What is SEO?
What is SEO?
What is SEO? SEO is an acronym for Search Engine Optimisation and SEO is a process designed to increase the visibility of your web pages in internet search engines. This is where a website’s content is found by consumers who are interested in & potentially looking to buy what it is you do!
Let me tell you that in 2020 the page in position #1 of the search engine results page received 31.7% of clicks. Position #2 received 10.05% and position #3 received just 7.22%. So, the question is what do you need to do to get on that all-important first page of the search engine?
To get you started, here is a list of the basics you will need to do in order to make your page visible to your consumers in order for them to find and click.
Quality content
Search engines look for good quality content relevant to the search, they look at the language you have used on your webpages to see if it’s relevant to the query.
Page load time
Ensure your page only takes a few seconds to load. If Visitors are left waiting they will likely hit the back button and this will not only mean fewer page visitors but it will also impact the bounce rate.
Bounce rate
This is a calculation based on how long consumers stay on your page before returning to the search page. If visitors are clicking on your site and then straight off again, this implies to the search engine that the content is not relevant or not useful to them. The search engine will then consider moving you down in the rankings.
Links
This is when you have links throughout your site for your consumers, helping them to easily navigate through the web pages gaining the information they are looking for.
CTR
This stands for click-through rate and is another element search engines look at. For example, if you are in the 5th position but getting more clicks than the website in 2nd position, the search engine will think that your page is more valuable and therefore boost you in the search results ranking.
Social links
Social media is another factor taken into consideration by search engines. Any increase in activities such as post shares will help your page result but only short term.
Backlinks
This is when an external site links back to your page. The higher the authority of the promoting site the better you will rank as the search engine will see that you are valuable and reward you for this.
Next Steps
Having an understanding of these terms will help you to work on your website’s page ranking. The next step is to implement a carefully thought through SEO strategy. Over time you will gain more visitors, increase the number of back-links to your website, improve your social media presence and see a growth in your online business revenue.
Scale-up your business growth today
If you would like our help to create an SEO strategy for your business then get in touch today. When you submit an enquiry we will call you within 24 hours to learn more about your business and to ask any questions we may have to provide you with an accurate quote.
Branding Identity or Logo Design First?
Branding Identity or Logo Design First?
When starting a new business, the eagerness to get going can mean that you quickly decide on a name, come up with a fairly simplistic logo, and start advertising! We live in such an instantaneous society these days, so add to this a couple of social media profiles and you may believe that this is all that is required to build a successful branding identity.
Of course, there are some who do, the overnight successes who become millionaires in the blink of an eye, “that could be me!”. If you are thinking of starting a new business venture, with the hope that you too will be one of the lucky ones you may end up costing yourself more money than you generate.
In the beginning
Deciding you are going to start your own business is a life-changing decision and ideally, you should adopt a long-term stance to ensure you have the strongest possible foundation to build on. Everyone who chooses to go start their own business has a mindset in wanting to achieve the optimal work/life balance, doing a job that they are passionate about plus the added benefits of choosing their own working hours, ‘being their own boss’, and ultimately, of course, wanting and striving to be successful. It’s a case of knowing what you want to achieve and setting SMART achievable goals that you work at, consistently. However, when you are first starting out it can be difficult to know where to start and which option is best for you in order to achieve your goals.
Fast out of the block
You could decide on your company name and from that design a fairly simplistic logo, enough to get you started and begin marketing your product or service. This strategy does have some positives as you can quickly gauge consumer interest, start trading, and hopefully see some return on what so far should be fairly little investment. Especially, if you are unsure as to how well your product or service will be received then this would mean there is less to lose from a financial perspective. Alternatively, should you do well get off to a good start then you will have more money coming back in to re-invest and propel your marketing further.
Slow & steady wins the race
This strategy appears like a win-win and eventually your business will hopefully progress to a stage where you can start expanding and you can even begin employing your own workforce. Despite your success, it is usually at this crucial moment where weaknesses in this strategy begin to appear. Initially, your branding was not a main concern as you strove to get your business up and running. However, when your business grows to such levels your branding becomes particularly important. You will want to continuously appeal to new consumers, whilst establishing loyalty from returning customers and for your brand persona and messaging to be viewed as genuine and authentic.
The importance of branding identity
Branding identity plays a fundamental role in your ever-growing pursuit to become recognisable, credible, and professional. Additionally, when you reach the stage where you are employing your own staff you will want your brand values to be clear and concise as they will become your very own business representatives.
Increasing success will determine the growing reproduction of your company’s visuals, including your logo, colouring, and chosen typeface. For these to look professional, of high-quality and recreated exactly will mean that you will need to establish everything with thorough brand guidelines.
Start as you mean to go on
Take some time to decide upon a fitting company name and invest in a high-quality logo. Even if you don’t initially go as far as to record all of this detail officially in brand guidelines etc, at least you will have a decent business plan for the future. A plan which will hopefully pave the way for a strong and meaningful brand identity that is not only distinguishable from your competitors but memorable for consumers and a wonderful representation of your success.
Brand identity to make you shine
If you would like our help to create your company logo and brand identity then we would be happy to help. When you submit an enquiry we will call you within 24 hours to learn more about your idea and to ask any questions we may have to provide you with an accurate quote.
Choosing The Right Logo For Your Business
Different Types Of Logo
Choosing The Right Logo For Your Business
There are many different types of logo and it’s important to remember that a logo is not just an image that symbolises your company. It is your first impression, a point of recognition, and ultimately the foundation of your company branding.
Every company strives to make a strong first impression, be attention-grabbing and memorable. A logo that easily distinguishes you from your competition. A logo is just one building block in the journey of creating a reputable company brand but it is important to create the right logo for your company.
To make this step even more complex, there are also many different types of logo designs to choose from and the question is ‘where do you start?!’. Don’t worry, we are here to help and this blog explains each type of logo, how they differ, and key questions to help you determine which type will be the best for your company.
Logo Types & Styles Explained
Monogram logo
A monogram logo or lettermark as it is also known is a logo that utilises letters to create a design. The letters are usually the brand initials or first letter of a usually lengthy company name.
Although it is a simplistic design, it is a very effective way of streamlining any company brand that has a long or particularly difficult name. In this case, the font you choose to use becomes fundamentally important as you want your overall design to remain legible and on theme with what your company does.
Wordmark logo
Similar to a lettermark, a wordmark logo is font-based however it incorporates the entire business name rather than just letters or initials.
A distinctive company name combined with a strong font could be all you need to create a logo that not only creates a strong brand recognition but one that is also memorable to consumers.
Pictorial mark
A pictorial mark or a logo symbol, as it is also known, is a graphic based logo that represents a company and is instantly recognisable.
As the logo itself is simply an image that represents the company, choosing what that image is can be troublesome. You need to bear in mind that whatever it is, it will need to be something that can remain with your company its entire trading life.
This type of logo may not be beneficial if you foresee any future changes to your business model such as the products you produce or the services you offer. Although it may be advantageous if you anticipate future growth into other countries and your business name is not easily translatable.
Abstract mark
Similar to a pictorial mark is uses a single image to represent your business however this is achieved using an abstract geometric form.
This avoids the potential issue around using a pictorial logo as you can create something truly unique to represent your brand and should your business model evolve your logo will remain relevant.
Mascot logo
These types of logo include an illustrated character who becomes your very own company ambassador or spokesperson.
These logos are usually fun, colourful and a fantastic way of appealing to younger audiences or families. These logos are a great tool if you wish to encourage customer interaction through events or social media hence why many sporting teams adopt this approach. However, it’s worth noting that a highly detailed illustration may be difficult and expensive to re-create throughout your marketing material.
Combination mark
As the name suggests this combines a wordmark logo with a pictorial, abstract mark or mascot.
This can be a very effective way of representing your business as utilising an image and text will reinforce your brand and people will immediately be able to recognise your company. It can also offer versatility as in future you may be able to use just the image as your brand becomes more memorable.
Emblem logo
Emblem logos include a name or font inside an icon, usually a badge or crest.
These types of logo can be extremely striking making your brand very distinguishable and memorable to consumers. They can be highly detailed and this, like the mascot logo, can mean that elaborate designs are difficult to reproduce, particularly on certain marketing resources such as business cards and items of branded uniform or clothing.
Distinctive logo design that'll make you memorable
Get in touch with our dedicated and responsive design team at Accentuate, who are happy to assist you in creating a purposeful logo that represents the core meaning and value behind your business.