiologist Berlin: 7,700 searches/month Female cardiologist Berlin: 40 searches/month Tax advisor Berlin: 7,500 searches/month Female tax advisor Berlin: 80 searches/month Conversely, there are only a few counterexamples, but in the majority, the male form is more frequently searched: Lawyer Berlin: 2,200 searches/month Female lawyer Berlin: 2,300 searches/month In SEO, the general rule is to optimize for the keywords that are relevant and most frequently searched. Certainly one of the reasons why even female service providers often use the male form. Google's "Gender Bias" What does "Gender Bias" mean? "Bias" translates to German as "Voreingenommenheit." In relation to Google, it means that Google's search results represent and promote certain stereotypes. Even when specifically searching for female forms for certain services, Google shows male individuals in the results or even suggests using the male form instead. An example is a search for "female hairdresser Berlin": Google suggests "Did you mean: hairdresser berlin," and for "female stylist Berlin," Google asks, "Did you mean stylists berlin;" similar suggestions occur for "female surgeon Berlin" and "female electrician Berlin." This treats the female forms as if they are spelling errors, where the correct spelling is suggested. For other searches, like "female orthopedist Berlin" or "female cardiologist Berlin," there are no "correction suggestions." For gender-inclusive searches with an asterisk or colon, Google also interprets them differently; it doesn't seem as though the algorithm has understood "gendering" and the intention behind it. What does Google say about gendering? In the Google SEO office hours on 10.06.2021 , John Mueller, Senior Webmaster Trends Analyst at Google, was asked about gendering. The answer: He did not know the current situation at Google, but generally, they try to identify synonyms. Google generally tries to wait and react to user behavior. So if gender-specific terms are searched more frequently, Google would respond to them. What is the reality? The above examples of various searches and Google's different suggestions do not show a unified picture. The results are equally diverse. For some professional titles, only female service providers appear in the Map results, while aggregators and directories appear in the organic search results. For other keywords, even when searching for the female form, results for female service providers prevail. A comparison of the Title Tags in the results shows no pattern - sometimes male titles are used by women and still appear in searches for female service providers, sometimes they are in the female form. Searches for gender-inclusive forms with a colon or asterisk result in, for example, medical practices in the results. There is no unified result, but one thing is clear: Google partly considers female titles and gender-inclusive terms as mistakes - probably because these terms are so rarely searched for - and still displays male service providers. Should search behavior change, the algorithm is likely to adapt sooner or later, providing results that are more sensitive to the actual query. In many areas, it is advantageous to use the male form, even when it isn't accurate. Gender-inclusive language does not seem to be a good idea in SEO. So what options do companies have if they want to gender but fear disadvantages in ranking? Tips for gender-sensitive language in SEO Content How can you handle the use of inclusive language without fearing SEO disadvantages? Does gendering matter for your keywords? If you have answered the questions about your company values and target group and have decided in favor of gendering: does this decision matter for your keywords? How many terms in your keyword sets would be affected? How many terms would change? You might find that nothing or only a little changes, making the risk low. Optimize for alternative terms There are usually alternatives to personal designations, such as the services themselves (for example, cardiology instead of female cardiologist) or the problems these services solve. Be creative and consider all the terms that can describe what you want to express. Check the monthly search volume - often, more general terms are even more in demand. Use different spellings If you find it impossible to manage without the generic masculine, you can offset this by using different spellings and thus including other genders. Switch it up and use multiple terms or the most searched word in crucial spots. Further optimization measures Keyword usage in texts is just one measure for greater visibility and better rankings. Use all the tools available to you - all technical and content optimization measures, consider your usability, and elements like images, internal links, and markups. OffPage SEO can also make a significant difference. The terms you specifically use should primarily reflect how you want to present yourself and whom you wish to reach. Think primarily of your users, less of search engines - an approach that is generally sensible in SEO copywriting. Support for Your Content Marketing Regardless of whether you gender or which form of gender-sensitive language you choose - the conscious use of terms and the creation of optimized content are important. Do you feel that your content could perform better? Our SEO Warriors are happy to support you, from keyword analysis to the planning of content that increases your visibility and revenue. Get in contact with us without obligation! Did you enjoy the blog? Recommend it now! Facebook Twitter Telegram Linkedin Envelope Whatsapp AUTHOR

Data Analysis 2021: How to Interpret Data Even with Less Data!

Sep 28, 2021

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

Web Analytics

Have you noticed that you have significantly fewer user data available in web analytics than before? Current data protection regulations pose great challenges for online marketing and data analysis. The German Telemedia Act will also follow suit as of December 1, 2021. Cookie-based tracking requires user consent, leading to data losses if consent is not given. Cookie-less tracking, as made possible by tools like eTracker and Matomo, would technically be excluded from the Consent Manager (“Cookie Banner”), but it comes with other drawbacks. For example, recurring users cannot be tracked, and the assignment to channels and campaigns involved in the purchase funnel is thus complicated or impossible. In this article, we have explored the future of (marketing) cookies and ventured a look into the future . Today we ask ourselves: What options and methods exist to obtain meaningful data despite these challenges? Our web analytics warriors have compiled the top 6 tips for you. 1. Ensure error-free tracking Especially when less data is available or certain analyses are omitted, it's particularly important to set up tracking without errors to obtain correct, meaningful data. All online marketing activities rely to some extent on user data to evaluate the success of campaigns and channels and optimize actions. Faulty data can significantly distort this picture and lead to false conclusions. Correct tracking is therefore essential for effective online marketing. The most common errors include, for example: Tracking errors or missing tracking after a relaunch (the tracking code is not implemented) Faulty base code Tracking code implemented in the wrong place in the source code (a code placed too far down may not trigger for users who leave quickly) Faulty transmission of e-commerce data, for example, due to incorrect integration of the data layer for Google Tag Manager Faulty filter settings in the data view (for instance, more data being filtered out than intended) It is therefore important to carefully review the tracking integration and settings in the analysis tool and ideally have the tracking set by a web analytics expert. 2. Evaluate data through extrapolation Even if data is lost due to the implementation of the Consent Manager (“Cookie Banner” in common parlance), there are ways to approximate real user data. Companies possessing data collected prior to the cookie banner implementation can extrapolate what percentage of users might no longer be tracked due to non-consent. Correspondingly, all data can be extrapolated to get an impression of the total number of visitors. Depending on the implementation, the Consent Manager can mean data loss of well over 50 percent. Extrapolations help create a realistic picture. Also, comparing with one's own data warehouse provides insight into what is actually happening in the shop, even if not all users and interactions can be captured. Using additional tools is also important in this context - see the following tip. 3. Use additional tools for data analysis Not all tools rely on cookies or personal user data and therefore do not require consent in the Consent Manager. An example is Google Search Console, which provides a very good insight into users of unpaid search ads on the Google search engine. Comparison can also be useful: how many organic users are captured in the web analysis tool, like Google Analytics, and how many are shown by Google Search Console? How does this ratio differ compared to the time before the cookie banner introduction? How many more users are correspondingly not captured in Analytics afterward? However, it should also be considered that user numbers can be captured differently in both tools. Other tools that provide good data are professional SEO tools (Sistrix, SEMrush, ahrefs, etc.), which provide information about keywords and rankings, sometimes also about click behavior and corresponding extrapolations on expected clicks per keyword. Here, too, cross-referencing with web analytics data is very helpful and sensible. 4. Use microconversions If only so-called macro conversions are tracked (for example, completing a purchase), you not only miss the chance to learn more about users and their behavior, but you also risk losing data if users decide against tracking during the conversion process, and thus the macro conversion cannot be tracked. Examples of so-called microconversions include: Submitting a contact request Downloading a PDF document Creating an account Adding items to the cart Opening the cart Adding payment methods. If these are tracked, you take the opportunity to better understand what users are doing on the site and where there is potential for optimization. 5. Understand users better With less data available, it's not only important to track correctly but also to capture all relevant data on user behavior to better understand users. Not everything that can be measured has to be tracked. It is about creating a concept and defining which data is measured for what reason and what insights you can draw from it. (Capturing data for its own sake contradicts the idea of data economy and can quickly lead to losing oversight.) For instance, clicks on a specific button can provide valuable insights, as can the scroll depth of users: how far do users scroll on the page, which elements and content are noticed at all? The distinction between actual interactions with the site and mere staying on the site is also important. Implementing events that go beyond just a page view or click is helpful, for instance, for measuring staying on the site (to provide another data point to tools like Google Analytics). 6. Increase the share of captured users From our experience with many different websites, we can say: You can influence how users respond to your consent banner, i.e., what percentage of users refuse tracking. To capture and analyze as much data as possible, it makes sense to test (keyword A/B testing) rather than integrating a standard banner. Design and wording can make a significant difference. Users should never be forced to consent, everything must remain transparent, but there is still some leeway in terms of wording, colors, and button or link sizes. Users are, for example, more willing to consent if it is explained that data is used to improve the user experience rather than if the impression is given that it’s solely for advertising purposes. Professional web analysis with internetwarriors Would you like to set up your tracking professionally or have it checked and optimized by our experienced web analytics warriors ? We not only bring a lot of experience in optimizing consent managers and have achieved a significant reduction in data loss for many clients but have also set up effective tracking for many different companies and websites over the past years. As we engage in online marketing ourselves, we understand the requirements and can customize your tracking to your needs, channels, and campaigns. Contact us , we look forward to improving your web analytics for you, for more meaningful data evaluation and successful online marketing campaigns!

Sweet or Bitter: The Future of (Marketing) Cookies

Sep 15, 2021

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

Web Analytics

Table of Contents Since the GDPR, the topic of cookies has been a hot topic in the marketing world. Which cookies are allowed, and to what extent are web analytics and online advertising still possible with the current challenges? Is the end of cookies near? Navigating the new regulations, choosing the right technology, making appropriate settings, and interpreting data correctly is a challenge for many companies. We asked our warrior and analytics expert from the SEO and web analytics team about privacy-compliant tracking options available with and without cookies and what the future might bring. Marketing Revolution - The End of Cookies? Marketing is undergoing a transformation, and this change is noticeable in many areas. Safari and Firefox already have relatively strict privacy policies, making tracking harder or even impossible. Chrome announced that third-party cookies or vendor cookies will soon no longer be supported, but this introduction has been postponed by another year. How should the new developments be assessed? Opinions vary depending on the perspective. Many individuals are critical and do not like being tracked because they do not know exactly what is being tracked and what happens to the data. From this perspective, it's a positive move. On the other hand, it is suboptimal for web analytics, as current tracking is based on cookies and all tools are designed for it. This means that marketers currently rely on cookies not only for web analytics but also for using other services, such as paid advertising, social media, affiliate marketing, or Google Ads. Tracking is always based on cookies, and depending on the implementation, problems will arise in the future. However, there are some promising developments on the other side. Using Server-Side Tracking in a Privacy-Compliant Manner The problem with server-side tracking is: users are unaware of the tracking because it is executed on the server, and they cannot counteract it. No adblocker, service, or technology like Intelligent Tracking Prevention works against this kind of tracking. InfoBox: Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) = a technology implemented in the Safari browser to automatically prevent unwanted third-party tracking without users having to enable it actively. Enhanced Tracking Protection = the solution in Firefox that blocks tracking. This makes the solution very delicate, especially when user profiles are created.  Tracking can be utilized in two ways: First, for the website analysis : Which pages are accessed, how fast does the page load, which browsers are accessing it, etc.? Additionally, user profiles can be created for marketing activities to, for instance, target all users over 35 who have accessed certain pages and fulfill other criteria.  And as soon as these profiles are created, tracking must be mandatorily linked to the cookie banner, regardless of the use of cookies. (The German term “Cookie Banner” that has become common is somewhat misleading compared to the English term. The English term “Consent Manager” better describes the function: Users must agree to certain actions that are not limited to cookies.) This applies not only to Google Analytics but also to Matomo, etracker, or Facebook. Therefore, if you want to use server-side tracking, we strongly recommend using the cookie banner to stay on the safe side of privacy regulations. Ideally, you should have experts by your side who can advise you on the topic and monitor privacy compliance during implementation. The Benefits of Server-Side Tracking Server-side tracking provides more data because it offers two advantages: 1. It bypasses all adblockers and technologies like Intelligent Tracking Prevention and Enhanced Tracking Protection . This means that browsers like Safari, which block tracking by default, are still captured, providing more data. However, to track in a privacy-compliant way, the cookie banner (or Consent Manager in English) must be used. Therefore, to obtain more data, the banner must be optimized so that as many users as possible agree to the tracking. 2. The second advantage of server-side tracking is the capture of returning users . With some effort, tracking can be implemented so that instead of third-party cookies, first-party cookies are set, and cookies in the browser are no longer automatically deleted. This makes more information available, such as recurring users. InfoBox: Third-party cookies = Cookies set by a different web server. An example from affiliate marketing: A click on an affiliate link redirects the user to a web server that sets a third-party cookie before redirecting to the target page. First-party cookies = Cookies set by your own web server and are therefore more complicated to implement. A Glimpse into the Web Analytics Crystal Ball - What Does the Future of Tracking Look Like? The developments of the major browsers in the area of cookies and tracking indicate the direction, albeit at varying speeds. In Firefox, the “rebel among browsers” or the open-source solution, the cookie blocker has been in place for some years.  In the meantime, Apple has also embraced the issue of privacy. With the iOS 14.5 update, we noticed in the agency that the data changed completely. The changeover had massive impacts on the advertising industry.  Now, Chrome has also announced similar efforts, even though with a time delay. This is mainly explainable by the fact that Google, which stands behind Chrome, primarily focuses on advertising. Google recently introduced an alternative named FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts) . The technology is based on AI and machine learning and creates cohorts of users. This allows advertisers to specifically target certain user groups without cookies. However, this segment must somehow store data on the user. FLoC was introduced worldwide a few months ago but was deemed non-compliant with data protection regulations in Europe and could not be used. Thus, this direction will not proceed for now. Cookie-Free Future? Our warrior analytics experts suspect that the future will move towards a cookie-free environment. However, a solution must be found to tag users without storing the information on the user.  Technologies like fingerprinting already exist. They try to individualize and address users based on their technology and behavior. For instance: What is the IP address? How big is the hard drive? Which monitor is being used? How many plugins are installed in the browser? Which browser is being used? How does the user surf? The server of the advertiser remembers this information and creates a “fingerprint” of the individual user. However, if many different devices and users use the same devices and IP address, such individualization is not possible; individual users cannot be distinctly differentiated. Therefore, Google officially announced at the Google Analytics Summit a few years ago that they were abandoning fingerprinting. It would have been a cookie-free technology, but it did not prove to be successful and is therefore not used. For consent banners, there will likely be more solutions in the future, allowing users to agree to or decline tracking directly in the browser. This means that the cookie banner does not have to be shown and confirmed or declined every time a website is visited. The banners will practically no longer appear. So, there are various exciting developments, and we are very curious to see how tracking and web analytics will evolve in the future. Tracking Experience and Expertise at internetwarriors Over the past few years, as internetwarriors, we have gathered extensive experience with a variety of tracking methods and tools, assisting our clients and gladly offering our expertise to you. Here's a brief overview of our expertise: For example, we can set up cookieless tracking. This works with various services, such as Google Analytics, Matomo, or eTracker. However, we prefer cookie-based tracking as it is better and provides more data. Here, we can clearly categorize cookies into different categories: technically necessary cookies, marketing, statistics, etc. Ensure that channel allocation functions correctly and no users are incorrectly assigned to channels. Furthermore, we can exclude spam in the data and reporting and thus provide our customers with more meaningful numbers. Another point is the cookie consent banner, with which we have gathered a lot of experience and conducted tests, resulting in significantly less data loss. Factors like wording and layout determine whether users click on “Accept All Cookies.” (Note: For more information, watch our webinar “ Tips on Creating and Using Cookie Banners .” We are very well-versed in data protection and web analytics and can consider this in all events and conversions we track.  We have also implemented Server Side Tracking with some customers. As it's a relatively new topic, and the technological prerequisites have only been available for a short time, we have not been able to gather as much experience with it. It is, however, a topic where we continuously improve and can support and advise: How does tracking with first-party cookies work? How can Google Analytics be integrated server-side to obtain better data? What is the difference between Google Analytics 4 and Google Universal Analytics?  With that, we are very good contacts when it comes to ensuring data protection-compliant or GDPR-compliant tracking. We hope you gained many new insights and knowledge from this article. If you're interested, feel free to read our whitepaper “ Cookies Are Dead .” Do You Need Support in Setting Up Privacy-Compliant Tracking? If you want to set up tracking for your website or online shop in a privacy-compliant, clean, and efficient manner to obtain better data and analysis possibilities, our web analytics expert team is happy to assist, review your current setup, provide improvement suggestions, or completely set up tracking for you. Whether with or without marketing cookies, we will find an appropriate tracking solution for you! Contact us without obligation!

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Find SEO Keywords and Develop a Keyword Strategy

Jul 30, 2025

Julien

Moritz

Category:

SEO

The magnifying glass displays the term Keywords in full screen

Keywords have been an important foundation of search engine optimization from the beginning. But their role has changed, just as the way we use them has, not least due to the increasing dominance of artificial intelligence (AI). We are convinced that keywords are still very important, so this guide will teach you how to find keywords, what to look for when choosing keywords, which tools you can use, and how to optimally use keywords in SEO. What are keywords? In search engine optimization, we refer to keywords or key phrases as the terms or phrases that users enter into search engines in order to find answers, information, content, or products. We use these terms on websites in certain elements to increase the probability of achieving good positions in search results. In SEA (e.g., Google Paid as opposed to SEO = Google Organic), we bid on keywords to display ads for those terms in search results. To make the topic more illustrative, we explain all the points in this blog post using a specific example: a fictional bicycle online shop or bicycle store with a website, namely the topic "bicycle" or "buying a bicycle". The graphic shows a small selection of different relevant related keywords for this topic: Types of keywords We differentiate between different types of keywords. This distinction plays a role in the strategic direction of our content and the priority we give to those keywords. By length: Short Head & Long Tail Keywords In general, there are two different types of keywords that are defined by their length: Short Head Keywords are short, very general terms that generally have a very high search volume but also correspondingly high competition. The intention behind these keywords is not clear. For example: "bicycle" is a Short Head keyword, which can imply a search for information, such as (what types of bicycles are there?), as well as a purchase intention or even a search for images. Long Tail Keywords , on the other hand, are longer, specific phrases or questions. Depending on the topic, the search volume and competition behind them are significantly lower, and the intention is generally clearer. For example: "best e-bikes 2025" or "buy cheap used kids’ bicycle" or "how to patch a bicycle tire?" In addition, you can define " Mid Tail Keywords " that lie between these two types of keywords. By intention: Information, Navigation, or Transaction? Another important classification of keywords is the intention behind the search query: Informational keywords indicate a search for information. These can be the beginning of the user journey, the first step on the way to a purchase. For example: "trekking bike vs. city bike" or "what to consider when buying a bicycle?" Navigation Keywords point to the search for a specific brand, website, or product. For example: "Decathlon bicycles" or "Cube E-bikes". Transactional keywords show a purchase intention. Users are looking for an online shop or a local buying opportunity. For example: "buy trekking bike" or "order gravel bikes". In addition to these classifications, there are other characteristics of keywords, such as search volume (how often is the term searched per month?) or the "Keyword Difficulty" calculated by many SEO tools (the difficulty of ranking in top positions for this keyword in search results). Why are keywords important in search engine optimization? Keywords reveal which terms (and topics) are searched frequently. To improve visibility in search results for relevant keywords, we use these terms on the respective pages. This way, we show search engines that a page (URL) is relevant for a specific topic and the associated terms. Therefore, we research and analyze keywords as the basis of content optimization - to know how and what to optimize. What is the significance of keywords in the age of AI? Are keywords still important in the age of AI? Let’s take a look back and take a short journey through SEO history. The role and significance of keywords have constantly evolved over the last few decades: While about 20 years ago keywords had to be used in their exact form to rank well, Google's language understanding developed over the following years. Various grammatical forms, singular and plural, were recognized as identical terms. Similarly, the connection between synonyms and related terms was recognized - it became about semantics instead of exact keyword matching. We have not been thinking in pure keywords in search engine optimization for many years. Instead, we optimize on topic clusters, naturally supported by keywords. Keywords are still used as the basis, but the context behind them has become significantly more important. A sign of this is that Google often displays websites optimized for a synonym for search queries - Google recognizes that terms mean the same thing. In addition to the clusters, another term has become important: the entity. An entity is a uniquely identifiable object or concept, such as a person, a place, a process. An indication of what Google identifies as an entity includes, among other things, the Knowledge Graph in search results or suggestions for topics or concepts. This can be seen in the example "pedelec": These connections between topics or terms also play a role in AI SEO . Keywords are far from dead; they still serve an important purpose even in the AI age: Keyword analysis helps you understand the terms your (potential) customers use - and to speak the same language as your target audience. Keywords, especially “long tail keywords” like questions, help you better understand the intentions and problems of your target audience and offer corresponding content. Keywords still underpin entities and topic clusters, only they are not used as strictly as they were years ago. It is more important to cover the topic comprehensively and satisfyingly for customers, to meet the intent, and to present yourself as an authority to users and search engines. Keyword analysis - Finding keywords in 3 steps How do we find keywords for our keyword and content strategy? Depending on resources and available time as well as the topic, a keyword analysis can be a complex task. The more general the topic, the more extensive the analysis and the more subtopics and keyword clusters are found. It is easier to research keywords for a single page and a very specific topic. 1. Brainstorming Ideally, you are well-versed in your topic for which you want to find keywords. The first step is always a rough brainstorming session where you jot down all subtopics, terms, and questions related to your topic. With this, you have the first foundation for your analysis on which you can build. If you want to research keywords for an entire website, think of these terms, for example: Your brand name (depending on its popularity, there may be a relevant search volume behind a brand name) Your industry (e.g. bicycle online shop) Categories (e.g. e-bikes, city bikes, mountain bikes, road bikes, kids' bikes, bikes for seniors, accessories, etc.) Brands (e.g. Cube Ebike, Bergamont Bicycle) Products or services (specific product names of bestsellers, e.g. cube kathmandu hybrid pro 750) Frequently asked questions about products or categories (e.g. which bike for commuting) 2. Analyzing keywords on the website If you already have a website or an online shop, you should establish a status quo: for which terms are you already (well) found, and through which terms do you get clicks and impressions? To do this, analyze the terms you find in the performance report in Google Search Console, and for which you get many impressions or clicks and add them to your brainstorming list. If you have access to a professional SEO tool, you will find all keywords for which your domain has a position in the top 100 here. You can filter these keywords by search volume or positions and export this list. This way, you find out where there is already potential on which you can build optimization. Particularly interesting here are the so-called "threshold keywords" - keywords that are "on the verge" of a certain area. Usually, this refers to - depending on the definition - keywords between 11 and 20, which are just before the top 10, or keywords starting from position 4 or 6, which are on the verge of the top 5 or top 3. 3. Keyword research After you probably already have a long list of keywords, it's time to research additional terms. A wide variety of sources and tools are available for this. If you want to conduct particularly comprehensive research, you can use all tools, but you can also focus on just a few if you have identified a sufficient number of keywords through these. Tools for keyword research The bad news first: Good keyword tools that you can work with effectively are always chargeable. Free versions generally limit the number of results or queries per day. You have to enter each keyword individually, instead of analyzing a list of terms, and the filter and export options are mostly restricted or unavailable. Professional SEO tools usually come with a keyword tool where you get important information for your entered terms, such as monthly search volume, as well as related terms that you can cluster and further analyze. Some of the most well-known tools include: Semrush, Ahrefs, Sistrix, Surfer SEO, or the KWfinder from Mangools. Free, limited options are available, for example, through Ubersuggest or Answerthepublic. Both tools offer a paid version as well as free research options. A unique feature of answerthepublic is the focus on long tail keywords. If you run ads on Google Ads, you can use the Google Keyword Planner, which gives you search volume, CPC, and competition for each keyword. Further sources to find keywords Besides the classic keyword tools, there are a whole series of other sources available to find keywords. These include: Google Suggest: Terms suggested by Google when entering terms in the search box Google related terms under search results Google Trends: Development of interest over time, but only for frequently searched terms Questions in Google search results Social Media Hashtags on relevant platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, etc. YouTube Autosuggest: Suggested terms when entering a word in the search Topics on platforms with user-generated content such as Reddit Thesaurus like Woxikon All these screenshots are included, check if you want to use all of them or just a few and how you want to present them: Google Suggest: Google Trends: YouTube Suggest: Woxikon: Google Questions: People also search for in Google: Keyword Gaps A very valuable analysis is the so-called "Keyword Gap Analysis", where you compare your website or online shop with one or more relevant competitors. Here, not only direct competitors are relevant (in our example other bicycle online shops), but all websites that are present for your topic in the search results (for example, an online magazine about bicycles). Using a professional keyword tool, the domains can be compared, and you receive a list of keywords for which your competitors are already ranking in the search results, but your domain is not yet. From this, opportunities arise to expand the website or shop, for example, to include new subcategories or new blog posts. Create a keyword strategy What do you do now with the many keywords you have found through the various sources? The first step is always to cluster these keywords thematically to get a better overview. These clusters can, for example, be oriented along the structure in your online shop and the type of page: Homepage Keywords (most general terms and brand, e.g. bicycle online shop) Categories (e.g. mountain bikes, road bikes, kids' bikes, etc.) Subcategories (e.g. 16-inch bikes, dirt bikes, folding bikes, etc.) Product keywords (e.g. Cube Agree c62, Bergamot Sponsor Tour S, etc.) Guide keywords (e.g. what to consider when buying a bike, what is a trekking bike, adjusting hub gears, etc.) FAQ -Keywords (e.g. what frame size for a bike, how long does an e-bike battery last, etc.) What makes a good keyword? Out of the large number of keywords you have researched and clustered, you will not be able to use all of them. Therefore, it is important to evaluate and prioritize these keywords. Various criteria are important for this, and prioritization also depends on your strategic goals and your industry: Relevance: all keywords must be relevant to your business (if you don’t sell road bikes, the keyword "buy road bike" is irrelevant) Search Volume: a higher search volume means a higher probability of generating traffic. However, for niche industries, search volume is not the decisive factor. A more suitable keyword with a lower search volume can be more valuable than a more general one with high search volume. The goal is to find the optimal balance. The intention behind the keyword: The intent behind the search query must always match what users find on the page. Keywords indicating purchase intent (e.g., "buy mountain bike") are less important for a pure online magazine than informational keywords. Conversion probability: For an online shop, keywords with a relation to purchases are particularly valuable, as they are more likely to lead to a conversion than informational keywords. The more specific the term (for example, a product name), the higher the chance that someone will buy. Keywords for blog posts usually do not detract from this point. The competitive situation: Keywords with high competition (for which many large domains rank that have been on the market for a long time and have built up trust and authority) can be too big a challenge for new domains or smaller websites at first. It can take years to rank well for highly competitive keywords. Instead, keywords with less competition can achieve quicker results. Possible existing rankings: It is generally easier to improve keywords for which there is already a ranking, than to be found for brand new keywords. This is particularly true for keywords in threshold positions. Summary: a good keyword Has high relevance for your business Has relevant search volume Covers the appropriate intention Has a high conversion probability Has low to medium competition May already have existing rankings that can be improved. There is no blueprint for assessing and prioritizing keywords and creating a keyword strategy that can be applied to every industry and company. It requires both experience and a general company and marketing strategy to which the keyword strategy is adapted. We can therefore only give you suggestions at this point but are happy to support you in creating a professional keyword strategy! Keyword Mapping The most important step in the keyword strategy is creating a so-called keyword mapping. This involves assigning keywords to target pages (either existing pages or newly planned pages). It’s important: For each important keyword, exactly one page is defined that should rank for it Each important page is assigned a keyword set of 1-2 main keywords and several secondary keywords This setup prevents multiple pages from competing for the same keyword (the result can be that neither page ranks if Google is unsure which is the more relevant page - the so-called “cannibalization”). You can also identify which important keywords still lack a suitable target page. Based on this keyword mapping, you can then plan and optimize your content. Content Strategy Once we have assigned the keywords to the appropriate, existing, or new pages, we can create an editorial plan from them, in which all topics are included, for which we need to optimize pages or create new texts. For example, with bicycles, this could include these texts and pages: Children’s bicycles : the category page for children is supplemented with a guide, a product comparison, and buying advice. Buy bicycle under 500 dollars : either a category page or a filter page with the appropriate criteria or a blog post with a product comparison Best bike for beginners : blog post with a product comparison and buying advice Buy a bike with hub gears : the appropriate category page is supplemented with relevant content (comparison of hub gears and derailleur gears, advantages of hub gears, most popular bikes with hub gears, etc.) What to consider when buying a bicycle : guide article for the blog with an overview of different types of bicycles, criteria for purchase (usage, size, features, etc.), online purchase vs. local purchase, etc. Buy bicycle in #city : landing page of the own local shop with an overview of the assortment, address, maps, opening hours, etc. Using keywords The use of keywords could fill another long article, so we would like to give you an overview of the most important elements on a website or in an online shop where you should use keywords: In the metadata (page title/title tag and meta description/page description) In the headlines In the text In filenames of images and image descriptions In internal links Caution: Avoid keyword stuffing! One of the biggest mistakes in using your researched keywords is repeating the same keywords too often. If your text sounds unnatural because you've stuffed it with too many identical or similar terms, no one will want to read it, and search engines will likely evaluate it as "keyword stuffing." Make sure you always write content for users. Use synonyms and related terms and avoid pure lists of keywords or even grammatically incorrect use of terms just to cover a keyword exactly. The focus is on providing relevant, helpful content for your target audience, using relevant keywords naturally! SEO vs. SEA Keywords Effective SEO keyword strategies also benefit paid channels. Many synergies can be created between SEO and SEA (especially Google Ads), for example, by using the same keywords for organic optimization and paid ads and occupying two positions in search results with your website: one paid and one unpaid. A keyword and content strategy for search engine optimization can also be used in the SEA area SEA can also be used nicely for A/B testing ad texts and CTAs (call-to-actions) that can be used in the metadata (page title and meta description). Also, optimizing page content and using the most searched keywords helps for SEA - for example, to improve the quality score and pay low click prices. To gain the greatest benefit, the insights of both channels can be combined - which is why a company greatly benefits when SEO and SEA are in one hand. Incidentally, at internetwarriors, we have both long-standing SEO and SEA expertise in the team! A tailor-made keyword & content strategy for you Finding the right keywords and deriving an effective strategy that matches your business goals can be a challenge. The SEO experts at internetwarriors are happy to assist you. We analyze your website, your industry, and your potentials, research the appropriate keywords, and create an individual content strategy for you. We are also happy to help you optimize the content or create new content or train you and your team on how to use keywords effectively - even in the age of AI.

Server-Side Tracking - An Overview

Jul 16, 2025

Halid Osmaev

Halid

Osmaev

Category:

Web Analytics

Banner for a blog article - Woman sitting in front of a screen

Server Side Tracking is the new standard. A significant advantage is the control provided over the data flow, especially user data. In this article, we discuss Server Side Tracking using Google Tag Manager as an example and review its benefits and which user data is sent. But first, the important question: What is Server Side Tracking? In short: Server Side Tracking is a data collection method where the tracking information is processed not in the browser but directly through the server of the website operator and forwarded to analysis or marketing tools afterward. The traditional tracking method is Client Side Tracking (CTS) , where a code snippet is embedded in the page, for example, via the Google Tag Manager. This sends event data directly to third-party services like Google Analytics 4, Meta Ads, etc. However, control over the sent user data (IP address, demographic data, etc.) is limited to the adjustments offered by the tool. Additionally, a third-party cookie is usually set, resulting in loss of data amount and quality.   Figure 1: Comparison of Client-side and Server-side tagging With Server Side Tracking (SST) , all data is first sent to a private server, where, for example, the Server Side Google Tag Manager is running. This ensures that there is no undesired data transfer occurring on the website with the users. This transfer happens only in the Google Tag Manager Server Side. However, this can then be adapted to a data protection-compliant standard by clear insight into the data and further configuration options like transformers . Server Side Tracking vs. Client Side Tracking The traditional Client Side Tracking (CST) is still widespread but increasingly reaching its limits. In CST, tracking scripts are executed directly in the user’s browser, sending data like page views, clicks, or conversions to third-party tools. However, this approach is very susceptible to modern tracking protection measures such as ad blockers, VPNs, intelligent tracking prevention (ITP) in iOS/Safari, and various data protection regulations. In contrast, Server Side Tracking (SST) uses a different approach: Tracking data is no longer sent directly from the browser to external tools but first to the server. This acts as a proxy or central data hub through which all tracking requests run. The server request is treated similarly to an API request and is thus less vulnerable to blocking . Additionally, all data processing takes place within one's infrastructure , significantly reducing the risk when dealing with data protection authorities. Another difference lies in the use of cookies: While Client Side Tracking relies on third-party cookies – which are increasingly blocked by browsers – Server Side Tracking prefers first-party cookies , considered more trustworthy and stable. Why is Server Side Tracking now standard? While Client Side Tracking is increasingly losing its effectiveness due to growing restrictions, Server Side Tracking offers a future-proof, high-performance, and privacy-friendly alternative – with significantly higher data quality and control for companies. Overview of the benefits of Server Side Tracking: More data control : Unlike the specifications of external tracking tags, companies with SST retain full control over the collected data. Higher data quality : SST can often bypass ad blockers and tracking protection measures, typically leading to at least 12% more data. Performance advantages : Instead of addressing many individual tracking tools directly from the browser, only one server is contacted – conserving resources and improving website load time. Data protection compliance : By processing exclusively within their server structure, companies can better respond to legal requirements. Server Side Tracking and Data Protection Regulations Server Side Tracking offers not only technical advantages but also a significantly better basis concerning data protection laws. The main legal regulations in the European area are the GDPR, the TTDSG, and the EU-USA Data Privacy Framework.  An overview: General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) The General Data Protection Regulation ( GDPR ) mandates that personal data – which can be traced back to a real person, such as name, email address, or IP address – may only be collected and processed with the explicit consent of the users (e.g., through a cookie banner). It has been applicable in all EU member states since May 25, 2018, forming the central legal framework for handling personal data in the European area. The GDPR requires companies to inform transparently which data is collected for what purpose and how long it will be stored. Additionally, users must be able to object to processing or revoke consent at any time. For tracking, this means: No data may be collected or shared with third parties without clear and voluntary consent – even if the technology allows it. Violations of the GDPR can result in hefty fines. Server Side Tracking offers the advantage that data collection, storage, and sharing can be centrally controlled and better documented – facilitating GDPR-compliant implementation. Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act (TTDSG) The TTDSG (Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act) supplements the GDPR specifically for online services and stipulates that no arbitrary user data , especially through cookies or similar technologies, may be stored or read without prior consent . The law came into force on December 1, 2021, merging central data protection requirements from the GDPR and the German Telemedia Act (TMG) as well as the Telecommunications Act (TKG).  For online tracking, this means: Even setting a cookie that is not purely technically necessary requires active, informed consent from users, for example, through a consent banner. Tracking methods attempting to create user profiles without consent – even through technologies like fingerprinting – are prohibited under the TTDSG. This tightens the requirements for data-driven online marketing measures and underscores the necessity to make tracking privacy-compliant and transparent – something that is much better controlled with Server Side Tracking. EU-USA Data Privacy Framework Particularly relevant for international companies is the new EU-USA Data Privacy Framework , which facilitates transatlantic data transfer and has been in effect since summer 2023. Previously, it was problematic to send personal data to US services because US authorities had extensive access to it by law. The new agreement creates more legal certainty when US services like Google or Meta are used – but only if the services are certified under the new framework. These are just a few of the laws affecting tracking. Therefore, an understanding of user data is important. Conclusion: Why does Server Side Tracking offer more data protection compliance? Server Side Tracking allows the entire data processing to initially run through one's server infrastructure. This means: Tracking occurs not directly with the users but only after explicit consent and under full control of data processing on one's server. This allows the requirements of data protection laws to be better implemented, such as targeted anonymization , pseudonymization , or restriction of data sharing with third parties . Overall, Server Side Tracking enables a more data protection-compliant handling of user data, allowing companies to maintain oversight and control – which is essential under the current regulatory framework. What user data is sent with Server Side Tracking? The good news: Only the absolute minimum. What does this mean? Using Google Tag Manager as an example: When an event on the page, like a click, is triggered, an HTTP request is sent to the Server Side Google Tag Manager . Naturally, HTTP header information is sent along. This includes, among others: Time IP address Page URL Approximate location (by IP address) Operating system Browser Resolution Device Additionally, there are other parameters specifically related to configuration. Detailed information can be found in the documentation at [ https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers ]. There are also parameters automatically captured by Google Tag for campaign optimization, which include: utm_source utm_medium utm_campaign utm_content utm_term and the Click ID It should also be ensured which data is user-defined sent with the Google Tag Manager configuration. In the Server Side Google Tag Manager, users can configure precisely through the use of transformers, which specific data should be forwarded in what form and which should be withheld. However, for a data-secure implementation, the conclusion should be: “ Track only as much data as needed .” The challenge is to limit tracking to what is necessary without incurring disadvantages. We set up correct Server Side Tracking for you The Internetwarriors are a team of experts in various fields of online marketing. One of our main focuses is web analytics and Server-Side Tracking (SST). With extensive expertise and a profound understanding of the latest trends and technologies in digital analytics, we offer tailored solutions to optimize our clients' online presence. We are thus a valuable partner for you when you want to set up professional tracking that provides all the data you need for strategic decisions and monitoring your online marketing activities. Contact us now without obligation !

Why Usability Is So Important for Your Website

Jun 11, 2025

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

SEO

Whiteboard with design mockups

Website usability means that users can reach their goals without frustration, overthinking, or detours—whether their goal is to get information, make a purchase, download something, or get in touch. The easier and smoother your website is to use, the more likely visitors are to stay—and come back.  Good usability not only saves time but also builds trust and improves the perception of your company or brand. Especially in the digital market, just a few seconds often determine whether someone stays or leaves. Therefore, it's crucial that your website is logically structured, easy to understand, and technically impeccable—for all users, on every device. In this article, we'll provide you with an overview of the fundamentals of website usability, explain why it's so important, and outline which aspects you should consider. What is Usability? Usability can be translated as "usability" and describes the ability to achieve the desired result without difficulty. The term "user-friendliness" is also often used. Optimal usability means that a product, service, or website fulfills its intended purpose precisely. On a website, this could mean a completed purchase, the provision of relevant information, strengthening your brand, etc., depending on the intention. Usability is a key factor in determining whether and to what extent visitors engage with your website content or move on to another site. It is an important factor in customer satisfaction and website quality. A usability analysis can help identify errors, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement on the website. What does Usability encompass? Website usability includes all aspects that affect the user-friendliness of a website—how simple, understandable, efficient, and pleasant it is to use. Many factors interact to create a positive user experience. Specifically, they include: Navigation and Structure: Clear page layout (e.g., an easy-to-navigate menu, logical hierarchy), simple, logical navigation, breadcrumb navigation, and an easily searchable effective search function Layout and Design: A consistent layout across all pages, a visual hierarchy (important elements stand out), responsive design (works on all devices), and appropriate use of colors, font sizes, and spacing Content and Language: Clear, understandable language, relevant, up-to-date content, good readability (paragraphs, titles, lists), and accessibility (e.g., alt text, contrasts, keyboard accessibility) Interactivity and Feedback: Meaningful feedback (e.g., after clicks, forms), helpful and friendly error messages, and buttons and links that are clearly recognizable Loading Times and Performance: Fast loading times of pages and content and technical stability (no crashes, malfunctions) Accessibility: Support for screen readers, keyboard operability, good color contrasts, and scalable font sizes Trust and Security: SSL encryption, transparent data protection information, and a professional appearance (e.g., legal notice, contact information) Conversion Support: Clear calls to action (e.g., "Buy Now," "Learn More"), no distractions from the actual purpose of the page, and support for processes like forms or checkout What are the Goals of Website Usability? The goals of website usability are aimed at designing websites so they can be used effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily by users. Interaction should be as intuitive as possible to lead to the desired outcome. Jakob Nielsen - one of the leading experts on usability, who has been studying the topic for decades - developed 5 key criteria of usability : 1. Learnability Goal: New users should be able to quickly understand and use the website. Navigation, structure, and functions must be intuitive . Example: A first-time visitor immediately understands where to find information or how to make a purchase. 2. Efficiency Goal: Experienced users should be able to complete their tasks quickly and effectively . Optimized workflows, fast loading times, and clear paths lead to goal achievement. Example: A repeat customer can reorder with just a few clicks. 3. Memorability Goal: Users who haven’t visited the website for a while should be able to easily use it again. This is helped by consistent design, familiar symbols, and a logical structure. Example: A user remembers how to find customer support even after weeks. 4. Errors (Error Prevention and Handling) Goal: The website should be as error-tolerant as possible and help users avoid or correct errors. This can be achieved through clear and understandable error messages, opportunities for correction, or well-thought-out forms. Example: An incomplete form clearly indicates what is missing without deleting all input. 5. Satisfaction Goal: Using the website should be a pleasant experience and generate positive feelings. An appealing design, useful content, and easy navigation lead to higher satisfaction among users. Example: A user-friendly interface with clear texts provides trust and enjoyment while using the site. How Can Usability Be Measured? Measuring usability means systematically evaluating the user-friendliness of a product or website using specific criteria, tasks, and user tests. While usability is partly subjective, it can be objectively measured if you use the right methods. Aspects of the above five listed criteria - learnability, efficiency, memorability, error prevention, and satisfaction - are often tested. Various methods are employed for measurement: Usability tests with users who have to perform specific tasks Questionnaires filled out by users after a test An expert examination based on specific criteria (does not replace user testing) Analysis of analytics and user behavior through web analysis tools, heatmaps, or mouse tracking A/B testing - different versions are tested against specific questions and data Why is Usability Important? There are numerous positive impacts of good website usability and just as many reasons why you should pay attention to good user-friendliness. It makes it easier for users to navigate your website, helps you stand out from the competition, and enhances the impression you leave on potential customers. Let's take a closer look at the individual reasons: Users Want to Be Guided A good website makes it easier for users to navigate. It allows them to quickly get to their desired goal (completing a purchase, downloading a document, finding the needed information) without thinking too much. The offered content should be self-explanatory in terms of the positive user experience. In fact, users don't want to think about how to do something on a website. They want to be guided and don't want to search laboriously for certain elements and "discover" the website on their own. They want to intuitively reach their desired goal as quickly as possible. The content offered needs to be self-explanatory for a positive user experience, and any interactive elements should be directly usable. Website Usability as a Competitive Factor The lack of willingness to stay on a website just because is partly due to the market situation. In the online world, a competitor is just one click away. Unlike a physical shopping street, there's no need to walk past a series of stores. The reality is usually different. Most companies don’t have the luxury of offering something so unique (services, physical products, digital products like apps) that users would endure a cumbersome website. Instead, well-prepared and easily accessible website content has the power to convince users to complete conversions on your site rather than a competitor's, making usability a crucial competitive factor. Your website needs to make a good impression from the first second. Many website owners are unaware that users often judge the entire company based on their first impression of the website. A poorly maintained website can negatively impact the entire company's image. Users might question whether the company is capable of offering good service if it can't even manage to keep basic things on the website in order. While this assumption is often incorrect, it illustrates the potential consequences of poor website usability. Usability is More Than Just Good Design The challenge in website design is that it's unlike any other medium because people often have different expectations for how websites are used versus how they're actually used. When website owners and designers sketch out a site, they have a certain image in mind. It's often assumed that users will study all the content thoroughly. But in reality, users often only skim through a page initially. They quickly scan the text and click on the first link that seems interesting or appears to be the closest to their searched goal. As a result, a large portion of the page might not be actively noticed by your users. How users read a webpage greatly depends on their goal in mind. They focus on words and phrases that match their personal interests, known as trigger words. If they don't find these on your website, it can still be beautifully designed and contain seemingly informative content, but it won’t hold their interest. Technical Performance is Part of Usability too Besides graphical design, technical preparation is a key aspect of usability. While large images, videos, interactive graphics, and other moving elements may look visually appealing, they significantly increase loading time. The problem is not all users have access to a fast internet connection. Ideally, a good load time is important for two main reasons: it reduces the chance that visitors lose patience and leave the website, and page load time is becoming an increasingly important ranking factor for search engines. Usability Engineering Usability engineering is a structured and systematic process for developing user-friendly systems, where the usability of a product—or, in this case, a website—is deliberately planned, tested, and improved throughout the development process. This means that usability should ideally be considered from the conception of a website or a relaunch. Good usability doesn't happen by chance; it's systematically planned and tested. SEO and Usability – A Strong Team SEO ensures the necessary flow of traffic through organic search results. But you shouldn't focus solely on generating traffic. Without usability, your visitors will quickly leave again, often without converting. If you only focus on usability, you will reach a significantly smaller group of visitors who may convert well, but due to the small number, may not generate enough revenue to financially sustain the company behind it. Choosing usability doesn't necessarily mean writing off SEO. If you think SEO is just about ranking first in Google's organic search results and driving traffic to the website, you're not thinking broadly enough. SEO measures aim not only for top placement in search results but also ensure that users can find their way around the site. This goal is shared with usability. Classic OnPage SEO measures include, for example: Clear page structure Logical navigation Breadcrumbs and HTML sitemaps Pagination Avoidance of 404 error pages Logical internal linking On closer inspection, it becomes clear that these points simultaneously significantly improve user navigation. So, there are indeed significant intersections between the two online marketing disciplines, which do not contradict each other. Good SEO specialists and user experience managers are aware of this close connection and ensure that all elements of the website complement each other effectively. Website Usability and Accessibility/Accessibility In the context of website usability, the topic of accessibility is also important. Both disciplines pursue the same goal of facilitating the use of websites, but they are approached from different perspectives: Usability aims to improve user-friendliness for as many people as possible. Accessibility seeks to make the website fully usable for people with disabilities (especially visual and hearing impairments). Numerous measures improve both web usability and accessibility (for example, a clear structure and understandable language or good contrasts). Accessibility also requires compliance with technical standards such as the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), including screen reader compatibility or alternative texts for images. Since the Accessibility Enhancement Act , you should assess (or have assessed) whether your website is not only user-friendly but also accessible. This is important to ensure that people with disabilities can use your website without restriction. Usability issues usually only become apparent when expected conversions don’t occur. Retrospective improvements can be expensive or, in extreme cases, unworkable. That's why you should focus on a good user experience at the launch or relaunch of your website. However, this doesn't mean that you should completely disregard usability in favor of SEO. Those who believe that SEO is only about ranking first in organic search results and driving traffic to the website are thinking too narrowly. In addition to good placement in organic search results, SEO measures also aim to ensure that users can navigate the website. This goal is shared by search engine optimization with usability.

Why Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) Should Not Be Missing From Any Marketing Mix

Jun 2, 2025

Alexander

Frank

Category:

Search Engine Advertising

Blog Article - Bing Ads

Microsoft Advertising (previously known as “ Bing Ads ”) is a powerful addition to Google Ads, offering numerous advantages such as comparatively lower click prices and advanced targeting options.  Are you already using Microsoft Ads, or have you limited your advertising to Google so far? In this article, we explore why it's more worthwhile than ever for companies to invest in Microsoft Advertising , what differences and benefits the platform offers, and why the topic of generative AI should not be overlooked. What is Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads)? To begin, here's a brief overview: Microsoft Ads (formerly known as “Bing Ads”) is Microsoft's advertising platform , enabling companies to engage in search engine marketing (SEM), similar to Google Ads. Ads primarily appear on Bing's search results pages, but also on Yahoo, AOL, and partner networks, as well as in Microsoft products like Edge, Outlook, Windows, and the Microsoft Audience Network. Microsoft Advertising was launched as “Microsoft adCenter” in 2006, rebranded to “Bing Ads” in 2009, and finally to “Microsoft Ads” in 2019. With Microsoft Ads, for example, it’s possible to run keyword-based Text Ads (Search Ads) and also offers Shopping Ads that require a Microsoft Merchant Center feed, Responsive Search Ads , as well as native advertising in the Microsoft Audience Network and Remarketing . Bing in Search Engine Ranking and Technological Innovations When people search the internet, they often “Google.” Over time, the term “Googling” has become embedded in the language of most people and even made it into the 23rd edition of the Duden in 2004. It’s perhaps no surprise that “Googling” originated from the namesake search engine. Other search engines still remain in Google's shadow, often slipping from memory when it comes to marketing efforts. But is this justified? Bing may not automatically come to mind first when thinking about internet research. Nonetheless, the platform has undergone many positive changes and established itself as a solid alternative to Google. In recent years, Bing's market share has steadily grown , while Google currently remains stable (albeit at a high level). According to Statista, Bing's market share was 11.75% globally in April 2025, compared to around 8% three years prior. In Germany, Bing even holds a 15% market share . The Microsoft Search Network leveraged by Bing includes other search engines such as Yahoo!, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia, collectively reaching a significant number of users. This enhances the opportunities for advertisers on Microsoft Ads and increases the potential visibility of their ads. While the Microsoft Search Network still falls short of Google in absolute terms, it has carved out a stable place in the market. It is expected that Bing’s market share will continue to rise, as more people seek alternative search engines in an era of growing privacy concerns. Microsoft, like Google, continually invests in technological innovations to make Bing more appealing to users. This is demonstrated not only by the new AI features continually being implemented in Bing , but also by a general massive increase in interest around Artificial Intelligence among internet users. This development naturally benefits Microsoft Ads as well. For example, Microsoft Office products offer the possibility of integrating Copilot into an extended license. Copilot is Microsoft’s AI-based agent that draws on Bing as a search engine when needed. Advantages of Microsoft Advertising over Google Ads An important factor that sets Bing apart from Google is the demographic composition of its users. While Google appeals to a broad audience, Bing is particularly popular among middle-aged individuals and business professionals . This can be advantageous for companies looking to target these specific audiences. Decision-makers and influencers can be particularly well-reached this way. Often overlooked, but just as important: On most work PCs running Windows, Microsoft Edge is the default browser, making Bing the default search engine . Cortana also pulls its results from there. This greatly increases the likelihood that a search query on Bing will occur in a business-relevant context. Additionally, the majority of traffic consists of desktop users. These factors can further positively influence the quality of traffic . Another advantage of Microsoft Advertising is the native integration of LinkedIn targeting . As Microsoft owns LinkedIn, advertisers can access the extensive professional data of LinkedIn users and target their ads more precisely. The attributes “Job Function,” “Company,” and “Industry” are available for more tailored targeting. Bid adjustments can be used, for example, to place higher bids for particularly relevant target groups. This is especially useful when B2B marketing plays a role. However, possibly the most significant advantage is that Bing, and thus Bing Ads/Microsoft Ads, is still surprisingly underutilized by many companies. Commonly cited arguments include a comparatively low search volume compared to Google and a lack of time to create and manage a complete account setup on this platform. But therein lies a great opportunity for businesses. The much lower volume of competitors positively impacts cost per click and can help companies position successfully on Bing with relatively low budget investment, yielding significantly more sales and leads compared to Google Ads vs. Microsoft Ads - Overview of Pros and Cons: Google Ads Advantages: Higher market share, worldwide and in Germany Greater reach and traffic potential Broader range of target audiences Higher mobile user coverage Disadvantages: Higher competition and hence  typically higher click prices (CPC) More complex user interface Microsoft Ads Advantages: Less competition and hence Typically more affordable CPC, especially in niche markets More cost-effective, even with smaller budgets Additional reach through other platforms/search engines like Yahoo!, MSN, and AOL Reaches an audience that may not use Google (middle-aged and Edge users) Target audience is generally older and wealthier, with many desktop users (particularly interesting for B2B and certain markets) Disadvantages: Lower market share and therefore Traffic potential Less automation and features Copilot in Microsoft Ads Microsoft Copilot is a AI-based assistant integrated into Microsoft Advertising that helps advertisers with various tasks based on campaign data, user inputs, and AI models. This includes: Campaign creation , such as automated keyword research, ad text suggestions, and the creation of Responsive Search Ads based on landing pages or product information Campaign optimization , e.g., bid strategy and budget distribution suggestions or A/B testing of ad elements Report and analysis creation , e.g., intelligent campaign performance summaries and creation of visual reports Like Google Ads, Microsoft Ads offers numerous opportunities to automate routine tasks with Copilot, saving time. Automatic intelligent analysis supports data-driven decisions. Copilot is integrated into the platform and allows for dialog-based interaction, similar to tools like ChatGPT. However, caution is advised with any AI-based automation - results should always be checked. Bid strategy suggestions must be critically evaluated to ensure that changes have the desired effect. Another example is ad text, which should always be checked for relevance to the product or service. Getting Started with Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) As mentioned earlier, many companies forgo advertising on Bing due to the increased setup and maintenance effort, which doesn't seem proportional to the expected return on investment. However, getting started with Microsoft Ads is surprisingly easy. An account can be created in just a few minutes, and the interface somewhat resembles Google's. So those who already advertise on Google’s platform will find navigating Microsoft Advertising straightforward. Importing Google Account Data into Microsoft Ads Additionally, Microsoft offers a useful import function that allows entire account setups from Google Ads to be mirrored into Microsoft Ads with just a few clicks. This also applies to other platforms like Facebook Ads or Pinterest Ads or uploading a completed template. This makes it particularly easy for companies with an existing Google Ads account to get started. There’s even the option to regularly import a Google account into Microsoft Ads, keeping the Bing account up-to-date with frequent changes. But beware: While Microsoft aims to make the entry into Microsoft Advertising as easy as possible and provides various tools, a certain level of account maintenance is still necessary. Importing accounts allows for a quick and easy way to advertise on Bing. However, to get the most out of the channel, Microsoft Ads should also be viewed separately and appropriate optimization measures undertaken. This ensures the target audience is optimally engaged and no potential is wasted. FAQs for Getting Started with Microsoft Ads Here are some questions our clients frequently ask about Microsoft Ads (and previously Bing Ads), giving you a deeper insight and helping you decide for or against Microsoft Advertising: For whom is Microsoft Advertising particularly worthwhile? Due to the differences in target demographics, Microsoft Ads are especially worthwhile for companies selling to B2B customers or targeting an older, more affluent audience. B2C companies can also benefit from Microsoft Advertising due to lower competition. Thanks to Bing's broader reach, Microsoft Ads are particularly effective in Germany, the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia. In contrast, reaching a younger demographic (under 25) might be more successful through Google or other channels. How effective are Microsoft Ads? Microsoft Advertising can be very effective, but the performance of your campaigns largely depends on the services or products you offer and the target group you wish to reach. The lower CPC and highly accurate B2B targeting can make Microsoft Ads very effective. We also observe from many clients a lower cost per acquisition with the same or even higher quality of leads or product purchases. If you’re unsure, we’re happy to advise whether Microsoft is a sensible addition for your business. What types of advertising campaigns are available on Microsoft? The campaign types on Microsoft are similar to those on Google Ads. Available campaign types include Search Ads, Shopping Ads, Multimedia Ads, Audience Campaigns, Remarketing Campaigns, Dynamic Search Ads (DSA), Hotel Ads, Local Ads, Performance Max Campaigns, and App Install Campaigns. Additionally, with Microsoft Ads, ads can be run on CTV (e.g., with an add-on package on Netflix).  What automation options are available in Microsoft Ads? Thanks to Copilot, Microsoft offers AI-based support directly in the advertising platform. Copilot enables automated creation and optimization of ads, as well as analyses and reports. Additionally, automatic bidding strategies (Smart Bidding) are possible as in Google Ads. Campaign management can also be automated, e.g., by setting rules for activating and pausing ads. However, it's important to note that automation is not a substitute for strategy or expertise, but rather a complement to efficient work. It's crucial to regularly check whether all campaigns and ads deliver the desired performance. Is Bing/Microsoft better than Google Ads? No, Microsoft Ads are a worthwhile addition for many companies and can even be an alternative depending on orientation and target group. Both platforms have advantages and disadvantages that need to be weighed against each other. For B2B companies, but also for many other topics and industries, a combination of Google and Microsoft Ads is the optimal blend in the marketing mix. We’re happy to advise if Microsoft Ads can be effective for your business. Microsoft Ads for B2B Companies As mentioned earlier, Microsoft Advertising is a very attractive alternative or addition to Google Ads for companies with a B2B target audience. The combination of target audience, platform integration, and cost-efficiency makes Microsoft Ads, just like earlier Bing Ads, very interesting for B2B businesses. Many users in the Microsoft Search Network are doing professional work when using Windows, Microsoft Edge, Cortana, and Office. It’s an effective way to reach decision-makers and executives . The higher proportion of higher-educated and higher-earning users makes Microsoft Ads relevant for industries like SaaS, industrial, and financial services . On average, Bing users are also older than the Google target audience. The lower competition and often cheaper CPCs are very advantageous for companies with costly leads and long sales cycles . The frequently 20-40% lower click prices make better ROIs possible. The high proportion of desktop users is also an ideal match for a B2B target group, as many purchases and research activities in a business environment occur via desktop, not mobile. The combination of desktop usage in professional fields increases the conversion likelihood for users in Microsoft Ads. Thanks to LinkedIn targeting , users from specific industries or companies, with certain job titles or functions, can be specifically targeted. This segmentation is only possible with Microsoft Ads, making the platform particularly appealing for B2B companies. It is important, though: Microsoft Ads should not be viewed as a replacement for Google Ads, but as a strategically sensible addition to specifically reach a B2B audience and expand reach outside the Google universe. Why Microsoft Advertising? Bing, and consequently Microsoft Advertising, is still often underestimated today but offers many advantages. While both platforms are quite similar, there are some key differences between Microsoft Ads and the major competitor Google Ads that make Microsoft's platform a true alternative or an effective complement. To summarize: Running ads on Bing is relatively simple Cost-effective and efficient with regular account maintenance Enhanced targeting capabilities , especially relevant for a B2B target audience Differences in target audience compared to Google: generally older, higher educated, and with a higher household income Exclusive access to other search engines , e.g., DuckDuckGo and Ecosia For anyone wanting to get a step ahead of the competition, seriously considering incorporating Microsoft Advertising into the marketing mix can unlock full potential in online marketing. We’re Happy to Assist You The internetwarriors team consists of experts in various online marketing disciplines, from SEA to SEO, from workshops for service companies to strategic consulting for eCommerce companies. Our decades of expertise as a full-service agency allow us a comprehensive view of different channels and measures, and an informed comparison, such as between Google Ads and Microsoft (Bing). Have you been thinking for a while about advertising through Microsoft Ads, or would you like some preliminary advice on the topic? Then feel free to contact us, and we’ll find the right solution for your business!

Create FAQs and improve the website’s SEO rankings

May 14, 2025

Julien

Moritz

Category:

SEO

Post banner with background and title

Embedding FAQs on a website offers many advantages. They can, for example, relieve customer service, increase conversion, or improve visibility in unpaid search results. This article explains in detail the options for creating a FAQ page, how they can be optimized for SEO, and their significance in the era of AI. What is meant by FAQ? FAQ is short for “frequently asked questions” and can be translated as “frequently asked questions.” Specifically, the most important information on a topic is collected and formatted as questions. These can be common problems or the most frequently asked questions. FAQs are widespread in the software domain or other technical topics but can be usefully applied to any subject area and industry. One of the goals of FAQs is to answer questions from potential buyers in a simple way and thus relieve customer service. If a purchase has already been made and problems arise, the FAQ section prevents the service department from dealing with the same easy-to-answer questions. A well-prepared FAQ section brings advantages both for users and companies. What do FAQs offer for SEO? First of all: Any type of relevant optimized content is positive for search engine optimization. With FAQs, you have the opportunity to cover compound keywords and phrases (long tail keywords) that, for example, are not answered in the product description. Your website will be found for questions that users ask on a topic, such as your products or services. At the same time, you increase your authority in your topic area in Google’s evaluation, as you offer a lot of relevant high-quality content. Higher authority means higher trust and thus a better chance of being found for competitive terms in unpaid search results. The increasing use of voice search and AI-based chatbots, now including AI Overviews in Google search results, has influenced how searches are conducted. Long-tail queries, meaning complete sentences or questions, have gained importance. FAQs are a response to these developments and can help remain visible even in the age of AI. FAQs as a Rich Snippet in Search Results You might recall that Google used to directly play questions from FAQs in search results as an addition (known as a “Rich Snippet”). In the fall of 2023, Google announced that these types of Rich Snippets will be significantly restricted and will only be displayed for “reliable government and health websites.” For SEO, FAQs are still valuable even if they no longer generate Rich Snippets. Do FAQs offer an advantage in times of artificial intelligence? AI tools and the AI Overviews introduced by Google in Germany in the first quarter of 2025 present new challenges for the SEO industry. Evaluations from the USA, where AI integration has been present in Google for longer, and initial observations from Germany show how AI Overviews reduce the click-through rate on organic results. To continue being prominently represented in the visible area of search results, the question is: How can websites be displayed as a source in AI Overviews to generate potential clicks here? The topic is complex, so we will only address the question here: Can visibility be improved in AI Overviews with FAQs? To have a chance to appear in Google's AI Overviews, many different factors are relevant. This includes, for example: Good content structure Helping Google understand the content, e.g., through structured data and content formatting (like bullet points) Covering a topic in depth Answering questions Focus on usability Demonstrating authority FAQs can help improve visibility and be listed as a source—but this is no guarantee for many clicks. It can also be a short-term strategy to mainly optimize for the (constantly declining number of) keywords and topics for which no AI Overviews are yet displayed in Google. FAQs and GEO - Optimization for AI-Based Chatbots AI-based chatbots like ChatGPT or Perplexity also depend on understanding and categorizing information on the website. The foundation for content optimization here, too, is understanding your target audience and their needs and providing content for it. The key is a range of different content types that answer different types of queries and intentions. FAQ content allows you to answer questions naturally that users enter into AI tools. The goal is to provide precise answers in natural language, similar to a conversation. Imagine, for example, that you are talking to a potential customer who is asking you questions about a product or service. A good structure of the answers through lists, bullet points, and subheadings (for long answers) and tagging with structured data helps tools understand the content. And fundamentally, the best strategy is still a combination of optimization for AI-based tools and classic search engine optimization. Do FAQs on the website improve visibility for Voice Search? In voice search, questions are more often entered than in text-based searches. Answering relevant questions in the FAQ section can therefore bring an advantage here as well. Besides many other factors such as a mobile-friendly website, it is also important for voice search optimization to phrase questions and answers naturally. It is not only about embedding relevant FAQs but also in which language these are written (everyday language). What are the options for embedding FAQs on a website? Depending on the goal of the FAQs, different solutions are available to embed them on the website. Below are the most important ones, along with their pros and cons. Dedicated FAQ Page The first option is to create a single long FAQ page that lists all the important questions collected. For better overview, an accordion element is often used in the layout, where users can expand and collapse the answers to individual questions. Advantages Easy to set up and maintain Simple questions that can be answered in one sentence are not a problem for SEO Disadvantages Rarely ranks for (competitive) terms as different topics are covered on one page, thus lacking focus Fewer opportunities for good internal linking between individual questions SEO-Compliant Setup Each question as a sub headline Use correct headline structure If technically possible, a table of contents at the top of the page with jump links to individual questions Where appropriate, linking relevant products or services from the FAQ texts Implementation of structured data (see below) FAQ Section on the Page An alternative with more SEO potential is a standalone FAQ section on the website instead of a single page. An overview page with all questions links to the subpages with the answers to the questions. If there are a large number of questions, they can be organized thematically for better overview. Using the example of E-bikes, the categories might be: General Questions, Brands, Models, Batteries, Maintenance, and Repair. Advantages Higher chance of being found for keywords Targeted optimization for keywords is possible as longer texts can be created and optimized for a greater number of keywords. Better usability as there is no need to navigate on a long page Disadvantages More maintenance effort as many individual pages are created Individual FAQs require more content to avoid generating “thin content.” SEO-Compliant Setup Overview page with teasers and links to FAQ detail pages with the individual questions Detail pages with correct headline structure (question as h1 headline) Detail pages must be standalone complete pages that contain navigation, footer, etc. (avoid solutions like iframes) Minimum amount of content (if there are still questions with very short answers, it might make sense to exclude them from indexing) Cross-linking between similar FAQs If using categories: Breadcrumb navigation for easy navigation back to the main category or FAQ overview page Links to relevant product pages or services Implementation of structured data (see below) FAQ Section on Service or Product Pages Product or service pages also benefit from a FAQ section. Especially if there are very specific questions about a particular product, these are well placed on the product page. They can help dispel reservations about a purchase or answer questions that would otherwise occupy customer service. At worst, users drop out if they do not find an answer to their question and purchase the product from the competition. Meaningful and relevant FAQs can thus increase the conversion rate. Advantages Enriches the content on these pages with meaningful and relevant phrases and terms Questions may appear in the search results under “Other Questions” and draw traffic to the product or service page from there. Disadvantages For high-competition keyword combinations that individual FAQs are optimized for, there is a significantly lower chance of ranking than if they are created as standalone pages. SEO-Compliant Setup FAQ section with headline Individual questions as headlines (observe correct headline structure) Ideally use unique FAQs - do not include the same question and answer 1:1 on multiple pages Implementation of structured data (see below) FAQs as Blog Posts If the CMS does not allow a standalone FAQ area, one solution is to embed FAQs in the form of blog posts. Each blog post answers a question for which keywords with sufficient search volume have been defined. Alternatively, FAQs can also complement blog posts on a topic by answering the most important questions as part of the blog post. Especially for information-based keywords (the main intent of searchers is to get information), this can be a sensible solution. Advantages Easy to maintain Good chance of being found Disadvantages Individual FAQs require a minimum amount of content May become lost on the website (poorer usability) SEO-Compliant Setup Correct headline structure Minimum amount of content Cross-linking between similar FAQs/blog posts Links to relevant product pages or services To feature the FAQ more prominently on the website, FAQ could be established as a blog category and this category page could be linked to. Implementation of structured data (see below) The SEO-friendly Embedding of FAQ Sections To create FAQs that are optimized for both users and search engines, layout and technical embedding are also important. A widespread method is accordions, where only the question is visible and the answers can be expanded. These sections do not take up much space and are clear to page visitors. But how does Google rate content that is not directly visible but must be expanded? Are Accordion Elements for FAQs SEO-Friendly? The first question is, how was the accordion technically implemented? Are the collapsed contents visible in the source code, or are they loaded only after clicking? From an SEO perspective, it is important that all relevant content is available in the source code and does not require action. For example, a collapse function using CSS is more effective than a JavaScript action that triggers the display of the content. And how about the contents themselves? Traditionally, Google rates content higher when it is directly visible. However, due to the focus on mobile, this evaluation has slightly shifted. “Hidden” because collapsed content is a legitimate solution for maintaining clarity on mobile sites for usability reasons. Google itself has been saying for years that all information in the HTML is read and considered, even if it is “hidden” in accordions or tabs. Various studies (for example by Searchpilot in 2020) suggest that directly visible content performs better than “hidden” content. Therefore important content should preferably always be visible without additional clicks. For FAQ sections on pages, however, accordions remain an important way to keep content organized. Alternatives to Accordion for FAQs Accordions are not the only way to integrate FAQs without users having to scroll through long text blocks. Tabs are another option, but there remains the factor that “hidden content” may rank worse. An alternative is to integrate the FAQs as plain text but add a table of contents with jump links so that visitors can quickly find the question they are looking for. Optimize FAQs for Search Engines - 3 More Tips Above we have already provided hints for an SEO-compliant structure of the various types of FAQ pages and the technical integration. We would like to give you three additional tips to get the most out of your FAQs. Identify Relevant Questions If you have set up your FAQ section so that each question is a separate page, we recommend using a keyword analysis to research sub-topics or questions of interest. If you have already collected questions that you know from practice are relevant because, for example, customer service frequently receives them, keyword analysis helps describe these questions using the words your target audience uses. The goal is to identify terms or phrases that are frequently searched. You can use these sources for keyword analysis and identifying questions: Paid keyword tools Free keyword tools (for example, answerthepublic) Google search results: Google Suggest (suggestions from Google when entering terms into the search), questions in Google Search, related terms under the search results Google Trends SEO tools that display competitors' keywords Your own analysis tools, especially Google Search Console, which shows you which topics and questions you already have some visibility for. Internal site search Social media comments and platforms like Reddit Screenshot from the SERPs - Example E-Bikes Using “E-Bikes” as an example, this incomplete list of general topics and questions can be identified: Which E-Bike is recommended? (Question in Google search results) How much watt should a good E-Bike motor have? (Question in Google search results) How much does a good E-Bike cost? (Question in Google search results) Which E-Bike suits me? (Keyword tool in SEMrush) How long does an E-Bike battery last? (Keyword tool in SEMrush) Who repairs E-Bikes? (answerthepublic) How to charge E-Bike battery? (answerthepublic) Use FAQ Markups If your CMS allows it, it is advisable to embed structured data to help Google interpret and categorize content. In the case of FAQs, the FAQPage markup ensures that Google recognizes what is a question and what is an answer and can classify this content as an FAQ. Detailed explanations can be found at Google as well as on schema.org’s page for the FAQPage and the QAPage . Structured data can be checked in Google's tool “Rich Results Test” The tool shows which markups have been integrated and identifies any errors. Using the example of testberichte.de, we see in the Google tool that the FAQ markup is used: Important: According to Google's statement , the same question and answer must not be marked up multiple times. For SEO reasons, it is optimal to create unique FAQs if, for example, you embed FAQs on product pages. If you still want to embed identical FAQs on different pages, these should only be marked up on one of these pages according to Google, as otherwise it would violate their guidelines. Optimize Internal Linking One of the biggest advantages of a FAQ section on the website is, besides generating relevant content, the possibility of improving internal linking . Linking related pages within your website or online shop strengthens the linked page and also helps users discover new content and stay on your website longer. Consider for each question whether there are relevant products, services, blog posts, other FAQs, or other pages you can link from the text. For good internal linking, use descriptive link text instead of general text like “read more here.” To identify suitable links, it is also useful to ask the question after creating the FAQ text: what is the most logical next step for users who are asking this question and have read this content? Is it a product page? Are there usually more questions? Is the answer to the question to use your service? Alternatives and Complements to FAQs FAQ sections and pages are not the only way to effectively expand regular content. A well-thought-out SEO strategy considers all types of content to increase visibility for keyword combinations and related keywords. A powerful strategy is glossaries that explain technical terms. An application could be to compare different materials, cuts, or designs for a product and thus provide additional decision-making help for customers. Idealo, for instance, integrates a glossary section on category pages instead of a FAQ section, where relevant terms for the category are explained. Best Practice - Examples of Successful FAQ Pages There are many examples of well-thought-out FAQ pages on the internet that have been sensibly structured and answer meaningful questions about the respective topic. Every industry, every target group, and every company is individual, but it can still be helpful to look at best practice examples for inspiration. Therefore, we have put together some FAQ sections and FAQ pages that we find successful: Samsung Technical devices are a good example of products for which many questions are asked before a purchase decision. Especially the expensive, annually released models from large companies such as Samsung and Apple with their technical details offer a lot of potential for explanations and help in product choice. Samsung answers the most important questions on the product presentation page in the FAQ section. On the product page in the shop, purchase-related questions are mainly answered. Here you will find a mix of generic questions and specific questions and answers. In the first answer, you can see how the general question was answered in relation to the product. Booking.com A FAQ section does not necessarily have to be named “FAQ.” Booking.com calls it “Quick Help” and organizes the questions by their topic. Jump links have been added at the top of the page, allowing you to jump directly to the desired category without having to scroll for long. Avocadostore The Avocadostore also organizes the FAQ section by topic and directly suggests questions on the FAQ overview that are likely to be frequently asked. This saves users with these questions a click without losing clarity through categorization. Zalando Zalando also uses categories that are always accessible via navigation, so users can easily jump between FAQ sections. Content Optimization from FAQ to Blog with the internetwarriors Do you want to improve your organic visibility with optimized content? Our experienced SEO team knows all the tricks and tools to be better found on Google. We analyze your content , support you with optimization, or deliver relevant optimized content for your website or online shop. This can be FAQ texts, but, for example, also product descriptions or blog posts. Just contact us, we will gladly create a non-binding individual offer for you!

Why the 95:5 Rule is Revolutionizing B2B Marketing

Apr 17, 2025

Axel

Vortex

Category:

Growth Marketing

Post banner with background image and title - B2B Marketing 95-5 Rule

In today's B2B marketing, there is often tremendous pressure: Every lead counts, and every conversion must happen as quickly as possible. Marketing teams are gauged by short-term KPIs, and your focus is nearly exclusively on capturing the few potential clients ready to make a purchase right now. But what if this approach is fundamentally flawed and ignores the greatest growth potential? This is where the provocative yet evidence-based work of Professor John Dawes from the renowned Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science comes into play. His research challenges conventional wisdom and introduces the 95:5 rule: A simple yet transformative idea suggesting that at any given time, only about 5% of your potential B2B clients are actively seeking a solution in the market. The overwhelming 95% are part of your target audience but are not (yet) ready to buy. A marketing strategy focusing solely on the "hot" 5% risks overlooking the vast growth opportunities present in this larger, currently "passive" segment. You’re competing in a crowded pond for few fish, while an ocean of potential future customers is largely ignored. In this article, we dive deep into the 95:5 rule. We explore the problem of "now" obsession in B2B marketing, explain the scientific foundation of the rule, and most importantly, show you concrete, actionable strategies on how to adjust your marketing to not only serve the 5% but also win over the critical 95% for future success. The Problem: The Dangerous Fixation on the "Immediate" 5% Marketing and sales teams are under constant pressure to generate leads that quickly turn into revenue. This environment fosters an excessive reliance on bottom-funnel tactics: Performance Marketing: Paid search, retargeting. Sales Activities: Aggressive cold calling, direct approach via LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Content: Focus on product comparisons, case studies, demo requests. All these efforts target the small group of the 5% actively seeking a solution. This fixation on the "now" carries significant drawbacks: Intense Competition: Every one of your competitors is vying for the same 5%. This drives up costs for keywords, ad space, and ultimately customer acquisition costs (CAC). Lack of Differentiation: Amid the hustle of bottom-funnel offers, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out from the competition. Messages often sound very similar ("We boost your revenue," "Our software solves problem X"). Missed Potential: The 95% not buying right now are overlooked. When these potential clients are ready to purchase in 6, 12, or 18 months, they may never have heard of your brand or formed no positive association with it. Weak Negotiation Position: If a buyer meets your brand only when deeply into the buying process and actively comparing options, your chances of winning the deal are statistically low. Brands that are familiar and trusted beforehand have a massive advantage. Solely concentrating on the 5% is a reactive approach, which incurs high costs and leaves long-term growth potential untapped. The Paradigm Shift: Understanding the 95:5 Rule The 95:5 rule is not an arbitrary number but based on extensive research by the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, known for its evidence-based marketing principles (including Byron Sharp’s bestseller "How Brands Grow"). The core message is simple but profound: 5% are "In-Market": This group has a recognized need, is actively researching, and is ready to make a purchasing decision in the near future. 95% are "Out-of-Market": This group belongs to your potential target audience (e.g., companies of the right size and industry) but currently has no need, urgency, or awareness of a potential problem. They are, however, your future buyers. The key insight is: The 95% are not a lost group but your most important asset for future growth . If you manage to be present with this vast majority before they even think about a purchase, you have an unbeatable advantage when the need finally arises. The Solution: Building Bridges to the 95% – Marketing for the Future So how do you reach the 95% who are not actively listening right now? The answer lies in building Mental Availability . This concept, central to the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute's work, describes the likelihood that a buyer thinks of your brand in a relevant buying situation. Imagine the CTO of a manufacturing company (part of your 95%) reading a technical article about production optimization. If your ERP systems brand comes to mind positively because he recently saw an interesting ad or a relevant post from you, you’ve created mental availability. Months later, when he is actually evaluating a new ERP system (and becomes part of the 5%), your brand is already positively anchored in memory. How Do You Build Mental Availability? Broad Reach: You need to reach as many potential buyers within your category as possible, including the 95%. It’s about generating a large number of market contacts over time. Consistency: Brand building is a marathon, not a sprint. Regular presence over long periods is crucial. Distinctive Brand Assets (DBAs): These are the sensory and semantic cues that help buyers easily recognize and remember your brand without having to read the brand name. These include: Logo Color scheme (e.g., Telekom Magenta, IBM Blue) Slogan or tagline Jingles or sounds (e.g., Intel Inside) Characters or mascots Unique visual style in ads and content These DBAs must be used consistently to build strong memory structures. Linking with Category Entry Points (CEPs): CEPs are the various situations, needs, or problems that prompt a buyer to think about a specific product or service category. Examples in B2B: "We need to reduce our production costs." (--> ERP system, automation solution) "Our current software is outdated and no longer secure." (--> New software solution) "How can we make our sales processes more efficient?" (--> CRM system, sales automation tool) Effective marketing links the brand’s DBAs with relevant CEPs in the target audience’s mind. The 95:5 Rule in Practice: 4+1 Strategies for Your B2B Marketing Based on the insights of John Dawes and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, specific recommendations arise: 1. Rethink Success Measurement: Look Beyond Immediate Sales The greatest mistake is measuring the success of marketing activities—especially those targeting the 95%—solely by short-term sales or leads. If 95% of your audience cannot buy immediately, 95% of your efforts will inevitably have a delayed impact. What You Can Do: Measure Brand Health Metrics: Track long-term indicators like unaided brand awareness (when asked "Which providers for X do you know of?", is your brand mentioned?), aided awareness, brand image, and recognition of your DBAs. Measure Reach: What percentage of your total addressable market (TAM) do you reach with your marketing activities over time? Is this percentage growing? Measure CEP Associations: (Advanced) Understand with which buying situations your brand is associated and if you occupy the most relevant CEPs. Accept Longer Periods: Building a brand takes time. Do not expect immediate miracles but track trends over quarters and years. 2. Prioritize Reach: Speak with More Potential Clients Many B2B marketers believe in the power of high frequency—the assumption being that complex buying decisions require many touchpoints. However, Ehrenberg-Bass research shows this is often inefficient. What You Can Do: Focus on "Unique Reach": Invest your budget so you reach as many different potential buyers in your category as possible, rather than targeting a few repeatedly. The first exposure to advertising often has the most impact on memory. Further repetitions have diminishing returns. Utilize Broad Channels (sensibly): In addition to targeted performance channels, broader reach channels can also be sensible in the B2B context, such as trade media, industry newsletters, relevant podcasts, LinkedIn brand awareness ads, YouTube, or even industry-specific events. Be Patient: It takes time to achieve broad market penetration. 3. Focus on New Clients: The True Growth Engine A widespread misconception is that growth can mainly be achieved through more sales to existing clients (upselling, cross-selling). However, the data clearly show: The greatest growth potential almost always lies in acquiring new clients (penetration). What You Can Do: Primarily Align Your Marketing with Acquisition: Indeed, customer retention is important, but most of the marketing budget and strategic efforts should aim at acquiring new buyers for the brand—reaching out to the 95%. Understand the Limits of Loyalty: Existing clients often have a natural cap on what they can or are willing to buy from you. Excessive efforts to yield more from them often result in low returns. 4. Build and Defend Distinctive Brand Assets In a sea of often generic B2B messages, strong, recognizable brand elements are invaluable. What You Can Do: Identify and Define Your DBAs: What makes your brand unique and recognizable? Is it your logo, colors, slogan, a specific visual style? Use Your DBAs Consistently: Deploy these elements across all marketing channels and touchpoints—from the website to ads to sales presentations. Resist the Urge for Frequent Rebranding: New marketing leaders often want to leave their mark by redesigning everything. This can be disastrous as it destroys memory structures built over years. Instead, strengthen and nurture your existing assets. Changes should be evolutionary, not revolutionary. +1. Adapt Creativity and Messaging for the 95% How Do You Talk to People Who Have No Immediate Buying Need? Be Interesting, Not Just Sales-Driven: Provide valuable content, insights, or entertainment relevant to the industry, even if it does not directly prompt a purchase. Focus on Branding: Use creative approaches to create positive associations and embed the brand in memory. Tell stories, show expertise, build trust. Link Yourself with CEPs: Communicate in which situations your solution is relevant to set the right triggers in the target audience's mind. Less Hard-Sell, More "Always-On": It’s about continuous presence and being perceived as a helpful and competent resource. Balance Is Key: Not an Either-Or The 95:5 rule does not mean neglecting performance marketing or serving the active 5%. Quite the opposite: An optimal approach combines both: Long-Term Brand Building (for the 95%): Investments in reach, DBAs, CEP linkage, and creative brand communication. Short-Term Activation (for the 5%): Efficient performance marketing activities, sales enablement, and conversion optimization to capture demand as it arises. The art is to find the right balance and synergy between these two approaches instead of focusing on just one. Conclusion: Think Long-Term, Act Strategically The 95:5 rule by John Dawes and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute is more than just an interesting statistic; it is a fundamental wake-up call for B2B marketing. It challenges us to rethink our obsession with immediate results and embrace a longer-term, more strategic perspective. By consciously starting to advertise for the 95%—through building mental availability, prioritizing reach, focusing on acquiring new clients, and consistently using distinctive brand elements—you lay the foundation for sustainable growth. You reduce the reliance on expensive bottom-funnel battles and increase the likelihood that your brand will be the first choice when your future clients are finally ready to buy. It’s time to end the chase for the 5% and start cultivating the ocean of the 95%. Your future self (and your sales team) will thank you for it. Sources and Inspiration This article is significantly inspired by the work and publications of Professor John Dawes from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science. His research on the 95:5 rule and the principles derived for effective marketing, especially in the B2B context, presents a valuable, evidence-based challenge to traditional marketing approaches. We encourage all marketing professionals wanting to dive deeper into this matter to engage with the publications and discussions by Professor Dawes and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute to gain a more comprehensive understanding of long-term successful brand management.

Reddit SEO: Between Myth and Reality

Mar 27, 2025

Ina

Bondarev

Category:

SEO

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Where else can you find heated debates about nuclear physics alongside cat pictures and the best baking recipes? Only on Reddit. With over 1.5 billion users, Reddit is one of the largest and most influential online communities in the world. Reddit - A gold mine of marketing potential or a minefield for companies? The platform offers enormous potential but also presents risks. Is Reddit SEO even feasible? And how can companies win over the Reddit community without breaking the rules? In this article, we will take you on an expedition through the Reddit universe and show you how to generate more traffic, enhance your brand awareness, and gain valuable leads. Discover the secrets of Reddit marketing! Reddit: Where Diverse Communities Come Together Reddit is a unique entity. Those who don't speak its language quickly get lost in the jungle of Subreddits. Understand the nuances of this platform before you start your Reddit online marketing. What is Reddit?  Reddit is a social media platform where you can share, discuss, and rate content. What sets it apart: Reddit is divided into countless Subreddits – thematic communities where users exchange specific interests. From cat pictures to programming tips and political debates, you can find it all. You can create posts with videos, images, and texts, and interact with other users. Especially valuable for businesses: the intense exchange within these communities. Here, you can identify and better understand your target audience. How Does Reddit Work? Reddit has clear rules you need to follow if you want to use the platform for your marketing. The most important rules for your marketing are: Authenticity over advertising – forget about blatant promotional messages! Reddit is about authentic exchange and valuable contributions. Advertising is (mostly) taboo: Reddit supports advertising only to a very limited extent. Direct product advertising is not allowed in most Subreddits. Inform yourself about the exceptions and possibilities, such as paid ads.   Here you can find the complete Reddit rules. Take the time to read them thoroughly before starting your marketing! Deep Dive into Subreddits Reddit is more than just a platform – it’s a universe of thousands of communities with their own rules and cultures. The heart of Reddit is the Subreddits – thematic communities where users exchange interests. Each Subreddit has its own rules – and you should definitely know them before interacting with the community. Humor is welcome in some Subreddits, strictly forbidden in others. Some communities value detailed contributions, while others prefer short and concise comments. Take the time to read the rules of the Subreddits you want to be active in. This will help you avoid unpleasant surprises and ensure your contributions are well-received: Fig. 1: Screenshot Reddit community rules - https://www.reddit.com/r/marketing/   Choose the right Subreddits for your topic! Reddit offers a huge selection of communities – from /r/technology/ for tech news to /r/entrepreneur/ for entrepreneurs. If you're developing software for musicians, /r/wearethemusicmakers/ is the right place to connect with potential customers. Research the relevant Subreddits and analyze the discussions there. This way, you can find out where your target audience is active and what topics interest them: Fig. 2: Screenshot - Overview of top communities ( https://www.reddit.com/best/communities/1/ ) If in doubt: Ask the mods! If you're unsure whether your post complies with a Subreddit’s rules, contact the moderators. They are happy to help. Upvotes and Downvotes are the heart of Reddit culture. They show how the community rates your posts. Constructive contributions and helpful comments are rewarded with Upvotes, spam and inappropriate behavior are penalized with Downvotes. Reddit is more than a platform for discussion and knowledge exchange. It’s a place where ideas are born, trends are set, and opinions are formed. Use the dynamics of this community to reach your target audience and advance your business. Reddit: Secret Tip for Your Online Marketing or Time Waster?  Strategies Reddit can be leveraged with a bit of background knowledge about the platform. The platform polarizes – and precisely for that reason, it holds enormous potential. But how can you use Reddit for your online marketing strategy? We show you how to harness the power of Subreddits! The Secrets of Reddit Rankings Forget keyword density and CTR optimization! On Reddit, engagement and community count. These factors influence your Reddit ranking: Upvotes and Downvotes: The more Upvotes your post receives, the higher it will rank in the Subreddit. A post with many Upvotes and lively discussion will rank higher than a post with only a few Upvotes, even if it is perfectly optimized for keywords. Engagement: Reddit loves active discussions and comments. It shows that your post is relevant and interesting to the community. Encourage interaction by asking questions, responding to comments, and participating in the conversation. Recency: Reddit prefers fresh content. Older posts lose visibility over time. To keep your content ranked high, post regularly and keep your content updated. Understanding how Reddit rankings work enables you to create content that engages your target audience and drives traffic to your website. Remember, it’s not just about getting Upvotes, but also about creating valuable content that sparks conversations and builds relationships with your audience: Fig. 3: Screenshot - Overview ChatGPT community, “hot” posts - https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPT/   Reddit Online Marketing: An Explosive Mix for Your Business! Downvotes, Karma, Subreddits – Reddit is a world of its own. But that's precisely what makes the platform so valuable for your online marketing! It's all about authentic exchange and valuable contributions. Reddit is not a place for blatant advertising - SEO is redefined here. Those who understand this can leverage the platform: Build expertise: Become a thought leader in your community In certain Subreddits, you can position yourself as an expert by actively engaging in discussions and sharing high-quality content. Over time, you’ll be seen as a trusted voice in your niche. This pays off: Google rewards expertise with better rankings (E-E-A-T factors). Understand your target audience: Get to know your customers on Reddit Reddit is a goldmine for businesses that want to truly understand their target audience. Here, you can gain valuable insights and optimize your products/services without expensive market research. Find out what moves your customers and what topics they are interested in. Spot Trends: Stay a step ahead of the competition Reddit is known for its timeliness. Here you find the latest trends in your industry. Use this knowledge to adapt your marketing strategy and stay ahead of the competition. Google Bonus: Use Reddit SEO for your search engine optimization Google is the only search engine that indexes Reddit results. This means: If your posts are current and have many Upvotes, they can appear in the SERPs and bring valuable traffic: Fig. 4: Screenshot Google search results - “Cats community”, Reddit The secret weapon for your recruiting Forget impersonal job portals! On Reddit, you'll meet engaged talents who are genuinely interested in your company. In theme-specific Subreddits (e.g., job search), you can post job ads and connect directly with potential candidates. The reach may be smaller than on other platforms, but you’ll meet highly motivated candidates who perfectly fit your corporate culture. Note: Posting job offers is only allowed if explicitly permitted in the community rules. Are you looking for talented employees who share your passion? Then get active on Reddit! Marketing: Who Is Reddit SEO Suitable For? Reddit not only offers opportunities for recruiting but is also a valuable platform for online marketing and SEO. Startups can win their first customers on Reddit and collect valuable feedback. Large companies can use the platform to increase their brand awareness and communicate with their target audience. Your Advantages of Reddit SEO Marketing at a Glance: Build expertise: Position yourself as an expert in your industry. Understand your target audience: Get to know your customers and optimize your products/services. Spot trends: Stay a step ahead of the competition. Google Bonus: Achieve better ranking in Google search with your Reddit posts. Share your expert knowledge through theme-related case studies! Show potential customers how you can help them solve their problems.  Another advantage: By being active on Reddit, you increase your visibility. However, always exercise caution: no advertising or community-disallowed actions to avoid receiving downvotes/violating rules. Reddit SEO Tools Now that we have found out that Reddit SEO is feasible, albeit with a completely different form and perspective compared to traditional SEO, it’s important to consider which specific Reddit SEO tools exist and which ones are right. Keyword Research: Indeed, you can research keywords for Reddit as well. Here, as mentioned, it's important to focus on the topic (Subreddit), relevance, and natural implementation. With the right keywords, your Reddit post can appear on Google. You can proceed traditionally and use tools like SEMRush . To understand what the most relevant keywords are, you should analyze your Subreddit and precisely filter out what can be used. The informational content is crucial, as Reddit is not an advertising platform. For research and inspiration, the tool AnswerThePublic is perfect. Here you can excellently analyze questions and derive keywords from them. You can also use Google search. You should enter the search word combination site:reddit.com (e.g., cats site:reddit.com) in the search bar and then, e.g., analyze the top threads as keywords using Google’s Keyword Planner. This gives an overview of what Reddit offers for the search query: Fig. 5: Google query - cats site:reddit.com Additionally, you can access specific keyword tools for Reddit: The tool Keyworddit offers the possibility to analyze Subreddits directly and obtain ideas comprehensively. However, it is only available for the US-American realm, meaning US-Reddits. It might also happen that the tool doesn't extract keywords from the Subreddit because it doesn’t find any. However, the listed topics can be seamlessly used further in search. Anvaka.github is another free tool that not only enables analysis and overview of posts once the Subreddit name is entered but also shows related Subreddits. This provides an easy, comprehensive overview of related topics. More general topics can be specifically used for further research. However, it might also occur that no thematically related Subreddits are found. In summary, when choosing a Reddit SEO tool, you have relative freedom. Even if a direct Subreddit SEO analysis cannot be conducted (e.g., because no data is available), you can still identify the keywords that are relevant and have sufficient search volume for the topic. The focus should be on informational content, long-tail keywords, thematic alignment, non-branded keywords, and W-question keywords. Therefore, it’s worth focusing on keyword tools.  If you are interested in the topic of keyword research, check out our blog post with insider knowledge ! Behind the Scenes of Reddit SEO: Benefits & Challenges It's always valuable to know what opportunities you have when undertaking certain steps. Even more interesting is the question of the risks: Are they worth it? For this reason, we have critically examined Reddit SEO to succinctly point out the pros and cons:  Benefits Reddit can be an effective SEO tool when used correctly. By actively participating in thematically appropriate Subreddits, you can not only generate valuable traffic but also establish authority in your niche. With a clever strategy, you can discover and leverage the following advantages of Reddit SEO: 1. Backlinks: Among the advantages of Reddit SEO optimization, backlinks certainly count. Despite the nofollow links, it generates significant referral traffic. 2. Authority and Expertise: By actively engaging in communities, answering questions, and crafting content, you can position yourself as an expert and thus indirectly influence the E-E-A-T factors. 3. Google Rankings: It should not be forgotten that Google can rank Reddit posts relatively high (conditional relevance). 4. Trends: There is the possibility of going viral with the post and keeping an eye on trends. Challenges However, SEO on Reddit is anything but intuitive. The benefits face challenges and there are additional hurdles you may encounter: 1. Backlinks: This is also a disadvantage because Reddit undermines self-promotion and "blatant" link placement (always consider community & mentioned Reddit rules). 2. Guidelines: Strict rules and moderators in the respective Subreddits should never be overlooked or neglected. 3. Downvotes: You can also be downvoted. 4. Time: It’s quite time-consuming to achieve sustainable SEO successes. 5. Subtle Difference: You must carefully distinguish between measures for a company on Reddit, a person on Reddit, and a person from a company, because not everything fits or can be implemented (in traditional form or known from other platforms/websites). 6. Traditional SEO doesn't work in the Reddit community. Your Small SEO Guide for Reddit Now that Reddit and its peculiarities are clear, we can derive some results and thus give you a small SEO guide for Reddit: 1. If you decide on an account on Reddit , choose the right niches or communities so you not only share a wavelength with other participants but also remain specific and precise in your comments, posts, and discussions. Golden Rule: When sharing and writing content, remember to stay factual and informative, as Reddit users particularly appreciate added value. 2. Optional: If you manage to become an active participant in the community, you can try to set a natural link (not a blatant link) to your company. However, ensure it’s not an advertisement, but an added value (e.g., case study, sharing knowledge, etc.). Subreddits like AMA (Ask Me Anything) or a thematically relevant community can be well-suited for this. Always bear in mind that such measures can involve certain risks. Thus, it is recommended as an optional measure.  3. Think outside the box : This could really be the restart for your SEO strategy. With Reddit, you can conduct relatively good target audience analyses, especially among very specific target groups (thanks to Subreddits). Moreover, you can also clear up specific questions since experts frequent Reddit. By actively and usefully participating, you can also become an expert or a thought leader. Ideas for topics for keyword searches can also be found in some Subreddits, as many relevant and interesting topics are discussed daily. At a Glance: The question "Can I do Reddit SEO for my product/service?" can probably be answered more with " no ", because you don’t really have the means to do so, and if you do, then only indirectly (especially connected with time effort). Direct Reddit online marketing is thus not possible. More important, however, is how you integrate and use Reddit in your SEO strategy. Our conclusion is: no classical SEO measures on Reddit but use Reddit for SEO measures. Get to know your own target audience better, never miss important trends again, and don’t forget that in principle, you can also monitor opinions on your brand or product in specific Subreddits! Harness the potential of Reddit and improve your website's performance!  With Reddit SEO, It Doesn’t End! Are you curious about what else our warriors team knows and can do, or are you perhaps seeking targeted support in the area of SEO , Paid , Strategy , or Web Analysis ? Feel free to check out our services and get a non-binding and free initial consultation from our experts!

Website Optimization - Effectively Boost Conversions

Mar 21, 2025

Alexander

Frank

Category:

Search Engine Advertising

Various devices with different optimization possibilities

Welcome to the fifth and final post of our blog series “5 Tips on How to Keep Your Online Marketing Strategy Relevant in Times of Automation” . In this part, we focus on Website Optimization . We discuss why it's important to keep an eye on the competition, the ways to identify them, and how we can leverage insights to gain advantages. If you missed the previous parts of the series, feel free to check them out. We talk about why it's important to define the right business goals , the benefits of broadening your online marketing channels , why contextual advertising is often underestimated, and how a competitor analysis can provide a competitive edge. Optimizing Your Content Arguably the most important aspect of optimization is undoubtedly one's own website. No matter how much effort we put into optimization measures before the click - if the foundation, the website, is not right, we cannot be successful in the long run. Therefore, it's essential to make the user experience on our website as smooth, enjoyable, and intuitive as possible. It starts with user-friendly navigation that guides users clearly and directly through the pages to their intended goal. An optimized checkout process, guest checkouts , as well as up-to-date and secure payment methods , also help to reduce cart abandonment hurdles. To ensure everyone finds what they need quickly on our site, it might also be worthwhile to implement an intelligent site search that provides suggestions during the actual search and, in some cases, shows product recommendations directly. We'll see what such an intelligent search looks like in the following example from Nike. But even on specific landing pages, where we either advertise strategically or want to push in other ways, there are additional content optimization measures: Clear and compelling offer Effective call-to-actions Adequate information for informed (purchase) decisions Trust-building elements Fast load times + Mobile optimization A/B testing! The Impact of FAQs Today, we have less and less time to convince people of our offer. Therefore, it's all the more important to answer as many questions as possible already on the landing page. FAQs, for example, in an “accordion element,” help provide as much information as possible that users can expand when needed without being overwhelmed by walls of text. At this point, the importance of A/B testing for landing page optimization should be highlighted . They serve as one of the key elements for improving performance and should always be an integral part of optimization measures. All major companies have likely subjected their landing pages to hundreds or thousands of tests, and for good reason. Quick tip : External tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity help enormously in better understanding user behavior on the site and making data-driven optimizations. The content available on landing pages should also depend on the target audience the page is intended for. Providing Solutions & Contact Options When generating leads, we should ensure we provide adequate contact opportunities . A persistent contact field can be helpful here, allowing users to establish contact when they're ready without having to search. This is particularly relevant for pages with a large amount of text content. Here, we also bridge to target group definition from Tip #2. On our landing page, we now have the opportunity to understand the pain points of our target group and present solution approaches . An effective means can also be showing opportunity costs if a collaboration is foregone. It quickly becomes clear how the service could impact one's own company and how much working hours and/or money can be saved. By sharing expert knowledge, such as case studies, white papers, or webinars , we not only inform and qualify our target group in advance but also create a higher level of trust. This is especially important in B2B, as the costs for offered services can easily reach six to seven figures in euros, and decisions are often made at the highest business levels. Those who score with their expertise in advance significantly increase their chances of being commissioned. On product pages, alongside many of the previously mentioned points, the following content optimization options can also be added: High-quality product images Detailed product descriptions Encouraging/displaying customer reviews Product recommendations/similar products/“Often bought together” Product videos Price and market analyses Clear, customer-friendly return policies Focusing on Customer Satisfaction We should make it as easy as possible for users to decide whether the product is relevant or not. Above all, high-quality content on the product page helps. The impact of customer reviews should also never be underestimated, especially for high-priced products. Nowadays, many people compare products in advance, and one of the crucial criteria is often a good product rating. Not only do we benefit to some extent from user-generated content, but we also have the opportunity to see what customers appreciate about our product and, importantly, where we can still improve. Those who actively reach out to their customers, take suggestions for improvement, and then implement them, increase long-term customer satisfaction and thus also customer loyalty . Speaking of customer satisfaction: A good customer support is, of course, essential for long-term success. If we receive an inquiry from a dissatisfied customer, we have the chance to turn the negative experience into a positive one. This not only leads to a better customer experience but often also reflects in customer reviews, which can directly impact the purchase decision and give the brand a more positive image. Through email marketing or newsletters , we effectively reach existing customers and prospects, announcing new products or promotional offers. Often, such offers are exclusively available to newsletter subscribers, which can positively impact the signup rate. This way, we gather more customer data without significant monetary additional costs while simultaneously providing attractive offers. With loyalty programs , customers can be retained long-term by the company, increasing the number of repeat buyers. These programs range from points for purchases to referring other people to cashback promotions or subscriptions with additional benefits or discounts. There are therefore manifold website optimization possibilities that can help improve the user experience, increase CLTV, and thus also have a direct impact on various marketing channels. As mentioned earlier, website optimization is undoubtedly one of the most effective measures to improve performance since it is the place where most users ultimately convert one way or another. Conclusion In conclusion, we return to the initial question: Will online marketing become obsolete due to developments in AI and automation ? Here we can reply with a resounding NO . Those who rely solely on automation and AI for their marketing strategy will lose in the long run. While all the new AI features are indeed helpful and can enrich online marketing, they are not the ultimate solution. The heavy reliance on data, on which AI is based, enables the processing of countless pieces of information, but it is also its greatest weakness. Many data points are often inaccessible, and important connections are thus lost. Apart from advertising platforms, there are many other optimization possibilities that should be utilized to get the most out of one's strategy. Ultimately, only the proportion of work shifts from operational to strategic . And for that, at the end of the day, you still need a human with experience. Thank you for your attention! We hope you enjoyed our blog series on “5 Tips on How to Keep Your Online Marketing Strategy Relevant in Times of Automation” and that you can not only justify your marketing job better to your boss but also take away a trick or two. If you haven't seen our other blog entries yet, feel free to check them out! Automation in Marketing - Part 1 | Optimize for Goals Automation in Marketing - Part 2 | Channel Diversification Automation in Marketing - Part 3 | Contextual Advertising Automation in Marketing - Part 4 | Competitor Analysis Automation in Marketing - Part 5 | Website Optimization for More Conversions Did we forget something important, or do you have further questions on any of the topics? Then feel free to write it in the comments!

Competitive Analysis: Understanding Competitors, Optimizing Strategies & Strengthening Market Position

Mar 18, 2025

Alexander

Frank

Category:

Search Engine Advertising

The post banner with title, background image, and icon | Competitive Analysis by Alexander Frank

Welcome back to our blog series “5 Tips on How to Keep Your Online Marketing Strategy Relevant Even in Times of Automation”! In this part, we focus on a often underestimated yet essential topic: Competitive Analysis. Why is it so important to keep a close watch on the competition? What tools and methods can help identify relevant competitors? And above all: How can strategic advantages be derived from these insights? This is exactly what we will explore in this post. If you missed the previous parts of our series, feel free to take a look - there we discuss, among other things, why clear business goals are essential, how to optimally position your online marketing channels , and why Contextual Advertising is often underestimated. Competitive Analysis - What is the competition doing? Competition is well-known for driving business. While this is often a blessing for end consumers, it has already broken many companies as their product suddenly became irrelevant, and thus their customers stayed away. Therefore, it is essential to never lose sight of your own competition and to regularly look out for new, emerging companies. A so-called competitive analysis is recommended for this purpose. First of all, it is necessary to identify your competitors . There are numerous ways to do this. Anyone already using Google Ads can easily access the auction insights within the campaigns and see which companies are actively participating in the auctions and how aggressively they are doing so. The metrics “ Top of page rate ” and “ Absolute top of page rate ” help us here by indicating how often we appear in the auctions either in the first three results, or even at the very top. By looking a bit more closely, we can even determine if we might be overbidding and artificially driving prices up. Other ways to understand the competitor's approach If you're interested in what type of advertising the competition is running and what images and texts are being used, the ad libraries of all major advertising platforms are recommended. There, we can see exactly which ads have been played by other companies, completely effortlessly and for free. For example, the Google Ads Transparency Center and the Meta Ads Library are mentioned here. But additional information such as rough target groups, estimated budgets, and targeting options can also be gleaned there, albeit not in detail. Other platforms like LinkedIn or TikTok also have such libraries that are extremely helpful for competitor analysis. Other options include external tools (e.g., Semrush, Similarweb, Ahrefs), generative AI tools (Google Gemini, ChatGPT), or simply the classic Google search . This allows us to see aside from Google Ads who potentially appears with us in auctions, or which companies also rank organically or show presence in another form for relevant search queries. We can also relatively simply identify and use the relevant content of the competition for our analysis. Once the competitors are identified, we can start the actual competitive analysis and thus gain a better overview of the competitive environment we are operating in. Topics we should look at more closely include, among others: Website - What does the site look like? Is it a one-pager, or does it have a more complex design? Is the navigation simple, or rather more nested? How high is the informational content? What kind of approach is used? How easy is it for a user to convert? Marketing Strategy - What fundamental goals are pursued? Which actions are potential users supposed to take on the website (appointment requests, demos, downloading informational materials, product purchases, etc.)? Online Marketing Activities - Which channels are being played, which advertisement formats are used? Social Media Presence - What topics are covered? What works well, what doesn’t (engagement)? Where are there still gaps for our own positioning? Price and Offer Structure - Are discounts or other promotions frequent? Does the quality justify the prices, or is there an increasing reliance on low-priced products? Customer Reviews and Feedback - What do the customers say about this competitor? What do they like, what do they criticize? Summarize and keep an overview For better visibility, we can also summarize the insights gained in a classic SWOT analysis to visualize the current situation. This helps us to understand the status quo more easily, highlight our own strengths better, and identify potential gaps . Additionally, it can be worthwhile not only to compare the competitors to our own company but also to compare them with each other as part of the competitive analysis. This way, we may recognize commonalities and overlaps on which we should particularly focus. These analyses help us to gain a better understanding of our own USPs . Moreover, we can discover new potentials and play segments or products that have hardly existed until now. Based on this, we optimize our marketing strategy and in some cases can even predict new trends . If we discover significant differences in the price structure compared to our competitors, it becomes easier for us to justify our own prices . Perhaps our products are indeed more expensive than those of the competition, but in return, they are more robust and durable. This can be effectively communicated. We learn from the weaknesses and mistakes of our competitors through customer feedback and can ideally profit from them. By targeting communication that addresses the exact problems and concerns of the target group, we gain a competitive advantage and ensure better customer satisfaction and loyalty from the very beginning . By implementing the measures defined from this, not only do we ideally save a lot of money and tons of nerves, but we also free up time for the really important things, namely providing the best possible experience for the customers and also the employees within the company. Thank you very much for your attention! Hopefully, it was insightful, and you could take something away for yourself! In the fifth and final part of our mini-series, we will delve deeper into the topic of optimizing your own website . Our previous post on the topic of Contextual Advertising follows. Have we forgotten something important, or do you have questions on the subject? Then feel free to write it to us in the comments! If you want to get in direct contact with us, feel free to check out our contact form. We help you better understand your competitive situation and benefit from it, so you can get the most out of your online marketing strategy - simple and non-binding!

Contextual Advertising: How Context-Based Advertising Works

Mar 12, 2025

Alexander

Frank

Category:

Search Engine Advertising

The post banner with title, background image, and icon.

In this article, we take a closer look at Contextual Advertising. We will discuss the advantages of this advertising form and highlight some providers and opportunities that are particularly suitable for it. If you missed the previous parts of the series, feel free to check them out. There, we talk about why it is important to define the right corporate goals and the benefits of broadening your online marketing channels . Contextual Advertising With stricter data protection laws and the resultant increasing targeting restrictions , as well as the trend of many marketing platforms to automate and broaden campaign distribution, it becomes even more crucial to reach the right target audience at the right time and to minimize scatter losses as effectively as possible. But what are the options for targeting one's audience more effectively? This is where Contextual Advertising comes into play. In this form of advertising, ads are not displayed based on users' demographic data, preferences, and interests, but the algorithm primarily focuses on the current context of the page - which gives it the name “Contextual” Advertising. This means that websites are categorized based on various factors. These could be, for example: Product categories Images Text passages Specific keywords in the running text. After a successful categorization, ads that match the page content are played. In the example above, we see a NIKE advertisement placed in an article about the major running shoe test of 2024. It can be assumed that people interested in this article are also more likely to be interested in purchasing new running shoes in the near future. Thus, there is a match between the advertised ad and the purchase intention. The fact that the ad often blends seamlessly into the actual content of the website additionally reduces friction and enhances the coherence between advertising and content. Numerous studies have already shown that this positively impacts user perception and can increase purchase readiness. As mentioned earlier, Contextual Advertising helps to create as much relevance as possible for the target group while impacting the user experience minimally, and ideally even improving it. Additionally, it offers a good opportunity to position your brand in a targeted and brand-safe manner, thus avoiding unnecessary scatter losses. Since it completely dispenses with the use of cookies , this form of advertising is significantly more future-proof and robust against the increasing restrictions on third-party cookies. The question of the right channel for Contextual Advertising often cannot be answered universally but depends on many factors. On the one hand, there are the classic providers such as Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising , which enable contextual advertising. Here, targeting by keywords or specific placements is available. From experience, Google's keywords are often interpreted very “broadly,” which can make this type of targeting quite inaccurate. Advertising via placements works better. For example, offering moving services could achieve above-average campaign results on sites dealing with apartment searches, house buying, and similar topics. Other providers have almost exclusively specialized in Contextual Advertising. The most well-known among them are probably Criteo and GumGum , which have developed more advanced algorithms for website categorization, thus ensuring a significantly better match between content and ads . This is particularly worthwhile if the product range is quite broad. But what options are there if we offer a very “niche” service? Reddit offers the possibility, for example, of reaching people who have viewed or interacted with specific subreddits. Since Reddit is generally a platform with relatively higher engagement rates, this can positively affect ad perception and interaction. Although it's not possible to exclusively target specific subreddits here, higher relevance for the target group is still given by the fact that interaction with a subreddit already assumes a higher interest . Companies that sell tech products or gaming accessories could also find a promising channel in Twitch . Originally started as a purely gaming platform, Twitch has significantly expanded its offerings, but for many tech-savvy individuals, it remains a very relevant channel in the entertainment routine. And who hasn’t wanted a setup like their favorite streamer? Often unjustly underestimated, (Digital) Out of Home Advertising, also known as (D)OOH , is still often treated very negligently. What used to be indispensable in the form of billboard advertising in any marketing mix has lost significant popularity since the introduction of digital marketing, but has been on the rise again in recent years. More and more companies are recognizing the advantages of well-placed outdoor advertising, especially since the introduction of digital screens, which opens up a whole new range of possibilities. Suddenly, it is possible to advertise very dynamically at specific locations or at relevant times, reaching exactly the right target group at that moment. McDonald's demonstrated impressively a few years ago that this approach can work. Thank you very much for your attention! Hopefully, it was informative, and you could take something away from it! In the fourth part of our miniseries, we will take a closer look at competitive analysis . Have we forgotten something important, or do you still have questions on the topic? Feel free to write it in the comments! If you want to get in touch with us directly, feel free to visit our contact form . We help you to position your brand even more effectively with Contextual Advertising so that you can get the most out of your online marketing strategy - simply and without obligation!

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Find SEO Keywords and Develop a Keyword Strategy

Jul 30, 2025

Julien

Moritz

Category:

SEO

The magnifying glass displays the term Keywords in full screen

Keywords have been an important foundation of search engine optimization from the beginning. But their role has changed, just as the way we use them has, not least due to the increasing dominance of artificial intelligence (AI). We are convinced that keywords are still very important, so this guide will teach you how to find keywords, what to look for when choosing keywords, which tools you can use, and how to optimally use keywords in SEO. What are keywords? In search engine optimization, we refer to keywords or key phrases as the terms or phrases that users enter into search engines in order to find answers, information, content, or products. We use these terms on websites in certain elements to increase the probability of achieving good positions in search results. In SEA (e.g., Google Paid as opposed to SEO = Google Organic), we bid on keywords to display ads for those terms in search results. To make the topic more illustrative, we explain all the points in this blog post using a specific example: a fictional bicycle online shop or bicycle store with a website, namely the topic "bicycle" or "buying a bicycle". The graphic shows a small selection of different relevant related keywords for this topic: Types of keywords We differentiate between different types of keywords. This distinction plays a role in the strategic direction of our content and the priority we give to those keywords. By length: Short Head & Long Tail Keywords In general, there are two different types of keywords that are defined by their length: Short Head Keywords are short, very general terms that generally have a very high search volume but also correspondingly high competition. The intention behind these keywords is not clear. For example: "bicycle" is a Short Head keyword, which can imply a search for information, such as (what types of bicycles are there?), as well as a purchase intention or even a search for images. Long Tail Keywords , on the other hand, are longer, specific phrases or questions. Depending on the topic, the search volume and competition behind them are significantly lower, and the intention is generally clearer. For example: "best e-bikes 2025" or "buy cheap used kids’ bicycle" or "how to patch a bicycle tire?" In addition, you can define " Mid Tail Keywords " that lie between these two types of keywords. By intention: Information, Navigation, or Transaction? Another important classification of keywords is the intention behind the search query: Informational keywords indicate a search for information. These can be the beginning of the user journey, the first step on the way to a purchase. For example: "trekking bike vs. city bike" or "what to consider when buying a bicycle?" Navigation Keywords point to the search for a specific brand, website, or product. For example: "Decathlon bicycles" or "Cube E-bikes". Transactional keywords show a purchase intention. Users are looking for an online shop or a local buying opportunity. For example: "buy trekking bike" or "order gravel bikes". In addition to these classifications, there are other characteristics of keywords, such as search volume (how often is the term searched per month?) or the "Keyword Difficulty" calculated by many SEO tools (the difficulty of ranking in top positions for this keyword in search results). Why are keywords important in search engine optimization? Keywords reveal which terms (and topics) are searched frequently. To improve visibility in search results for relevant keywords, we use these terms on the respective pages. This way, we show search engines that a page (URL) is relevant for a specific topic and the associated terms. Therefore, we research and analyze keywords as the basis of content optimization - to know how and what to optimize. What is the significance of keywords in the age of AI? Are keywords still important in the age of AI? Let’s take a look back and take a short journey through SEO history. The role and significance of keywords have constantly evolved over the last few decades: While about 20 years ago keywords had to be used in their exact form to rank well, Google's language understanding developed over the following years. Various grammatical forms, singular and plural, were recognized as identical terms. Similarly, the connection between synonyms and related terms was recognized - it became about semantics instead of exact keyword matching. We have not been thinking in pure keywords in search engine optimization for many years. Instead, we optimize on topic clusters, naturally supported by keywords. Keywords are still used as the basis, but the context behind them has become significantly more important. A sign of this is that Google often displays websites optimized for a synonym for search queries - Google recognizes that terms mean the same thing. In addition to the clusters, another term has become important: the entity. An entity is a uniquely identifiable object or concept, such as a person, a place, a process. An indication of what Google identifies as an entity includes, among other things, the Knowledge Graph in search results or suggestions for topics or concepts. This can be seen in the example "pedelec": These connections between topics or terms also play a role in AI SEO . Keywords are far from dead; they still serve an important purpose even in the AI age: Keyword analysis helps you understand the terms your (potential) customers use - and to speak the same language as your target audience. Keywords, especially “long tail keywords” like questions, help you better understand the intentions and problems of your target audience and offer corresponding content. Keywords still underpin entities and topic clusters, only they are not used as strictly as they were years ago. It is more important to cover the topic comprehensively and satisfyingly for customers, to meet the intent, and to present yourself as an authority to users and search engines. Keyword analysis - Finding keywords in 3 steps How do we find keywords for our keyword and content strategy? Depending on resources and available time as well as the topic, a keyword analysis can be a complex task. The more general the topic, the more extensive the analysis and the more subtopics and keyword clusters are found. It is easier to research keywords for a single page and a very specific topic. 1. Brainstorming Ideally, you are well-versed in your topic for which you want to find keywords. The first step is always a rough brainstorming session where you jot down all subtopics, terms, and questions related to your topic. With this, you have the first foundation for your analysis on which you can build. If you want to research keywords for an entire website, think of these terms, for example: Your brand name (depending on its popularity, there may be a relevant search volume behind a brand name) Your industry (e.g. bicycle online shop) Categories (e.g. e-bikes, city bikes, mountain bikes, road bikes, kids' bikes, bikes for seniors, accessories, etc.) Brands (e.g. Cube Ebike, Bergamont Bicycle) Products or services (specific product names of bestsellers, e.g. cube kathmandu hybrid pro 750) Frequently asked questions about products or categories (e.g. which bike for commuting) 2. Analyzing keywords on the website If you already have a website or an online shop, you should establish a status quo: for which terms are you already (well) found, and through which terms do you get clicks and impressions? To do this, analyze the terms you find in the performance report in Google Search Console, and for which you get many impressions or clicks and add them to your brainstorming list. If you have access to a professional SEO tool, you will find all keywords for which your domain has a position in the top 100 here. You can filter these keywords by search volume or positions and export this list. This way, you find out where there is already potential on which you can build optimization. Particularly interesting here are the so-called "threshold keywords" - keywords that are "on the verge" of a certain area. Usually, this refers to - depending on the definition - keywords between 11 and 20, which are just before the top 10, or keywords starting from position 4 or 6, which are on the verge of the top 5 or top 3. 3. Keyword research After you probably already have a long list of keywords, it's time to research additional terms. A wide variety of sources and tools are available for this. If you want to conduct particularly comprehensive research, you can use all tools, but you can also focus on just a few if you have identified a sufficient number of keywords through these. Tools for keyword research The bad news first: Good keyword tools that you can work with effectively are always chargeable. Free versions generally limit the number of results or queries per day. You have to enter each keyword individually, instead of analyzing a list of terms, and the filter and export options are mostly restricted or unavailable. Professional SEO tools usually come with a keyword tool where you get important information for your entered terms, such as monthly search volume, as well as related terms that you can cluster and further analyze. Some of the most well-known tools include: Semrush, Ahrefs, Sistrix, Surfer SEO, or the KWfinder from Mangools. Free, limited options are available, for example, through Ubersuggest or Answerthepublic. Both tools offer a paid version as well as free research options. A unique feature of answerthepublic is the focus on long tail keywords. If you run ads on Google Ads, you can use the Google Keyword Planner, which gives you search volume, CPC, and competition for each keyword. Further sources to find keywords Besides the classic keyword tools, there are a whole series of other sources available to find keywords. These include: Google Suggest: Terms suggested by Google when entering terms in the search box Google related terms under search results Google Trends: Development of interest over time, but only for frequently searched terms Questions in Google search results Social Media Hashtags on relevant platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, etc. YouTube Autosuggest: Suggested terms when entering a word in the search Topics on platforms with user-generated content such as Reddit Thesaurus like Woxikon All these screenshots are included, check if you want to use all of them or just a few and how you want to present them: Google Suggest: Google Trends: YouTube Suggest: Woxikon: Google Questions: People also search for in Google: Keyword Gaps A very valuable analysis is the so-called "Keyword Gap Analysis", where you compare your website or online shop with one or more relevant competitors. Here, not only direct competitors are relevant (in our example other bicycle online shops), but all websites that are present for your topic in the search results (for example, an online magazine about bicycles). Using a professional keyword tool, the domains can be compared, and you receive a list of keywords for which your competitors are already ranking in the search results, but your domain is not yet. From this, opportunities arise to expand the website or shop, for example, to include new subcategories or new blog posts. Create a keyword strategy What do you do now with the many keywords you have found through the various sources? The first step is always to cluster these keywords thematically to get a better overview. These clusters can, for example, be oriented along the structure in your online shop and the type of page: Homepage Keywords (most general terms and brand, e.g. bicycle online shop) Categories (e.g. mountain bikes, road bikes, kids' bikes, etc.) Subcategories (e.g. 16-inch bikes, dirt bikes, folding bikes, etc.) Product keywords (e.g. Cube Agree c62, Bergamot Sponsor Tour S, etc.) Guide keywords (e.g. what to consider when buying a bike, what is a trekking bike, adjusting hub gears, etc.) FAQ -Keywords (e.g. what frame size for a bike, how long does an e-bike battery last, etc.) What makes a good keyword? Out of the large number of keywords you have researched and clustered, you will not be able to use all of them. Therefore, it is important to evaluate and prioritize these keywords. Various criteria are important for this, and prioritization also depends on your strategic goals and your industry: Relevance: all keywords must be relevant to your business (if you don’t sell road bikes, the keyword "buy road bike" is irrelevant) Search Volume: a higher search volume means a higher probability of generating traffic. However, for niche industries, search volume is not the decisive factor. A more suitable keyword with a lower search volume can be more valuable than a more general one with high search volume. The goal is to find the optimal balance. The intention behind the keyword: The intent behind the search query must always match what users find on the page. Keywords indicating purchase intent (e.g., "buy mountain bike") are less important for a pure online magazine than informational keywords. Conversion probability: For an online shop, keywords with a relation to purchases are particularly valuable, as they are more likely to lead to a conversion than informational keywords. The more specific the term (for example, a product name), the higher the chance that someone will buy. Keywords for blog posts usually do not detract from this point. The competitive situation: Keywords with high competition (for which many large domains rank that have been on the market for a long time and have built up trust and authority) can be too big a challenge for new domains or smaller websites at first. It can take years to rank well for highly competitive keywords. Instead, keywords with less competition can achieve quicker results. Possible existing rankings: It is generally easier to improve keywords for which there is already a ranking, than to be found for brand new keywords. This is particularly true for keywords in threshold positions. Summary: a good keyword Has high relevance for your business Has relevant search volume Covers the appropriate intention Has a high conversion probability Has low to medium competition May already have existing rankings that can be improved. There is no blueprint for assessing and prioritizing keywords and creating a keyword strategy that can be applied to every industry and company. It requires both experience and a general company and marketing strategy to which the keyword strategy is adapted. We can therefore only give you suggestions at this point but are happy to support you in creating a professional keyword strategy! Keyword Mapping The most important step in the keyword strategy is creating a so-called keyword mapping. This involves assigning keywords to target pages (either existing pages or newly planned pages). It’s important: For each important keyword, exactly one page is defined that should rank for it Each important page is assigned a keyword set of 1-2 main keywords and several secondary keywords This setup prevents multiple pages from competing for the same keyword (the result can be that neither page ranks if Google is unsure which is the more relevant page - the so-called “cannibalization”). You can also identify which important keywords still lack a suitable target page. Based on this keyword mapping, you can then plan and optimize your content. Content Strategy Once we have assigned the keywords to the appropriate, existing, or new pages, we can create an editorial plan from them, in which all topics are included, for which we need to optimize pages or create new texts. For example, with bicycles, this could include these texts and pages: Children’s bicycles : the category page for children is supplemented with a guide, a product comparison, and buying advice. Buy bicycle under 500 dollars : either a category page or a filter page with the appropriate criteria or a blog post with a product comparison Best bike for beginners : blog post with a product comparison and buying advice Buy a bike with hub gears : the appropriate category page is supplemented with relevant content (comparison of hub gears and derailleur gears, advantages of hub gears, most popular bikes with hub gears, etc.) What to consider when buying a bicycle : guide article for the blog with an overview of different types of bicycles, criteria for purchase (usage, size, features, etc.), online purchase vs. local purchase, etc. Buy bicycle in #city : landing page of the own local shop with an overview of the assortment, address, maps, opening hours, etc. Using keywords The use of keywords could fill another long article, so we would like to give you an overview of the most important elements on a website or in an online shop where you should use keywords: In the metadata (page title/title tag and meta description/page description) In the headlines In the text In filenames of images and image descriptions In internal links Caution: Avoid keyword stuffing! One of the biggest mistakes in using your researched keywords is repeating the same keywords too often. If your text sounds unnatural because you've stuffed it with too many identical or similar terms, no one will want to read it, and search engines will likely evaluate it as "keyword stuffing." Make sure you always write content for users. Use synonyms and related terms and avoid pure lists of keywords or even grammatically incorrect use of terms just to cover a keyword exactly. The focus is on providing relevant, helpful content for your target audience, using relevant keywords naturally! SEO vs. SEA Keywords Effective SEO keyword strategies also benefit paid channels. Many synergies can be created between SEO and SEA (especially Google Ads), for example, by using the same keywords for organic optimization and paid ads and occupying two positions in search results with your website: one paid and one unpaid. A keyword and content strategy for search engine optimization can also be used in the SEA area SEA can also be used nicely for A/B testing ad texts and CTAs (call-to-actions) that can be used in the metadata (page title and meta description). Also, optimizing page content and using the most searched keywords helps for SEA - for example, to improve the quality score and pay low click prices. To gain the greatest benefit, the insights of both channels can be combined - which is why a company greatly benefits when SEO and SEA are in one hand. Incidentally, at internetwarriors, we have both long-standing SEO and SEA expertise in the team! A tailor-made keyword & content strategy for you Finding the right keywords and deriving an effective strategy that matches your business goals can be a challenge. The SEO experts at internetwarriors are happy to assist you. We analyze your website, your industry, and your potentials, research the appropriate keywords, and create an individual content strategy for you. We are also happy to help you optimize the content or create new content or train you and your team on how to use keywords effectively - even in the age of AI.

Server-Side Tracking - An Overview

Jul 16, 2025

Halid Osmaev

Halid

Osmaev

Category:

Web Analytics

Banner for a blog article - Woman sitting in front of a screen

Server Side Tracking is the new standard. A significant advantage is the control provided over the data flow, especially user data. In this article, we discuss Server Side Tracking using Google Tag Manager as an example and review its benefits and which user data is sent. But first, the important question: What is Server Side Tracking? In short: Server Side Tracking is a data collection method where the tracking information is processed not in the browser but directly through the server of the website operator and forwarded to analysis or marketing tools afterward. The traditional tracking method is Client Side Tracking (CTS) , where a code snippet is embedded in the page, for example, via the Google Tag Manager. This sends event data directly to third-party services like Google Analytics 4, Meta Ads, etc. However, control over the sent user data (IP address, demographic data, etc.) is limited to the adjustments offered by the tool. Additionally, a third-party cookie is usually set, resulting in loss of data amount and quality.   Figure 1: Comparison of Client-side and Server-side tagging With Server Side Tracking (SST) , all data is first sent to a private server, where, for example, the Server Side Google Tag Manager is running. This ensures that there is no undesired data transfer occurring on the website with the users. This transfer happens only in the Google Tag Manager Server Side. However, this can then be adapted to a data protection-compliant standard by clear insight into the data and further configuration options like transformers . Server Side Tracking vs. Client Side Tracking The traditional Client Side Tracking (CST) is still widespread but increasingly reaching its limits. In CST, tracking scripts are executed directly in the user’s browser, sending data like page views, clicks, or conversions to third-party tools. However, this approach is very susceptible to modern tracking protection measures such as ad blockers, VPNs, intelligent tracking prevention (ITP) in iOS/Safari, and various data protection regulations. In contrast, Server Side Tracking (SST) uses a different approach: Tracking data is no longer sent directly from the browser to external tools but first to the server. This acts as a proxy or central data hub through which all tracking requests run. The server request is treated similarly to an API request and is thus less vulnerable to blocking . Additionally, all data processing takes place within one's infrastructure , significantly reducing the risk when dealing with data protection authorities. Another difference lies in the use of cookies: While Client Side Tracking relies on third-party cookies – which are increasingly blocked by browsers – Server Side Tracking prefers first-party cookies , considered more trustworthy and stable. Why is Server Side Tracking now standard? While Client Side Tracking is increasingly losing its effectiveness due to growing restrictions, Server Side Tracking offers a future-proof, high-performance, and privacy-friendly alternative – with significantly higher data quality and control for companies. Overview of the benefits of Server Side Tracking: More data control : Unlike the specifications of external tracking tags, companies with SST retain full control over the collected data. Higher data quality : SST can often bypass ad blockers and tracking protection measures, typically leading to at least 12% more data. Performance advantages : Instead of addressing many individual tracking tools directly from the browser, only one server is contacted – conserving resources and improving website load time. Data protection compliance : By processing exclusively within their server structure, companies can better respond to legal requirements. Server Side Tracking and Data Protection Regulations Server Side Tracking offers not only technical advantages but also a significantly better basis concerning data protection laws. The main legal regulations in the European area are the GDPR, the TTDSG, and the EU-USA Data Privacy Framework.  An overview: General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) The General Data Protection Regulation ( GDPR ) mandates that personal data – which can be traced back to a real person, such as name, email address, or IP address – may only be collected and processed with the explicit consent of the users (e.g., through a cookie banner). It has been applicable in all EU member states since May 25, 2018, forming the central legal framework for handling personal data in the European area. The GDPR requires companies to inform transparently which data is collected for what purpose and how long it will be stored. Additionally, users must be able to object to processing or revoke consent at any time. For tracking, this means: No data may be collected or shared with third parties without clear and voluntary consent – even if the technology allows it. Violations of the GDPR can result in hefty fines. Server Side Tracking offers the advantage that data collection, storage, and sharing can be centrally controlled and better documented – facilitating GDPR-compliant implementation. Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act (TTDSG) The TTDSG (Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act) supplements the GDPR specifically for online services and stipulates that no arbitrary user data , especially through cookies or similar technologies, may be stored or read without prior consent . The law came into force on December 1, 2021, merging central data protection requirements from the GDPR and the German Telemedia Act (TMG) as well as the Telecommunications Act (TKG).  For online tracking, this means: Even setting a cookie that is not purely technically necessary requires active, informed consent from users, for example, through a consent banner. Tracking methods attempting to create user profiles without consent – even through technologies like fingerprinting – are prohibited under the TTDSG. This tightens the requirements for data-driven online marketing measures and underscores the necessity to make tracking privacy-compliant and transparent – something that is much better controlled with Server Side Tracking. EU-USA Data Privacy Framework Particularly relevant for international companies is the new EU-USA Data Privacy Framework , which facilitates transatlantic data transfer and has been in effect since summer 2023. Previously, it was problematic to send personal data to US services because US authorities had extensive access to it by law. The new agreement creates more legal certainty when US services like Google or Meta are used – but only if the services are certified under the new framework. These are just a few of the laws affecting tracking. Therefore, an understanding of user data is important. Conclusion: Why does Server Side Tracking offer more data protection compliance? Server Side Tracking allows the entire data processing to initially run through one's server infrastructure. This means: Tracking occurs not directly with the users but only after explicit consent and under full control of data processing on one's server. This allows the requirements of data protection laws to be better implemented, such as targeted anonymization , pseudonymization , or restriction of data sharing with third parties . Overall, Server Side Tracking enables a more data protection-compliant handling of user data, allowing companies to maintain oversight and control – which is essential under the current regulatory framework. What user data is sent with Server Side Tracking? The good news: Only the absolute minimum. What does this mean? Using Google Tag Manager as an example: When an event on the page, like a click, is triggered, an HTTP request is sent to the Server Side Google Tag Manager . Naturally, HTTP header information is sent along. This includes, among others: Time IP address Page URL Approximate location (by IP address) Operating system Browser Resolution Device Additionally, there are other parameters specifically related to configuration. Detailed information can be found in the documentation at [ https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers ]. There are also parameters automatically captured by Google Tag for campaign optimization, which include: utm_source utm_medium utm_campaign utm_content utm_term and the Click ID It should also be ensured which data is user-defined sent with the Google Tag Manager configuration. In the Server Side Google Tag Manager, users can configure precisely through the use of transformers, which specific data should be forwarded in what form and which should be withheld. However, for a data-secure implementation, the conclusion should be: “ Track only as much data as needed .” The challenge is to limit tracking to what is necessary without incurring disadvantages. We set up correct Server Side Tracking for you The Internetwarriors are a team of experts in various fields of online marketing. One of our main focuses is web analytics and Server-Side Tracking (SST). With extensive expertise and a profound understanding of the latest trends and technologies in digital analytics, we offer tailored solutions to optimize our clients' online presence. We are thus a valuable partner for you when you want to set up professional tracking that provides all the data you need for strategic decisions and monitoring your online marketing activities. Contact us now without obligation !

Why Usability Is So Important for Your Website

Jun 11, 2025

Nadine

Wolff

Category:

SEO

Whiteboard with design mockups

Website usability means that users can reach their goals without frustration, overthinking, or detours—whether their goal is to get information, make a purchase, download something, or get in touch. The easier and smoother your website is to use, the more likely visitors are to stay—and come back.  Good usability not only saves time but also builds trust and improves the perception of your company or brand. Especially in the digital market, just a few seconds often determine whether someone stays or leaves. Therefore, it's crucial that your website is logically structured, easy to understand, and technically impeccable—for all users, on every device. In this article, we'll provide you with an overview of the fundamentals of website usability, explain why it's so important, and outline which aspects you should consider. What is Usability? Usability can be translated as "usability" and describes the ability to achieve the desired result without difficulty. The term "user-friendliness" is also often used. Optimal usability means that a product, service, or website fulfills its intended purpose precisely. On a website, this could mean a completed purchase, the provision of relevant information, strengthening your brand, etc., depending on the intention. Usability is a key factor in determining whether and to what extent visitors engage with your website content or move on to another site. It is an important factor in customer satisfaction and website quality. A usability analysis can help identify errors, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement on the website. What does Usability encompass? Website usability includes all aspects that affect the user-friendliness of a website—how simple, understandable, efficient, and pleasant it is to use. Many factors interact to create a positive user experience. Specifically, they include: Navigation and Structure: Clear page layout (e.g., an easy-to-navigate menu, logical hierarchy), simple, logical navigation, breadcrumb navigation, and an easily searchable effective search function Layout and Design: A consistent layout across all pages, a visual hierarchy (important elements stand out), responsive design (works on all devices), and appropriate use of colors, font sizes, and spacing Content and Language: Clear, understandable language, relevant, up-to-date content, good readability (paragraphs, titles, lists), and accessibility (e.g., alt text, contrasts, keyboard accessibility) Interactivity and Feedback: Meaningful feedback (e.g., after clicks, forms), helpful and friendly error messages, and buttons and links that are clearly recognizable Loading Times and Performance: Fast loading times of pages and content and technical stability (no crashes, malfunctions) Accessibility: Support for screen readers, keyboard operability, good color contrasts, and scalable font sizes Trust and Security: SSL encryption, transparent data protection information, and a professional appearance (e.g., legal notice, contact information) Conversion Support: Clear calls to action (e.g., "Buy Now," "Learn More"), no distractions from the actual purpose of the page, and support for processes like forms or checkout What are the Goals of Website Usability? The goals of website usability are aimed at designing websites so they can be used effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily by users. Interaction should be as intuitive as possible to lead to the desired outcome. Jakob Nielsen - one of the leading experts on usability, who has been studying the topic for decades - developed 5 key criteria of usability : 1. Learnability Goal: New users should be able to quickly understand and use the website. Navigation, structure, and functions must be intuitive . Example: A first-time visitor immediately understands where to find information or how to make a purchase. 2. Efficiency Goal: Experienced users should be able to complete their tasks quickly and effectively . Optimized workflows, fast loading times, and clear paths lead to goal achievement. Example: A repeat customer can reorder with just a few clicks. 3. Memorability Goal: Users who haven’t visited the website for a while should be able to easily use it again. This is helped by consistent design, familiar symbols, and a logical structure. Example: A user remembers how to find customer support even after weeks. 4. Errors (Error Prevention and Handling) Goal: The website should be as error-tolerant as possible and help users avoid or correct errors. This can be achieved through clear and understandable error messages, opportunities for correction, or well-thought-out forms. Example: An incomplete form clearly indicates what is missing without deleting all input. 5. Satisfaction Goal: Using the website should be a pleasant experience and generate positive feelings. An appealing design, useful content, and easy navigation lead to higher satisfaction among users. Example: A user-friendly interface with clear texts provides trust and enjoyment while using the site. How Can Usability Be Measured? Measuring usability means systematically evaluating the user-friendliness of a product or website using specific criteria, tasks, and user tests. While usability is partly subjective, it can be objectively measured if you use the right methods. Aspects of the above five listed criteria - learnability, efficiency, memorability, error prevention, and satisfaction - are often tested. Various methods are employed for measurement: Usability tests with users who have to perform specific tasks Questionnaires filled out by users after a test An expert examination based on specific criteria (does not replace user testing) Analysis of analytics and user behavior through web analysis tools, heatmaps, or mouse tracking A/B testing - different versions are tested against specific questions and data Why is Usability Important? There are numerous positive impacts of good website usability and just as many reasons why you should pay attention to good user-friendliness. It makes it easier for users to navigate your website, helps you stand out from the competition, and enhances the impression you leave on potential customers. Let's take a closer look at the individual reasons: Users Want to Be Guided A good website makes it easier for users to navigate. It allows them to quickly get to their desired goal (completing a purchase, downloading a document, finding the needed information) without thinking too much. The offered content should be self-explanatory in terms of the positive user experience. In fact, users don't want to think about how to do something on a website. They want to be guided and don't want to search laboriously for certain elements and "discover" the website on their own. They want to intuitively reach their desired goal as quickly as possible. The content offered needs to be self-explanatory for a positive user experience, and any interactive elements should be directly usable. Website Usability as a Competitive Factor The lack of willingness to stay on a website just because is partly due to the market situation. In the online world, a competitor is just one click away. Unlike a physical shopping street, there's no need to walk past a series of stores. The reality is usually different. Most companies don’t have the luxury of offering something so unique (services, physical products, digital products like apps) that users would endure a cumbersome website. Instead, well-prepared and easily accessible website content has the power to convince users to complete conversions on your site rather than a competitor's, making usability a crucial competitive factor. Your website needs to make a good impression from the first second. Many website owners are unaware that users often judge the entire company based on their first impression of the website. A poorly maintained website can negatively impact the entire company's image. Users might question whether the company is capable of offering good service if it can't even manage to keep basic things on the website in order. While this assumption is often incorrect, it illustrates the potential consequences of poor website usability. Usability is More Than Just Good Design The challenge in website design is that it's unlike any other medium because people often have different expectations for how websites are used versus how they're actually used. When website owners and designers sketch out a site, they have a certain image in mind. It's often assumed that users will study all the content thoroughly. But in reality, users often only skim through a page initially. They quickly scan the text and click on the first link that seems interesting or appears to be the closest to their searched goal. As a result, a large portion of the page might not be actively noticed by your users. How users read a webpage greatly depends on their goal in mind. They focus on words and phrases that match their personal interests, known as trigger words. If they don't find these on your website, it can still be beautifully designed and contain seemingly informative content, but it won’t hold their interest. Technical Performance is Part of Usability too Besides graphical design, technical preparation is a key aspect of usability. While large images, videos, interactive graphics, and other moving elements may look visually appealing, they significantly increase loading time. The problem is not all users have access to a fast internet connection. Ideally, a good load time is important for two main reasons: it reduces the chance that visitors lose patience and leave the website, and page load time is becoming an increasingly important ranking factor for search engines. Usability Engineering Usability engineering is a structured and systematic process for developing user-friendly systems, where the usability of a product—or, in this case, a website—is deliberately planned, tested, and improved throughout the development process. This means that usability should ideally be considered from the conception of a website or a relaunch. Good usability doesn't happen by chance; it's systematically planned and tested. SEO and Usability – A Strong Team SEO ensures the necessary flow of traffic through organic search results. But you shouldn't focus solely on generating traffic. Without usability, your visitors will quickly leave again, often without converting. If you only focus on usability, you will reach a significantly smaller group of visitors who may convert well, but due to the small number, may not generate enough revenue to financially sustain the company behind it. Choosing usability doesn't necessarily mean writing off SEO. If you think SEO is just about ranking first in Google's organic search results and driving traffic to the website, you're not thinking broadly enough. SEO measures aim not only for top placement in search results but also ensure that users can find their way around the site. This goal is shared with usability. Classic OnPage SEO measures include, for example: Clear page structure Logical navigation Breadcrumbs and HTML sitemaps Pagination Avoidance of 404 error pages Logical internal linking On closer inspection, it becomes clear that these points simultaneously significantly improve user navigation. So, there are indeed significant intersections between the two online marketing disciplines, which do not contradict each other. Good SEO specialists and user experience managers are aware of this close connection and ensure that all elements of the website complement each other effectively. Website Usability and Accessibility/Accessibility In the context of website usability, the topic of accessibility is also important. Both disciplines pursue the same goal of facilitating the use of websites, but they are approached from different perspectives: Usability aims to improve user-friendliness for as many people as possible. Accessibility seeks to make the website fully usable for people with disabilities (especially visual and hearing impairments). Numerous measures improve both web usability and accessibility (for example, a clear structure and understandable language or good contrasts). Accessibility also requires compliance with technical standards such as the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), including screen reader compatibility or alternative texts for images. Since the Accessibility Enhancement Act , you should assess (or have assessed) whether your website is not only user-friendly but also accessible. This is important to ensure that people with disabilities can use your website without restriction. Usability issues usually only become apparent when expected conversions don’t occur. Retrospective improvements can be expensive or, in extreme cases, unworkable. That's why you should focus on a good user experience at the launch or relaunch of your website. However, this doesn't mean that you should completely disregard usability in favor of SEO. Those who believe that SEO is only about ranking first in organic search results and driving traffic to the website are thinking too narrowly. In addition to good placement in organic search results, SEO measures also aim to ensure that users can navigate the website. This goal is shared by search engine optimization with usability.

Why Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) Should Not Be Missing From Any Marketing Mix

Jun 2, 2025

Alexander

Frank

Category:

Search Engine Advertising

Blog Article - Bing Ads

Microsoft Advertising (previously known as “ Bing Ads ”) is a powerful addition to Google Ads, offering numerous advantages such as comparatively lower click prices and advanced targeting options.  Are you already using Microsoft Ads, or have you limited your advertising to Google so far? In this article, we explore why it's more worthwhile than ever for companies to invest in Microsoft Advertising , what differences and benefits the platform offers, and why the topic of generative AI should not be overlooked. What is Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads)? To begin, here's a brief overview: Microsoft Ads (formerly known as “Bing Ads”) is Microsoft's advertising platform , enabling companies to engage in search engine marketing (SEM), similar to Google Ads. Ads primarily appear on Bing's search results pages, but also on Yahoo, AOL, and partner networks, as well as in Microsoft products like Edge, Outlook, Windows, and the Microsoft Audience Network. Microsoft Advertising was launched as “Microsoft adCenter” in 2006, rebranded to “Bing Ads” in 2009, and finally to “Microsoft Ads” in 2019. With Microsoft Ads, for example, it’s possible to run keyword-based Text Ads (Search Ads) and also offers Shopping Ads that require a Microsoft Merchant Center feed, Responsive Search Ads , as well as native advertising in the Microsoft Audience Network and Remarketing . Bing in Search Engine Ranking and Technological Innovations When people search the internet, they often “Google.” Over time, the term “Googling” has become embedded in the language of most people and even made it into the 23rd edition of the Duden in 2004. It’s perhaps no surprise that “Googling” originated from the namesake search engine. Other search engines still remain in Google's shadow, often slipping from memory when it comes to marketing efforts. But is this justified? Bing may not automatically come to mind first when thinking about internet research. Nonetheless, the platform has undergone many positive changes and established itself as a solid alternative to Google. In recent years, Bing's market share has steadily grown , while Google currently remains stable (albeit at a high level). According to Statista, Bing's market share was 11.75% globally in April 2025, compared to around 8% three years prior. In Germany, Bing even holds a 15% market share . The Microsoft Search Network leveraged by Bing includes other search engines such as Yahoo!, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia, collectively reaching a significant number of users. This enhances the opportunities for advertisers on Microsoft Ads and increases the potential visibility of their ads. While the Microsoft Search Network still falls short of Google in absolute terms, it has carved out a stable place in the market. It is expected that Bing’s market share will continue to rise, as more people seek alternative search engines in an era of growing privacy concerns. Microsoft, like Google, continually invests in technological innovations to make Bing more appealing to users. This is demonstrated not only by the new AI features continually being implemented in Bing , but also by a general massive increase in interest around Artificial Intelligence among internet users. This development naturally benefits Microsoft Ads as well. For example, Microsoft Office products offer the possibility of integrating Copilot into an extended license. Copilot is Microsoft’s AI-based agent that draws on Bing as a search engine when needed. Advantages of Microsoft Advertising over Google Ads An important factor that sets Bing apart from Google is the demographic composition of its users. While Google appeals to a broad audience, Bing is particularly popular among middle-aged individuals and business professionals . This can be advantageous for companies looking to target these specific audiences. Decision-makers and influencers can be particularly well-reached this way. Often overlooked, but just as important: On most work PCs running Windows, Microsoft Edge is the default browser, making Bing the default search engine . Cortana also pulls its results from there. This greatly increases the likelihood that a search query on Bing will occur in a business-relevant context. Additionally, the majority of traffic consists of desktop users. These factors can further positively influence the quality of traffic . Another advantage of Microsoft Advertising is the native integration of LinkedIn targeting . As Microsoft owns LinkedIn, advertisers can access the extensive professional data of LinkedIn users and target their ads more precisely. The attributes “Job Function,” “Company,” and “Industry” are available for more tailored targeting. Bid adjustments can be used, for example, to place higher bids for particularly relevant target groups. This is especially useful when B2B marketing plays a role. However, possibly the most significant advantage is that Bing, and thus Bing Ads/Microsoft Ads, is still surprisingly underutilized by many companies. Commonly cited arguments include a comparatively low search volume compared to Google and a lack of time to create and manage a complete account setup on this platform. But therein lies a great opportunity for businesses. The much lower volume of competitors positively impacts cost per click and can help companies position successfully on Bing with relatively low budget investment, yielding significantly more sales and leads compared to Google Ads vs. Microsoft Ads - Overview of Pros and Cons: Google Ads Advantages: Higher market share, worldwide and in Germany Greater reach and traffic potential Broader range of target audiences Higher mobile user coverage Disadvantages: Higher competition and hence  typically higher click prices (CPC) More complex user interface Microsoft Ads Advantages: Less competition and hence Typically more affordable CPC, especially in niche markets More cost-effective, even with smaller budgets Additional reach through other platforms/search engines like Yahoo!, MSN, and AOL Reaches an audience that may not use Google (middle-aged and Edge users) Target audience is generally older and wealthier, with many desktop users (particularly interesting for B2B and certain markets) Disadvantages: Lower market share and therefore Traffic potential Less automation and features Copilot in Microsoft Ads Microsoft Copilot is a AI-based assistant integrated into Microsoft Advertising that helps advertisers with various tasks based on campaign data, user inputs, and AI models. This includes: Campaign creation , such as automated keyword research, ad text suggestions, and the creation of Responsive Search Ads based on landing pages or product information Campaign optimization , e.g., bid strategy and budget distribution suggestions or A/B testing of ad elements Report and analysis creation , e.g., intelligent campaign performance summaries and creation of visual reports Like Google Ads, Microsoft Ads offers numerous opportunities to automate routine tasks with Copilot, saving time. Automatic intelligent analysis supports data-driven decisions. Copilot is integrated into the platform and allows for dialog-based interaction, similar to tools like ChatGPT. However, caution is advised with any AI-based automation - results should always be checked. Bid strategy suggestions must be critically evaluated to ensure that changes have the desired effect. Another example is ad text, which should always be checked for relevance to the product or service. Getting Started with Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) As mentioned earlier, many companies forgo advertising on Bing due to the increased setup and maintenance effort, which doesn't seem proportional to the expected return on investment. However, getting started with Microsoft Ads is surprisingly easy. An account can be created in just a few minutes, and the interface somewhat resembles Google's. So those who already advertise on Google’s platform will find navigating Microsoft Advertising straightforward. Importing Google Account Data into Microsoft Ads Additionally, Microsoft offers a useful import function that allows entire account setups from Google Ads to be mirrored into Microsoft Ads with just a few clicks. This also applies to other platforms like Facebook Ads or Pinterest Ads or uploading a completed template. This makes it particularly easy for companies with an existing Google Ads account to get started. There’s even the option to regularly import a Google account into Microsoft Ads, keeping the Bing account up-to-date with frequent changes. But beware: While Microsoft aims to make the entry into Microsoft Advertising as easy as possible and provides various tools, a certain level of account maintenance is still necessary. Importing accounts allows for a quick and easy way to advertise on Bing. However, to get the most out of the channel, Microsoft Ads should also be viewed separately and appropriate optimization measures undertaken. This ensures the target audience is optimally engaged and no potential is wasted. FAQs for Getting Started with Microsoft Ads Here are some questions our clients frequently ask about Microsoft Ads (and previously Bing Ads), giving you a deeper insight and helping you decide for or against Microsoft Advertising: For whom is Microsoft Advertising particularly worthwhile? Due to the differences in target demographics, Microsoft Ads are especially worthwhile for companies selling to B2B customers or targeting an older, more affluent audience. B2C companies can also benefit from Microsoft Advertising due to lower competition. Thanks to Bing's broader reach, Microsoft Ads are particularly effective in Germany, the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia. In contrast, reaching a younger demographic (under 25) might be more successful through Google or other channels. How effective are Microsoft Ads? Microsoft Advertising can be very effective, but the performance of your campaigns largely depends on the services or products you offer and the target group you wish to reach. The lower CPC and highly accurate B2B targeting can make Microsoft Ads very effective. We also observe from many clients a lower cost per acquisition with the same or even higher quality of leads or product purchases. If you’re unsure, we’re happy to advise whether Microsoft is a sensible addition for your business. What types of advertising campaigns are available on Microsoft? The campaign types on Microsoft are similar to those on Google Ads. Available campaign types include Search Ads, Shopping Ads, Multimedia Ads, Audience Campaigns, Remarketing Campaigns, Dynamic Search Ads (DSA), Hotel Ads, Local Ads, Performance Max Campaigns, and App Install Campaigns. Additionally, with Microsoft Ads, ads can be run on CTV (e.g., with an add-on package on Netflix).  What automation options are available in Microsoft Ads? Thanks to Copilot, Microsoft offers AI-based support directly in the advertising platform. Copilot enables automated creation and optimization of ads, as well as analyses and reports. Additionally, automatic bidding strategies (Smart Bidding) are possible as in Google Ads. Campaign management can also be automated, e.g., by setting rules for activating and pausing ads. However, it's important to note that automation is not a substitute for strategy or expertise, but rather a complement to efficient work. It's crucial to regularly check whether all campaigns and ads deliver the desired performance. Is Bing/Microsoft better than Google Ads? No, Microsoft Ads are a worthwhile addition for many companies and can even be an alternative depending on orientation and target group. Both platforms have advantages and disadvantages that need to be weighed against each other. For B2B companies, but also for many other topics and industries, a combination of Google and Microsoft Ads is the optimal blend in the marketing mix. We’re happy to advise if Microsoft Ads can be effective for your business. Microsoft Ads for B2B Companies As mentioned earlier, Microsoft Advertising is a very attractive alternative or addition to Google Ads for companies with a B2B target audience. The combination of target audience, platform integration, and cost-efficiency makes Microsoft Ads, just like earlier Bing Ads, very interesting for B2B businesses. Many users in the Microsoft Search Network are doing professional work when using Windows, Microsoft Edge, Cortana, and Office. It’s an effective way to reach decision-makers and executives . The higher proportion of higher-educated and higher-earning users makes Microsoft Ads relevant for industries like SaaS, industrial, and financial services . On average, Bing users are also older than the Google target audience. The lower competition and often cheaper CPCs are very advantageous for companies with costly leads and long sales cycles . The frequently 20-40% lower click prices make better ROIs possible. The high proportion of desktop users is also an ideal match for a B2B target group, as many purchases and research activities in a business environment occur via desktop, not mobile. The combination of desktop usage in professional fields increases the conversion likelihood for users in Microsoft Ads. Thanks to LinkedIn targeting , users from specific industries or companies, with certain job titles or functions, can be specifically targeted. This segmentation is only possible with Microsoft Ads, making the platform particularly appealing for B2B companies. It is important, though: Microsoft Ads should not be viewed as a replacement for Google Ads, but as a strategically sensible addition to specifically reach a B2B audience and expand reach outside the Google universe. Why Microsoft Advertising? Bing, and consequently Microsoft Advertising, is still often underestimated today but offers many advantages. While both platforms are quite similar, there are some key differences between Microsoft Ads and the major competitor Google Ads that make Microsoft's platform a true alternative or an effective complement. To summarize: Running ads on Bing is relatively simple Cost-effective and efficient with regular account maintenance Enhanced targeting capabilities , especially relevant for a B2B target audience Differences in target audience compared to Google: generally older, higher educated, and with a higher household income Exclusive access to other search engines , e.g., DuckDuckGo and Ecosia For anyone wanting to get a step ahead of the competition, seriously considering incorporating Microsoft Advertising into the marketing mix can unlock full potential in online marketing. We’re Happy to Assist You The internetwarriors team consists of experts in various online marketing disciplines, from SEA to SEO, from workshops for service companies to strategic consulting for eCommerce companies. Our decades of expertise as a full-service agency allow us a comprehensive view of different channels and measures, and an informed comparison, such as between Google Ads and Microsoft (Bing). Have you been thinking for a while about advertising through Microsoft Ads, or would you like some preliminary advice on the topic? Then feel free to contact us, and we’ll find the right solution for your business!

Create FAQs and improve the website’s SEO rankings

May 14, 2025

Julien

Moritz

Category:

SEO

Post banner with background and title

Embedding FAQs on a website offers many advantages. They can, for example, relieve customer service, increase conversion, or improve visibility in unpaid search results. This article explains in detail the options for creating a FAQ page, how they can be optimized for SEO, and their significance in the era of AI. What is meant by FAQ? FAQ is short for “frequently asked questions” and can be translated as “frequently asked questions.” Specifically, the most important information on a topic is collected and formatted as questions. These can be common problems or the most frequently asked questions. FAQs are widespread in the software domain or other technical topics but can be usefully applied to any subject area and industry. One of the goals of FAQs is to answer questions from potential buyers in a simple way and thus relieve customer service. If a purchase has already been made and problems arise, the FAQ section prevents the service department from dealing with the same easy-to-answer questions. A well-prepared FAQ section brings advantages both for users and companies. What do FAQs offer for SEO? First of all: Any type of relevant optimized content is positive for search engine optimization. With FAQs, you have the opportunity to cover compound keywords and phrases (long tail keywords) that, for example, are not answered in the product description. Your website will be found for questions that users ask on a topic, such as your products or services. At the same time, you increase your authority in your topic area in Google’s evaluation, as you offer a lot of relevant high-quality content. Higher authority means higher trust and thus a better chance of being found for competitive terms in unpaid search results. The increasing use of voice search and AI-based chatbots, now including AI Overviews in Google search results, has influenced how searches are conducted. Long-tail queries, meaning complete sentences or questions, have gained importance. FAQs are a response to these developments and can help remain visible even in the age of AI. FAQs as a Rich Snippet in Search Results You might recall that Google used to directly play questions from FAQs in search results as an addition (known as a “Rich Snippet”). In the fall of 2023, Google announced that these types of Rich Snippets will be significantly restricted and will only be displayed for “reliable government and health websites.” For SEO, FAQs are still valuable even if they no longer generate Rich Snippets. Do FAQs offer an advantage in times of artificial intelligence? AI tools and the AI Overviews introduced by Google in Germany in the first quarter of 2025 present new challenges for the SEO industry. Evaluations from the USA, where AI integration has been present in Google for longer, and initial observations from Germany show how AI Overviews reduce the click-through rate on organic results. To continue being prominently represented in the visible area of search results, the question is: How can websites be displayed as a source in AI Overviews to generate potential clicks here? The topic is complex, so we will only address the question here: Can visibility be improved in AI Overviews with FAQs? To have a chance to appear in Google's AI Overviews, many different factors are relevant. This includes, for example: Good content structure Helping Google understand the content, e.g., through structured data and content formatting (like bullet points) Covering a topic in depth Answering questions Focus on usability Demonstrating authority FAQs can help improve visibility and be listed as a source—but this is no guarantee for many clicks. It can also be a short-term strategy to mainly optimize for the (constantly declining number of) keywords and topics for which no AI Overviews are yet displayed in Google. FAQs and GEO - Optimization for AI-Based Chatbots AI-based chatbots like ChatGPT or Perplexity also depend on understanding and categorizing information on the website. The foundation for content optimization here, too, is understanding your target audience and their needs and providing content for it. The key is a range of different content types that answer different types of queries and intentions. FAQ content allows you to answer questions naturally that users enter into AI tools. The goal is to provide precise answers in natural language, similar to a conversation. Imagine, for example, that you are talking to a potential customer who is asking you questions about a product or service. A good structure of the answers through lists, bullet points, and subheadings (for long answers) and tagging with structured data helps tools understand the content. And fundamentally, the best strategy is still a combination of optimization for AI-based tools and classic search engine optimization. Do FAQs on the website improve visibility for Voice Search? In voice search, questions are more often entered than in text-based searches. Answering relevant questions in the FAQ section can therefore bring an advantage here as well. Besides many other factors such as a mobile-friendly website, it is also important for voice search optimization to phrase questions and answers naturally. It is not only about embedding relevant FAQs but also in which language these are written (everyday language). What are the options for embedding FAQs on a website? Depending on the goal of the FAQs, different solutions are available to embed them on the website. Below are the most important ones, along with their pros and cons. Dedicated FAQ Page The first option is to create a single long FAQ page that lists all the important questions collected. For better overview, an accordion element is often used in the layout, where users can expand and collapse the answers to individual questions. Advantages Easy to set up and maintain Simple questions that can be answered in one sentence are not a problem for SEO Disadvantages Rarely ranks for (competitive) terms as different topics are covered on one page, thus lacking focus Fewer opportunities for good internal linking between individual questions SEO-Compliant Setup Each question as a sub headline Use correct headline structure If technically possible, a table of contents at the top of the page with jump links to individual questions Where appropriate, linking relevant products or services from the FAQ texts Implementation of structured data (see below) FAQ Section on the Page An alternative with more SEO potential is a standalone FAQ section on the website instead of a single page. An overview page with all questions links to the subpages with the answers to the questions. If there are a large number of questions, they can be organized thematically for better overview. Using the example of E-bikes, the categories might be: General Questions, Brands, Models, Batteries, Maintenance, and Repair. Advantages Higher chance of being found for keywords Targeted optimization for keywords is possible as longer texts can be created and optimized for a greater number of keywords. Better usability as there is no need to navigate on a long page Disadvantages More maintenance effort as many individual pages are created Individual FAQs require more content to avoid generating “thin content.” SEO-Compliant Setup Overview page with teasers and links to FAQ detail pages with the individual questions Detail pages with correct headline structure (question as h1 headline) Detail pages must be standalone complete pages that contain navigation, footer, etc. (avoid solutions like iframes) Minimum amount of content (if there are still questions with very short answers, it might make sense to exclude them from indexing) Cross-linking between similar FAQs If using categories: Breadcrumb navigation for easy navigation back to the main category or FAQ overview page Links to relevant product pages or services Implementation of structured data (see below) FAQ Section on Service or Product Pages Product or service pages also benefit from a FAQ section. Especially if there are very specific questions about a particular product, these are well placed on the product page. They can help dispel reservations about a purchase or answer questions that would otherwise occupy customer service. At worst, users drop out if they do not find an answer to their question and purchase the product from the competition. Meaningful and relevant FAQs can thus increase the conversion rate. Advantages Enriches the content on these pages with meaningful and relevant phrases and terms Questions may appear in the search results under “Other Questions” and draw traffic to the product or service page from there. Disadvantages For high-competition keyword combinations that individual FAQs are optimized for, there is a significantly lower chance of ranking than if they are created as standalone pages. SEO-Compliant Setup FAQ section with headline Individual questions as headlines (observe correct headline structure) Ideally use unique FAQs - do not include the same question and answer 1:1 on multiple pages Implementation of structured data (see below) FAQs as Blog Posts If the CMS does not allow a standalone FAQ area, one solution is to embed FAQs in the form of blog posts. Each blog post answers a question for which keywords with sufficient search volume have been defined. Alternatively, FAQs can also complement blog posts on a topic by answering the most important questions as part of the blog post. Especially for information-based keywords (the main intent of searchers is to get information), this can be a sensible solution. Advantages Easy to maintain Good chance of being found Disadvantages Individual FAQs require a minimum amount of content May become lost on the website (poorer usability) SEO-Compliant Setup Correct headline structure Minimum amount of content Cross-linking between similar FAQs/blog posts Links to relevant product pages or services To feature the FAQ more prominently on the website, FAQ could be established as a blog category and this category page could be linked to. Implementation of structured data (see below) The SEO-friendly Embedding of FAQ Sections To create FAQs that are optimized for both users and search engines, layout and technical embedding are also important. A widespread method is accordions, where only the question is visible and the answers can be expanded. These sections do not take up much space and are clear to page visitors. But how does Google rate content that is not directly visible but must be expanded? Are Accordion Elements for FAQs SEO-Friendly? The first question is, how was the accordion technically implemented? Are the collapsed contents visible in the source code, or are they loaded only after clicking? From an SEO perspective, it is important that all relevant content is available in the source code and does not require action. For example, a collapse function using CSS is more effective than a JavaScript action that triggers the display of the content. And how about the contents themselves? Traditionally, Google rates content higher when it is directly visible. However, due to the focus on mobile, this evaluation has slightly shifted. “Hidden” because collapsed content is a legitimate solution for maintaining clarity on mobile sites for usability reasons. Google itself has been saying for years that all information in the HTML is read and considered, even if it is “hidden” in accordions or tabs. Various studies (for example by Searchpilot in 2020) suggest that directly visible content performs better than “hidden” content. Therefore important content should preferably always be visible without additional clicks. For FAQ sections on pages, however, accordions remain an important way to keep content organized. Alternatives to Accordion for FAQs Accordions are not the only way to integrate FAQs without users having to scroll through long text blocks. Tabs are another option, but there remains the factor that “hidden content” may rank worse. An alternative is to integrate the FAQs as plain text but add a table of contents with jump links so that visitors can quickly find the question they are looking for. Optimize FAQs for Search Engines - 3 More Tips Above we have already provided hints for an SEO-compliant structure of the various types of FAQ pages and the technical integration. We would like to give you three additional tips to get the most out of your FAQs. Identify Relevant Questions If you have set up your FAQ section so that each question is a separate page, we recommend using a keyword analysis to research sub-topics or questions of interest. If you have already collected questions that you know from practice are relevant because, for example, customer service frequently receives them, keyword analysis helps describe these questions using the words your target audience uses. The goal is to identify terms or phrases that are frequently searched. You can use these sources for keyword analysis and identifying questions: Paid keyword tools Free keyword tools (for example, answerthepublic) Google search results: Google Suggest (suggestions from Google when entering terms into the search), questions in Google Search, related terms under the search results Google Trends SEO tools that display competitors' keywords Your own analysis tools, especially Google Search Console, which shows you which topics and questions you already have some visibility for. Internal site search Social media comments and platforms like Reddit Screenshot from the SERPs - Example E-Bikes Using “E-Bikes” as an example, this incomplete list of general topics and questions can be identified: Which E-Bike is recommended? (Question in Google search results) How much watt should a good E-Bike motor have? (Question in Google search results) How much does a good E-Bike cost? (Question in Google search results) Which E-Bike suits me? (Keyword tool in SEMrush) How long does an E-Bike battery last? (Keyword tool in SEMrush) Who repairs E-Bikes? (answerthepublic) How to charge E-Bike battery? (answerthepublic) Use FAQ Markups If your CMS allows it, it is advisable to embed structured data to help Google interpret and categorize content. In the case of FAQs, the FAQPage markup ensures that Google recognizes what is a question and what is an answer and can classify this content as an FAQ. Detailed explanations can be found at Google as well as on schema.org’s page for the FAQPage and the QAPage . Structured data can be checked in Google's tool “Rich Results Test” The tool shows which markups have been integrated and identifies any errors. Using the example of testberichte.de, we see in the Google tool that the FAQ markup is used: Important: According to Google's statement , the same question and answer must not be marked up multiple times. For SEO reasons, it is optimal to create unique FAQs if, for example, you embed FAQs on product pages. If you still want to embed identical FAQs on different pages, these should only be marked up on one of these pages according to Google, as otherwise it would violate their guidelines. Optimize Internal Linking One of the biggest advantages of a FAQ section on the website is, besides generating relevant content, the possibility of improving internal linking . Linking related pages within your website or online shop strengthens the linked page and also helps users discover new content and stay on your website longer. Consider for each question whether there are relevant products, services, blog posts, other FAQs, or other pages you can link from the text. For good internal linking, use descriptive link text instead of general text like “read more here.” To identify suitable links, it is also useful to ask the question after creating the FAQ text: what is the most logical next step for users who are asking this question and have read this content? Is it a product page? Are there usually more questions? Is the answer to the question to use your service? Alternatives and Complements to FAQs FAQ sections and pages are not the only way to effectively expand regular content. A well-thought-out SEO strategy considers all types of content to increase visibility for keyword combinations and related keywords. A powerful strategy is glossaries that explain technical terms. An application could be to compare different materials, cuts, or designs for a product and thus provide additional decision-making help for customers. Idealo, for instance, integrates a glossary section on category pages instead of a FAQ section, where relevant terms for the category are explained. Best Practice - Examples of Successful FAQ Pages There are many examples of well-thought-out FAQ pages on the internet that have been sensibly structured and answer meaningful questions about the respective topic. Every industry, every target group, and every company is individual, but it can still be helpful to look at best practice examples for inspiration. Therefore, we have put together some FAQ sections and FAQ pages that we find successful: Samsung Technical devices are a good example of products for which many questions are asked before a purchase decision. Especially the expensive, annually released models from large companies such as Samsung and Apple with their technical details offer a lot of potential for explanations and help in product choice. Samsung answers the most important questions on the product presentation page in the FAQ section. On the product page in the shop, purchase-related questions are mainly answered. Here you will find a mix of generic questions and specific questions and answers. In the first answer, you can see how the general question was answered in relation to the product. Booking.com A FAQ section does not necessarily have to be named “FAQ.” Booking.com calls it “Quick Help” and organizes the questions by their topic. Jump links have been added at the top of the page, allowing you to jump directly to the desired category without having to scroll for long. Avocadostore The Avocadostore also organizes the FAQ section by topic and directly suggests questions on the FAQ overview that are likely to be frequently asked. This saves users with these questions a click without losing clarity through categorization. Zalando Zalando also uses categories that are always accessible via navigation, so users can easily jump between FAQ sections. Content Optimization from FAQ to Blog with the internetwarriors Do you want to improve your organic visibility with optimized content? Our experienced SEO team knows all the tricks and tools to be better found on Google. We analyze your content , support you with optimization, or deliver relevant optimized content for your website or online shop. This can be FAQ texts, but, for example, also product descriptions or blog posts. Just contact us, we will gladly create a non-binding individual offer for you!

Why the 95:5 Rule is Revolutionizing B2B Marketing

Apr 17, 2025

Axel

Vortex

Category:

Growth Marketing

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In today's B2B marketing, there is often tremendous pressure: Every lead counts, and every conversion must happen as quickly as possible. Marketing teams are gauged by short-term KPIs, and your focus is nearly exclusively on capturing the few potential clients ready to make a purchase right now. But what if this approach is fundamentally flawed and ignores the greatest growth potential? This is where the provocative yet evidence-based work of Professor John Dawes from the renowned Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science comes into play. His research challenges conventional wisdom and introduces the 95:5 rule: A simple yet transformative idea suggesting that at any given time, only about 5% of your potential B2B clients are actively seeking a solution in the market. The overwhelming 95% are part of your target audience but are not (yet) ready to buy. A marketing strategy focusing solely on the "hot" 5% risks overlooking the vast growth opportunities present in this larger, currently "passive" segment. You’re competing in a crowded pond for few fish, while an ocean of potential future customers is largely ignored. In this article, we dive deep into the 95:5 rule. We explore the problem of "now" obsession in B2B marketing, explain the scientific foundation of the rule, and most importantly, show you concrete, actionable strategies on how to adjust your marketing to not only serve the 5% but also win over the critical 95% for future success. The Problem: The Dangerous Fixation on the "Immediate" 5% Marketing and sales teams are under constant pressure to generate leads that quickly turn into revenue. This environment fosters an excessive reliance on bottom-funnel tactics: Performance Marketing: Paid search, retargeting. Sales Activities: Aggressive cold calling, direct approach via LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Content: Focus on product comparisons, case studies, demo requests. All these efforts target the small group of the 5% actively seeking a solution. This fixation on the "now" carries significant drawbacks: Intense Competition: Every one of your competitors is vying for the same 5%. This drives up costs for keywords, ad space, and ultimately customer acquisition costs (CAC). Lack of Differentiation: Amid the hustle of bottom-funnel offers, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out from the competition. Messages often sound very similar ("We boost your revenue," "Our software solves problem X"). Missed Potential: The 95% not buying right now are overlooked. When these potential clients are ready to purchase in 6, 12, or 18 months, they may never have heard of your brand or formed no positive association with it. Weak Negotiation Position: If a buyer meets your brand only when deeply into the buying process and actively comparing options, your chances of winning the deal are statistically low. Brands that are familiar and trusted beforehand have a massive advantage. Solely concentrating on the 5% is a reactive approach, which incurs high costs and leaves long-term growth potential untapped. The Paradigm Shift: Understanding the 95:5 Rule The 95:5 rule is not an arbitrary number but based on extensive research by the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, known for its evidence-based marketing principles (including Byron Sharp’s bestseller "How Brands Grow"). The core message is simple but profound: 5% are "In-Market": This group has a recognized need, is actively researching, and is ready to make a purchasing decision in the near future. 95% are "Out-of-Market": This group belongs to your potential target audience (e.g., companies of the right size and industry) but currently has no need, urgency, or awareness of a potential problem. They are, however, your future buyers. The key insight is: The 95% are not a lost group but your most important asset for future growth . If you manage to be present with this vast majority before they even think about a purchase, you have an unbeatable advantage when the need finally arises. The Solution: Building Bridges to the 95% – Marketing for the Future So how do you reach the 95% who are not actively listening right now? The answer lies in building Mental Availability . This concept, central to the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute's work, describes the likelihood that a buyer thinks of your brand in a relevant buying situation. Imagine the CTO of a manufacturing company (part of your 95%) reading a technical article about production optimization. If your ERP systems brand comes to mind positively because he recently saw an interesting ad or a relevant post from you, you’ve created mental availability. Months later, when he is actually evaluating a new ERP system (and becomes part of the 5%), your brand is already positively anchored in memory. How Do You Build Mental Availability? Broad Reach: You need to reach as many potential buyers within your category as possible, including the 95%. It’s about generating a large number of market contacts over time. Consistency: Brand building is a marathon, not a sprint. Regular presence over long periods is crucial. Distinctive Brand Assets (DBAs): These are the sensory and semantic cues that help buyers easily recognize and remember your brand without having to read the brand name. These include: Logo Color scheme (e.g., Telekom Magenta, IBM Blue) Slogan or tagline Jingles or sounds (e.g., Intel Inside) Characters or mascots Unique visual style in ads and content These DBAs must be used consistently to build strong memory structures. Linking with Category Entry Points (CEPs): CEPs are the various situations, needs, or problems that prompt a buyer to think about a specific product or service category. Examples in B2B: "We need to reduce our production costs." (--> ERP system, automation solution) "Our current software is outdated and no longer secure." (--> New software solution) "How can we make our sales processes more efficient?" (--> CRM system, sales automation tool) Effective marketing links the brand’s DBAs with relevant CEPs in the target audience’s mind. The 95:5 Rule in Practice: 4+1 Strategies for Your B2B Marketing Based on the insights of John Dawes and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, specific recommendations arise: 1. Rethink Success Measurement: Look Beyond Immediate Sales The greatest mistake is measuring the success of marketing activities—especially those targeting the 95%—solely by short-term sales or leads. If 95% of your audience cannot buy immediately, 95% of your efforts will inevitably have a delayed impact. What You Can Do: Measure Brand Health Metrics: Track long-term indicators like unaided brand awareness (when asked "Which providers for X do you know of?", is your brand mentioned?), aided awareness, brand image, and recognition of your DBAs. Measure Reach: What percentage of your total addressable market (TAM) do you reach with your marketing activities over time? Is this percentage growing? Measure CEP Associations: (Advanced) Understand with which buying situations your brand is associated and if you occupy the most relevant CEPs. Accept Longer Periods: Building a brand takes time. Do not expect immediate miracles but track trends over quarters and years. 2. Prioritize Reach: Speak with More Potential Clients Many B2B marketers believe in the power of high frequency—the assumption being that complex buying decisions require many touchpoints. However, Ehrenberg-Bass research shows this is often inefficient. What You Can Do: Focus on "Unique Reach": Invest your budget so you reach as many different potential buyers in your category as possible, rather than targeting a few repeatedly. The first exposure to advertising often has the most impact on memory. Further repetitions have diminishing returns. Utilize Broad Channels (sensibly): In addition to targeted performance channels, broader reach channels can also be sensible in the B2B context, such as trade media, industry newsletters, relevant podcasts, LinkedIn brand awareness ads, YouTube, or even industry-specific events. Be Patient: It takes time to achieve broad market penetration. 3. Focus on New Clients: The True Growth Engine A widespread misconception is that growth can mainly be achieved through more sales to existing clients (upselling, cross-selling). However, the data clearly show: The greatest growth potential almost always lies in acquiring new clients (penetration). What You Can Do: Primarily Align Your Marketing with Acquisition: Indeed, customer retention is important, but most of the marketing budget and strategic efforts should aim at acquiring new buyers for the brand—reaching out to the 95%. Understand the Limits of Loyalty: Existing clients often have a natural cap on what they can or are willing to buy from you. Excessive efforts to yield more from them often result in low returns. 4. Build and Defend Distinctive Brand Assets In a sea of often generic B2B messages, strong, recognizable brand elements are invaluable. What You Can Do: Identify and Define Your DBAs: What makes your brand unique and recognizable? Is it your logo, colors, slogan, a specific visual style? Use Your DBAs Consistently: Deploy these elements across all marketing channels and touchpoints—from the website to ads to sales presentations. Resist the Urge for Frequent Rebranding: New marketing leaders often want to leave their mark by redesigning everything. This can be disastrous as it destroys memory structures built over years. Instead, strengthen and nurture your existing assets. Changes should be evolutionary, not revolutionary. +1. Adapt Creativity and Messaging for the 95% How Do You Talk to People Who Have No Immediate Buying Need? Be Interesting, Not Just Sales-Driven: Provide valuable content, insights, or entertainment relevant to the industry, even if it does not directly prompt a purchase. Focus on Branding: Use creative approaches to create positive associations and embed the brand in memory. Tell stories, show expertise, build trust. Link Yourself with CEPs: Communicate in which situations your solution is relevant to set the right triggers in the target audience's mind. Less Hard-Sell, More "Always-On": It’s about continuous presence and being perceived as a helpful and competent resource. Balance Is Key: Not an Either-Or The 95:5 rule does not mean neglecting performance marketing or serving the active 5%. Quite the opposite: An optimal approach combines both: Long-Term Brand Building (for the 95%): Investments in reach, DBAs, CEP linkage, and creative brand communication. Short-Term Activation (for the 5%): Efficient performance marketing activities, sales enablement, and conversion optimization to capture demand as it arises. The art is to find the right balance and synergy between these two approaches instead of focusing on just one. Conclusion: Think Long-Term, Act Strategically The 95:5 rule by John Dawes and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute is more than just an interesting statistic; it is a fundamental wake-up call for B2B marketing. It challenges us to rethink our obsession with immediate results and embrace a longer-term, more strategic perspective. By consciously starting to advertise for the 95%—through building mental availability, prioritizing reach, focusing on acquiring new clients, and consistently using distinctive brand elements—you lay the foundation for sustainable growth. You reduce the reliance on expensive bottom-funnel battles and increase the likelihood that your brand will be the first choice when your future clients are finally ready to buy. It’s time to end the chase for the 5% and start cultivating the ocean of the 95%. Your future self (and your sales team) will thank you for it. Sources and Inspiration This article is significantly inspired by the work and publications of Professor John Dawes from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science. His research on the 95:5 rule and the principles derived for effective marketing, especially in the B2B context, presents a valuable, evidence-based challenge to traditional marketing approaches. We encourage all marketing professionals wanting to dive deeper into this matter to engage with the publications and discussions by Professor Dawes and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute to gain a more comprehensive understanding of long-term successful brand management.

Reddit SEO: Between Myth and Reality

Mar 27, 2025

Ina

Bondarev

Category:

SEO

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Where else can you find heated debates about nuclear physics alongside cat pictures and the best baking recipes? Only on Reddit. With over 1.5 billion users, Reddit is one of the largest and most influential online communities in the world. Reddit - A gold mine of marketing potential or a minefield for companies? The platform offers enormous potential but also presents risks. Is Reddit SEO even feasible? And how can companies win over the Reddit community without breaking the rules? In this article, we will take you on an expedition through the Reddit universe and show you how to generate more traffic, enhance your brand awareness, and gain valuable leads. Discover the secrets of Reddit marketing! Reddit: Where Diverse Communities Come Together Reddit is a unique entity. Those who don't speak its language quickly get lost in the jungle of Subreddits. Understand the nuances of this platform before you start your Reddit online marketing. What is Reddit?  Reddit is a social media platform where you can share, discuss, and rate content. What sets it apart: Reddit is divided into countless Subreddits – thematic communities where users exchange specific interests. From cat pictures to programming tips and political debates, you can find it all. You can create posts with videos, images, and texts, and interact with other users. Especially valuable for businesses: the intense exchange within these communities. Here, you can identify and better understand your target audience. How Does Reddit Work? Reddit has clear rules you need to follow if you want to use the platform for your marketing. The most important rules for your marketing are: Authenticity over advertising – forget about blatant promotional messages! Reddit is about authentic exchange and valuable contributions. Advertising is (mostly) taboo: Reddit supports advertising only to a very limited extent. Direct product advertising is not allowed in most Subreddits. Inform yourself about the exceptions and possibilities, such as paid ads.   Here you can find the complete Reddit rules. Take the time to read them thoroughly before starting your marketing! Deep Dive into Subreddits Reddit is more than just a platform – it’s a universe of thousands of communities with their own rules and cultures. The heart of Reddit is the Subreddits – thematic communities where users exchange interests. Each Subreddit has its own rules – and you should definitely know them before interacting with the community. Humor is welcome in some Subreddits, strictly forbidden in others. Some communities value detailed contributions, while others prefer short and concise comments. Take the time to read the rules of the Subreddits you want to be active in. This will help you avoid unpleasant surprises and ensure your contributions are well-received: Fig. 1: Screenshot Reddit community rules - https://www.reddit.com/r/marketing/   Choose the right Subreddits for your topic! Reddit offers a huge selection of communities – from /r/technology/ for tech news to /r/entrepreneur/ for entrepreneurs. If you're developing software for musicians, /r/wearethemusicmakers/ is the right place to connect with potential customers. Research the relevant Subreddits and analyze the discussions there. This way, you can find out where your target audience is active and what topics interest them: Fig. 2: Screenshot - Overview of top communities ( https://www.reddit.com/best/communities/1/ ) If in doubt: Ask the mods! If you're unsure whether your post complies with a Subreddit’s rules, contact the moderators. They are happy to help. Upvotes and Downvotes are the heart of Reddit culture. They show how the community rates your posts. Constructive contributions and helpful comments are rewarded with Upvotes, spam and inappropriate behavior are penalized with Downvotes. Reddit is more than a platform for discussion and knowledge exchange. It’s a place where ideas are born, trends are set, and opinions are formed. Use the dynamics of this community to reach your target audience and advance your business. Reddit: Secret Tip for Your Online Marketing or Time Waster?  Strategies Reddit can be leveraged with a bit of background knowledge about the platform. The platform polarizes – and precisely for that reason, it holds enormous potential. But how can you use Reddit for your online marketing strategy? We show you how to harness the power of Subreddits! The Secrets of Reddit Rankings Forget keyword density and CTR optimization! On Reddit, engagement and community count. These factors influence your Reddit ranking: Upvotes and Downvotes: The more Upvotes your post receives, the higher it will rank in the Subreddit. A post with many Upvotes and lively discussion will rank higher than a post with only a few Upvotes, even if it is perfectly optimized for keywords. Engagement: Reddit loves active discussions and comments. It shows that your post is relevant and interesting to the community. Encourage interaction by asking questions, responding to comments, and participating in the conversation. Recency: Reddit prefers fresh content. Older posts lose visibility over time. To keep your content ranked high, post regularly and keep your content updated. Understanding how Reddit rankings work enables you to create content that engages your target audience and drives traffic to your website. Remember, it’s not just about getting Upvotes, but also about creating valuable content that sparks conversations and builds relationships with your audience: Fig. 3: Screenshot - Overview ChatGPT community, “hot” posts - https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPT/   Reddit Online Marketing: An Explosive Mix for Your Business! Downvotes, Karma, Subreddits – Reddit is a world of its own. But that's precisely what makes the platform so valuable for your online marketing! It's all about authentic exchange and valuable contributions. Reddit is not a place for blatant advertising - SEO is redefined here. Those who understand this can leverage the platform: Build expertise: Become a thought leader in your community In certain Subreddits, you can position yourself as an expert by actively engaging in discussions and sharing high-quality content. Over time, you’ll be seen as a trusted voice in your niche. This pays off: Google rewards expertise with better rankings (E-E-A-T factors). Understand your target audience: Get to know your customers on Reddit Reddit is a goldmine for businesses that want to truly understand their target audience. Here, you can gain valuable insights and optimize your products/services without expensive market research. Find out what moves your customers and what topics they are interested in. Spot Trends: Stay a step ahead of the competition Reddit is known for its timeliness. Here you find the latest trends in your industry. Use this knowledge to adapt your marketing strategy and stay ahead of the competition. Google Bonus: Use Reddit SEO for your search engine optimization Google is the only search engine that indexes Reddit results. This means: If your posts are current and have many Upvotes, they can appear in the SERPs and bring valuable traffic: Fig. 4: Screenshot Google search results - “Cats community”, Reddit The secret weapon for your recruiting Forget impersonal job portals! On Reddit, you'll meet engaged talents who are genuinely interested in your company. In theme-specific Subreddits (e.g., job search), you can post job ads and connect directly with potential candidates. The reach may be smaller than on other platforms, but you’ll meet highly motivated candidates who perfectly fit your corporate culture. Note: Posting job offers is only allowed if explicitly permitted in the community rules. Are you looking for talented employees who share your passion? Then get active on Reddit! Marketing: Who Is Reddit SEO Suitable For? Reddit not only offers opportunities for recruiting but is also a valuable platform for online marketing and SEO. Startups can win their first customers on Reddit and collect valuable feedback. Large companies can use the platform to increase their brand awareness and communicate with their target audience. Your Advantages of Reddit SEO Marketing at a Glance: Build expertise: Position yourself as an expert in your industry. Understand your target audience: Get to know your customers and optimize your products/services. Spot trends: Stay a step ahead of the competition. Google Bonus: Achieve better ranking in Google search with your Reddit posts. Share your expert knowledge through theme-related case studies! Show potential customers how you can help them solve their problems.  Another advantage: By being active on Reddit, you increase your visibility. However, always exercise caution: no advertising or community-disallowed actions to avoid receiving downvotes/violating rules. Reddit SEO Tools Now that we have found out that Reddit SEO is feasible, albeit with a completely different form and perspective compared to traditional SEO, it’s important to consider which specific Reddit SEO tools exist and which ones are right. Keyword Research: Indeed, you can research keywords for Reddit as well. Here, as mentioned, it's important to focus on the topic (Subreddit), relevance, and natural implementation. With the right keywords, your Reddit post can appear on Google. You can proceed traditionally and use tools like SEMRush . To understand what the most relevant keywords are, you should analyze your Subreddit and precisely filter out what can be used. The informational content is crucial, as Reddit is not an advertising platform. For research and inspiration, the tool AnswerThePublic is perfect. Here you can excellently analyze questions and derive keywords from them. You can also use Google search. You should enter the search word combination site:reddit.com (e.g., cats site:reddit.com) in the search bar and then, e.g., analyze the top threads as keywords using Google’s Keyword Planner. This gives an overview of what Reddit offers for the search query: Fig. 5: Google query - cats site:reddit.com Additionally, you can access specific keyword tools for Reddit: The tool Keyworddit offers the possibility to analyze Subreddits directly and obtain ideas comprehensively. However, it is only available for the US-American realm, meaning US-Reddits. It might also happen that the tool doesn't extract keywords from the Subreddit because it doesn’t find any. However, the listed topics can be seamlessly used further in search. Anvaka.github is another free tool that not only enables analysis and overview of posts once the Subreddit name is entered but also shows related Subreddits. This provides an easy, comprehensive overview of related topics. More general topics can be specifically used for further research. However, it might also occur that no thematically related Subreddits are found. In summary, when choosing a Reddit SEO tool, you have relative freedom. Even if a direct Subreddit SEO analysis cannot be conducted (e.g., because no data is available), you can still identify the keywords that are relevant and have sufficient search volume for the topic. The focus should be on informational content, long-tail keywords, thematic alignment, non-branded keywords, and W-question keywords. Therefore, it’s worth focusing on keyword tools.  If you are interested in the topic of keyword research, check out our blog post with insider knowledge ! Behind the Scenes of Reddit SEO: Benefits & Challenges It's always valuable to know what opportunities you have when undertaking certain steps. Even more interesting is the question of the risks: Are they worth it? For this reason, we have critically examined Reddit SEO to succinctly point out the pros and cons:  Benefits Reddit can be an effective SEO tool when used correctly. By actively participating in thematically appropriate Subreddits, you can not only generate valuable traffic but also establish authority in your niche. With a clever strategy, you can discover and leverage the following advantages of Reddit SEO: 1. Backlinks: Among the advantages of Reddit SEO optimization, backlinks certainly count. Despite the nofollow links, it generates significant referral traffic. 2. Authority and Expertise: By actively engaging in communities, answering questions, and crafting content, you can position yourself as an expert and thus indirectly influence the E-E-A-T factors. 3. Google Rankings: It should not be forgotten that Google can rank Reddit posts relatively high (conditional relevance). 4. Trends: There is the possibility of going viral with the post and keeping an eye on trends. Challenges However, SEO on Reddit is anything but intuitive. The benefits face challenges and there are additional hurdles you may encounter: 1. Backlinks: This is also a disadvantage because Reddit undermines self-promotion and "blatant" link placement (always consider community & mentioned Reddit rules). 2. Guidelines: Strict rules and moderators in the respective Subreddits should never be overlooked or neglected. 3. Downvotes: You can also be downvoted. 4. Time: It’s quite time-consuming to achieve sustainable SEO successes. 5. Subtle Difference: You must carefully distinguish between measures for a company on Reddit, a person on Reddit, and a person from a company, because not everything fits or can be implemented (in traditional form or known from other platforms/websites). 6. Traditional SEO doesn't work in the Reddit community. Your Small SEO Guide for Reddit Now that Reddit and its peculiarities are clear, we can derive some results and thus give you a small SEO guide for Reddit: 1. If you decide on an account on Reddit , choose the right niches or communities so you not only share a wavelength with other participants but also remain specific and precise in your comments, posts, and discussions. Golden Rule: When sharing and writing content, remember to stay factual and informative, as Reddit users particularly appreciate added value. 2. Optional: If you manage to become an active participant in the community, you can try to set a natural link (not a blatant link) to your company. However, ensure it’s not an advertisement, but an added value (e.g., case study, sharing knowledge, etc.). Subreddits like AMA (Ask Me Anything) or a thematically relevant community can be well-suited for this. Always bear in mind that such measures can involve certain risks. Thus, it is recommended as an optional measure.  3. Think outside the box : This could really be the restart for your SEO strategy. With Reddit, you can conduct relatively good target audience analyses, especially among very specific target groups (thanks to Subreddits). Moreover, you can also clear up specific questions since experts frequent Reddit. By actively and usefully participating, you can also become an expert or a thought leader. Ideas for topics for keyword searches can also be found in some Subreddits, as many relevant and interesting topics are discussed daily. At a Glance: The question "Can I do Reddit SEO for my product/service?" can probably be answered more with " no ", because you don’t really have the means to do so, and if you do, then only indirectly (especially connected with time effort). Direct Reddit online marketing is thus not possible. More important, however, is how you integrate and use Reddit in your SEO strategy. Our conclusion is: no classical SEO measures on Reddit but use Reddit for SEO measures. Get to know your own target audience better, never miss important trends again, and don’t forget that in principle, you can also monitor opinions on your brand or product in specific Subreddits! Harness the potential of Reddit and improve your website's performance!  With Reddit SEO, It Doesn’t End! Are you curious about what else our warriors team knows and can do, or are you perhaps seeking targeted support in the area of SEO , Paid , Strategy , or Web Analysis ? Feel free to check out our services and get a non-binding and free initial consultation from our experts!

Website Optimization - Effectively Boost Conversions

Mar 21, 2025

Alexander

Frank

Category:

Search Engine Advertising

Various devices with different optimization possibilities

Welcome to the fifth and final post of our blog series “5 Tips on How to Keep Your Online Marketing Strategy Relevant in Times of Automation” . In this part, we focus on Website Optimization . We discuss why it's important to keep an eye on the competition, the ways to identify them, and how we can leverage insights to gain advantages. If you missed the previous parts of the series, feel free to check them out. We talk about why it's important to define the right business goals , the benefits of broadening your online marketing channels , why contextual advertising is often underestimated, and how a competitor analysis can provide a competitive edge. Optimizing Your Content Arguably the most important aspect of optimization is undoubtedly one's own website. No matter how much effort we put into optimization measures before the click - if the foundation, the website, is not right, we cannot be successful in the long run. Therefore, it's essential to make the user experience on our website as smooth, enjoyable, and intuitive as possible. It starts with user-friendly navigation that guides users clearly and directly through the pages to their intended goal. An optimized checkout process, guest checkouts , as well as up-to-date and secure payment methods , also help to reduce cart abandonment hurdles. To ensure everyone finds what they need quickly on our site, it might also be worthwhile to implement an intelligent site search that provides suggestions during the actual search and, in some cases, shows product recommendations directly. We'll see what such an intelligent search looks like in the following example from Nike. But even on specific landing pages, where we either advertise strategically or want to push in other ways, there are additional content optimization measures: Clear and compelling offer Effective call-to-actions Adequate information for informed (purchase) decisions Trust-building elements Fast load times + Mobile optimization A/B testing! The Impact of FAQs Today, we have less and less time to convince people of our offer. Therefore, it's all the more important to answer as many questions as possible already on the landing page. FAQs, for example, in an “accordion element,” help provide as much information as possible that users can expand when needed without being overwhelmed by walls of text. At this point, the importance of A/B testing for landing page optimization should be highlighted . They serve as one of the key elements for improving performance and should always be an integral part of optimization measures. All major companies have likely subjected their landing pages to hundreds or thousands of tests, and for good reason. Quick tip : External tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity help enormously in better understanding user behavior on the site and making data-driven optimizations. The content available on landing pages should also depend on the target audience the page is intended for. Providing Solutions & Contact Options When generating leads, we should ensure we provide adequate contact opportunities . A persistent contact field can be helpful here, allowing users to establish contact when they're ready without having to search. This is particularly relevant for pages with a large amount of text content. Here, we also bridge to target group definition from Tip #2. On our landing page, we now have the opportunity to understand the pain points of our target group and present solution approaches . An effective means can also be showing opportunity costs if a collaboration is foregone. It quickly becomes clear how the service could impact one's own company and how much working hours and/or money can be saved. By sharing expert knowledge, such as case studies, white papers, or webinars , we not only inform and qualify our target group in advance but also create a higher level of trust. This is especially important in B2B, as the costs for offered services can easily reach six to seven figures in euros, and decisions are often made at the highest business levels. Those who score with their expertise in advance significantly increase their chances of being commissioned. On product pages, alongside many of the previously mentioned points, the following content optimization options can also be added: High-quality product images Detailed product descriptions Encouraging/displaying customer reviews Product recommendations/similar products/“Often bought together” Product videos Price and market analyses Clear, customer-friendly return policies Focusing on Customer Satisfaction We should make it as easy as possible for users to decide whether the product is relevant or not. Above all, high-quality content on the product page helps. The impact of customer reviews should also never be underestimated, especially for high-priced products. Nowadays, many people compare products in advance, and one of the crucial criteria is often a good product rating. Not only do we benefit to some extent from user-generated content, but we also have the opportunity to see what customers appreciate about our product and, importantly, where we can still improve. Those who actively reach out to their customers, take suggestions for improvement, and then implement them, increase long-term customer satisfaction and thus also customer loyalty . Speaking of customer satisfaction: A good customer support is, of course, essential for long-term success. If we receive an inquiry from a dissatisfied customer, we have the chance to turn the negative experience into a positive one. This not only leads to a better customer experience but often also reflects in customer reviews, which can directly impact the purchase decision and give the brand a more positive image. Through email marketing or newsletters , we effectively reach existing customers and prospects, announcing new products or promotional offers. Often, such offers are exclusively available to newsletter subscribers, which can positively impact the signup rate. This way, we gather more customer data without significant monetary additional costs while simultaneously providing attractive offers. With loyalty programs , customers can be retained long-term by the company, increasing the number of repeat buyers. These programs range from points for purchases to referring other people to cashback promotions or subscriptions with additional benefits or discounts. There are therefore manifold website optimization possibilities that can help improve the user experience, increase CLTV, and thus also have a direct impact on various marketing channels. As mentioned earlier, website optimization is undoubtedly one of the most effective measures to improve performance since it is the place where most users ultimately convert one way or another. Conclusion In conclusion, we return to the initial question: Will online marketing become obsolete due to developments in AI and automation ? Here we can reply with a resounding NO . Those who rely solely on automation and AI for their marketing strategy will lose in the long run. While all the new AI features are indeed helpful and can enrich online marketing, they are not the ultimate solution. The heavy reliance on data, on which AI is based, enables the processing of countless pieces of information, but it is also its greatest weakness. Many data points are often inaccessible, and important connections are thus lost. Apart from advertising platforms, there are many other optimization possibilities that should be utilized to get the most out of one's strategy. Ultimately, only the proportion of work shifts from operational to strategic . And for that, at the end of the day, you still need a human with experience. Thank you for your attention! We hope you enjoyed our blog series on “5 Tips on How to Keep Your Online Marketing Strategy Relevant in Times of Automation” and that you can not only justify your marketing job better to your boss but also take away a trick or two. If you haven't seen our other blog entries yet, feel free to check them out! Automation in Marketing - Part 1 | Optimize for Goals Automation in Marketing - Part 2 | Channel Diversification Automation in Marketing - Part 3 | Contextual Advertising Automation in Marketing - Part 4 | Competitor Analysis Automation in Marketing - Part 5 | Website Optimization for More Conversions Did we forget something important, or do you have further questions on any of the topics? Then feel free to write it in the comments!

Competitive Analysis: Understanding Competitors, Optimizing Strategies & Strengthening Market Position

Mar 18, 2025

Alexander

Frank

Category:

Search Engine Advertising

The post banner with title, background image, and icon | Competitive Analysis by Alexander Frank

Welcome back to our blog series “5 Tips on How to Keep Your Online Marketing Strategy Relevant Even in Times of Automation”! In this part, we focus on a often underestimated yet essential topic: Competitive Analysis. Why is it so important to keep a close watch on the competition? What tools and methods can help identify relevant competitors? And above all: How can strategic advantages be derived from these insights? This is exactly what we will explore in this post. If you missed the previous parts of our series, feel free to take a look - there we discuss, among other things, why clear business goals are essential, how to optimally position your online marketing channels , and why Contextual Advertising is often underestimated. Competitive Analysis - What is the competition doing? Competition is well-known for driving business. While this is often a blessing for end consumers, it has already broken many companies as their product suddenly became irrelevant, and thus their customers stayed away. Therefore, it is essential to never lose sight of your own competition and to regularly look out for new, emerging companies. A so-called competitive analysis is recommended for this purpose. First of all, it is necessary to identify your competitors . There are numerous ways to do this. Anyone already using Google Ads can easily access the auction insights within the campaigns and see which companies are actively participating in the auctions and how aggressively they are doing so. The metrics “ Top of page rate ” and “ Absolute top of page rate ” help us here by indicating how often we appear in the auctions either in the first three results, or even at the very top. By looking a bit more closely, we can even determine if we might be overbidding and artificially driving prices up. Other ways to understand the competitor's approach If you're interested in what type of advertising the competition is running and what images and texts are being used, the ad libraries of all major advertising platforms are recommended. There, we can see exactly which ads have been played by other companies, completely effortlessly and for free. For example, the Google Ads Transparency Center and the Meta Ads Library are mentioned here. But additional information such as rough target groups, estimated budgets, and targeting options can also be gleaned there, albeit not in detail. Other platforms like LinkedIn or TikTok also have such libraries that are extremely helpful for competitor analysis. Other options include external tools (e.g., Semrush, Similarweb, Ahrefs), generative AI tools (Google Gemini, ChatGPT), or simply the classic Google search . This allows us to see aside from Google Ads who potentially appears with us in auctions, or which companies also rank organically or show presence in another form for relevant search queries. We can also relatively simply identify and use the relevant content of the competition for our analysis. Once the competitors are identified, we can start the actual competitive analysis and thus gain a better overview of the competitive environment we are operating in. Topics we should look at more closely include, among others: Website - What does the site look like? Is it a one-pager, or does it have a more complex design? Is the navigation simple, or rather more nested? How high is the informational content? What kind of approach is used? How easy is it for a user to convert? Marketing Strategy - What fundamental goals are pursued? Which actions are potential users supposed to take on the website (appointment requests, demos, downloading informational materials, product purchases, etc.)? Online Marketing Activities - Which channels are being played, which advertisement formats are used? Social Media Presence - What topics are covered? What works well, what doesn’t (engagement)? Where are there still gaps for our own positioning? Price and Offer Structure - Are discounts or other promotions frequent? Does the quality justify the prices, or is there an increasing reliance on low-priced products? Customer Reviews and Feedback - What do the customers say about this competitor? What do they like, what do they criticize? Summarize and keep an overview For better visibility, we can also summarize the insights gained in a classic SWOT analysis to visualize the current situation. This helps us to understand the status quo more easily, highlight our own strengths better, and identify potential gaps . Additionally, it can be worthwhile not only to compare the competitors to our own company but also to compare them with each other as part of the competitive analysis. This way, we may recognize commonalities and overlaps on which we should particularly focus. These analyses help us to gain a better understanding of our own USPs . Moreover, we can discover new potentials and play segments or products that have hardly existed until now. Based on this, we optimize our marketing strategy and in some cases can even predict new trends . If we discover significant differences in the price structure compared to our competitors, it becomes easier for us to justify our own prices . Perhaps our products are indeed more expensive than those of the competition, but in return, they are more robust and durable. This can be effectively communicated. We learn from the weaknesses and mistakes of our competitors through customer feedback and can ideally profit from them. By targeting communication that addresses the exact problems and concerns of the target group, we gain a competitive advantage and ensure better customer satisfaction and loyalty from the very beginning . By implementing the measures defined from this, not only do we ideally save a lot of money and tons of nerves, but we also free up time for the really important things, namely providing the best possible experience for the customers and also the employees within the company. Thank you very much for your attention! Hopefully, it was insightful, and you could take something away for yourself! In the fifth and final part of our mini-series, we will delve deeper into the topic of optimizing your own website . Our previous post on the topic of Contextual Advertising follows. Have we forgotten something important, or do you have questions on the subject? Then feel free to write it to us in the comments! If you want to get in direct contact with us, feel free to check out our contact form. We help you better understand your competitive situation and benefit from it, so you can get the most out of your online marketing strategy - simple and non-binding!

Contextual Advertising: How Context-Based Advertising Works

Mar 12, 2025

Alexander

Frank

Category:

Search Engine Advertising

The post banner with title, background image, and icon.

In this article, we take a closer look at Contextual Advertising. We will discuss the advantages of this advertising form and highlight some providers and opportunities that are particularly suitable for it. If you missed the previous parts of the series, feel free to check them out. There, we talk about why it is important to define the right corporate goals and the benefits of broadening your online marketing channels . Contextual Advertising With stricter data protection laws and the resultant increasing targeting restrictions , as well as the trend of many marketing platforms to automate and broaden campaign distribution, it becomes even more crucial to reach the right target audience at the right time and to minimize scatter losses as effectively as possible. But what are the options for targeting one's audience more effectively? This is where Contextual Advertising comes into play. In this form of advertising, ads are not displayed based on users' demographic data, preferences, and interests, but the algorithm primarily focuses on the current context of the page - which gives it the name “Contextual” Advertising. This means that websites are categorized based on various factors. These could be, for example: Product categories Images Text passages Specific keywords in the running text. After a successful categorization, ads that match the page content are played. In the example above, we see a NIKE advertisement placed in an article about the major running shoe test of 2024. It can be assumed that people interested in this article are also more likely to be interested in purchasing new running shoes in the near future. Thus, there is a match between the advertised ad and the purchase intention. The fact that the ad often blends seamlessly into the actual content of the website additionally reduces friction and enhances the coherence between advertising and content. Numerous studies have already shown that this positively impacts user perception and can increase purchase readiness. As mentioned earlier, Contextual Advertising helps to create as much relevance as possible for the target group while impacting the user experience minimally, and ideally even improving it. Additionally, it offers a good opportunity to position your brand in a targeted and brand-safe manner, thus avoiding unnecessary scatter losses. Since it completely dispenses with the use of cookies , this form of advertising is significantly more future-proof and robust against the increasing restrictions on third-party cookies. The question of the right channel for Contextual Advertising often cannot be answered universally but depends on many factors. On the one hand, there are the classic providers such as Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising , which enable contextual advertising. Here, targeting by keywords or specific placements is available. From experience, Google's keywords are often interpreted very “broadly,” which can make this type of targeting quite inaccurate. Advertising via placements works better. For example, offering moving services could achieve above-average campaign results on sites dealing with apartment searches, house buying, and similar topics. Other providers have almost exclusively specialized in Contextual Advertising. The most well-known among them are probably Criteo and GumGum , which have developed more advanced algorithms for website categorization, thus ensuring a significantly better match between content and ads . This is particularly worthwhile if the product range is quite broad. But what options are there if we offer a very “niche” service? Reddit offers the possibility, for example, of reaching people who have viewed or interacted with specific subreddits. Since Reddit is generally a platform with relatively higher engagement rates, this can positively affect ad perception and interaction. Although it's not possible to exclusively target specific subreddits here, higher relevance for the target group is still given by the fact that interaction with a subreddit already assumes a higher interest . Companies that sell tech products or gaming accessories could also find a promising channel in Twitch . Originally started as a purely gaming platform, Twitch has significantly expanded its offerings, but for many tech-savvy individuals, it remains a very relevant channel in the entertainment routine. And who hasn’t wanted a setup like their favorite streamer? Often unjustly underestimated, (Digital) Out of Home Advertising, also known as (D)OOH , is still often treated very negligently. What used to be indispensable in the form of billboard advertising in any marketing mix has lost significant popularity since the introduction of digital marketing, but has been on the rise again in recent years. More and more companies are recognizing the advantages of well-placed outdoor advertising, especially since the introduction of digital screens, which opens up a whole new range of possibilities. Suddenly, it is possible to advertise very dynamically at specific locations or at relevant times, reaching exactly the right target group at that moment. McDonald's demonstrated impressively a few years ago that this approach can work. Thank you very much for your attention! Hopefully, it was informative, and you could take something away from it! In the fourth part of our miniseries, we will take a closer look at competitive analysis . Have we forgotten something important, or do you still have questions on the topic? Feel free to write it in the comments! If you want to get in touch with us directly, feel free to visit our contact form . We help you to position your brand even more effectively with Contextual Advertising so that you can get the most out of your online marketing strategy - simply and without obligation!

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