Happy Tuesday!
We're back again with more updates from the world of internet marketing to help SMBs and marketers to stay on top of the game!
This week, let's look at some essential updates we've found. First, we'll start with an article stating the importance of backlinks in SEO. Then, we'll learn more about the difference between Shopify and WooCommerce. We'll also look at YouTube's testing phase for its TikTok-like "Shorts" option.
As well, we'll have a look at how the Ontario government is supporting local small businesses. Finally, we'll see how Bing's new update will have a visual search for product ads.
Let's dive in!
Backlinks: Why They're Necessary for SEO
If you know that SEO is essential, then it's equally important to understand the importance of backlinks in SEO. If you are running any business, and if you want to get traffic to your website, quality backlinks are vital. But, deciding how much to invest in building them isn't always so straightforward.
Here at TechWyse, although we know the difficulties involved in acquiring these backlinks, we do it daily! That's the very reason why we're showing you this article - to show why we bother so much with backlinks and why you should too.
In the article, you'll begin to understand more why it's important to focus on building backlinks to get traffic, rankings, and the conversions you need for your business.
Battle of SEO: Shopify vs. WooCommerce. Who Would Win?
Many eCommerce businesses go big with their ideas in the initial stages, but then fail to acquire the audience they need. This is what makes them tap into the power of search engine optimization (SEO). Getting the right platform helpful for SEO is important if you are trying to take advantage of it right from the start. If you can get an SEO-effective platform, then its a double-win for you!
So what makes SEO so important to business?
SEO can increase your website's visibility and improve your user experience on search engines. If you can get your products to appear in their search results and they get to see what they were looking for, it's mutually beneficial!
SEO is very cost-effective, as it can be done easily on your website by yourself. It is also good for your website as it can potentially rank your website on SERPs.
That's some of the proved points that make SEO a must-have asset for any online store. So what can Shopify and WooCommerce do and which position do they hold in this SEO competition? Read on to find out!
YouTube Moves to the Testing Phase for its TikTok-Like "Shorts" Option
YouTube started working on a new, TikTok-like, short-form video option within YouTube. This provides YouTubers with a new way to tap into the rising, 15-second clip trend.
YouTube has shared some details about the upcoming function.
As per YouTube:
"We're testing out a new way for creators to easily record multiple clips directly in the YouTube mobile app and upload as one video. If you're in this experiment, you'll see an option to 'create a video' in the mobile upload flow. Tap or hold the record button to record your first clip, then tap again or release the button to stop recording that clip. Repeat these steps until you're done capturing footage up to a maximum length of 15 seconds."
We still don't know entirely how this function will look like. The UI will, however, seek to replicate TikTok in any way. Before deciding whether to move forward with the experiment, YouTube's rolling out the test to a small number of users on both Android and iOS.
Ontario Encourages Support of Local Small Businesses
The Ontario government celebrated International Small Business Week with the launch of the "Shop Local! Shop Safe! Shop with Confidence!" campaign. This campaign encourages Ontarians to support their local small businesses and to shop safely!
Ontario is a place to grow and achieve big dreams. The countless success stories of so many small businesses are living proof. Businesses who supported the fight against COVID-19 had to close their doors for months, and now the Ontario government says it's their turn to help support their recovery.
The province's campaign asks for mayors, local leaders and groups to support our small businesses by committing on social media to "Shop Local, Shop Safe, Shop with Confidence."
Read the full article to learn more!
Bing Brings Visual Search to Product Ads
Bing is coming up with a new visual search feature to its sponsored shopping results. This feature has launched for clothing and shoes, with an expansion into home decor planned for the near future.
How is this new feature useful to retailers?
This feature hugely benefits retailers who manage Microsoft Shopping Campaigns as their product discoverability on Bing's platform. It can also facilitate comparison shopping, creating a more competitive environment for similar products.
These visual shopping icons appear on product listings within Bing's shopping results and is useful while searching for similar looking products. Users can search for related products by simply uploading an image or pasting an image URL on the visual search icon within the Bing Shopping search box.
Wrapping Up!
So far, we came across various features and latest updates that can help you improve your marketing knowledge. From learning the importance of backlinks in SEO to comparing two top-rated platforms in terms of SEO, a lot is going on. As well, we saw YouTube testing its new TikTok-like "shorts" option. We also saw how the Ontario government is helping small businesses recover after having to close for months due to COVID-19.
Finally, we saw Bing's new feature that will allow users to upload an image or click on a product result to shop for visually similar items.
Want to learn more updates on the world of digital marketing and expand your knowledge? Take the time to check out our latest blogs and stay safe!
