Why is Digital Marketing so important?

We are living in remarkable times - on the cusp of a massive transition period, the impact of which will be on par with that of the Industrial Revolution. Major technology forces are changing how we work and what we do, driving change on a scale seldom seen. It’s the Technology Revolution, and it’s creating rampant uncertainty and change. Digital Marketing and Search Engine Marketing are extremely important for any business in 2024. Over 98% of Internet users use search engines to find services and products. This presents a massive opportunity for businesses like yours to grow, and it's critical that small businesses are able to capture it today. The internet has become a daily part of our lives. The consumer market has taken a paradigm shift in its uptake of technology. What's more, over 50% of search engine users in Australia are using their mobiles for finding products and services, we're also seeing a massive increase in voice searches - We can help you capture this audience, as well as standard desktop users. Professional Digital Marketing ensures that your business has the necessary digital footprint to rank high in search results, and more importantly, get you results. Without high rankings or online visibility, your business has very little chance of gaining new customers online. It's a super competitive world out there! Not everyone is technologically certified, and that's fine, if you work with us - we'll remove all of the complexity for you and get you the results that you want and need, today!

Do you provide any kind of guarantee?

We offer a guarantee that we will increase the number of leads and the customers that you receive. This is our main focus for our clients, we want you to grow and thrive! One thing worth noting, no SEO or SEM company can guarantee a number #1 position or specific ranking for your site for a given keyword phrase. If they claim that they can, run a mile! There are simply too many variables involved in determining specific placement within each search engines results page due to the bidding mechanism of Google Ads. We're a Google Ads and SEO Agency in Sydney, Australia; our senior consultants have worked with the largest brands (think, Microsoft, Commonwealth Bank, Citrix, QBE, Woolworths Group) and that should give you the confidence that you're dealing with real people, with real experience, that understand you and your business.

How much does SEO cost?

The cost of SEO in Australia can vary depending on various factors such as the size of your website, the competitiveness of your industry, and the scope of the SEO campaign. We believe in transparent pricing, and we provide custom quotes based on a thorough evaluation of your requirements. Our team will assess your website, conduct comprehensive keyword research, analyse your competition, and create a strategy to achieve your SEO goals. To get an accurate estimate of the cost for your SEO project, we recommend contacting us directly. Our friendly team will be happy to discuss your needs, provide a detailed proposal, and answer any other questions you may have. Remember, investing in professional SEO services can yield significant long-term benefits by improving your website's visibility, attracting more organic traffic, and boosting your online presence. Our aim is to provide high-quality SEO solutions that deliver tangible results within your budget.

How long does the optimisation process take?

This depends on the business requirements, the competitiveness of the keywords, and the budget we are given to work with, and the requirements to reach the top positions. A business in a low competition area will obviously take less time than a complex business with highly competitive terms. Generally speaking, we can deliver initial results within a 6-9 month period but will caveat that the budget needs to be assigned towards adequate high-authority link acquisition - we will assess this during our research process prior to you becoming a customer. Everything is data-driven here. Being a Digital Marketing and Adwords Agency in Sydney, we've done work with lots of businesses across Australia over the years - and we're excited to talk to you and how we can help you.

What are your Terms of Service?

Our Standard Terms of Service can be viewed here. For more complex arrangements, we will issue you a Statement of Work along with our Master Services Agreement.

Do we guarantee first-page rankings?

Marketix does not guarantee first-page rankings. SEO results are influenced by numerous factors beyond any agency's full control. Beware of agencies promising specific rankings; our aim is to provide sustainable growth and improved visibility over time.

What makes us different from other SEO agencies?

Marketix specialises solely in SEO, PPC, and Google Ads, unlike generalist agencies. This focus allows us to develop deep expertise, offering tailored strategies that adapt swiftly to search engine updates and industry shifts, ensuring our clients receive the most effective service possible. We also have some of the most in-depth, enterprise-grade systems and processes for delivering our work. These have been tested with our large portfolio of test websites, of which we also rank #1 for many of them.

What size businesses do we work with?

We cater to all business sizes, from small start-ups to large enterprises. However, most of our clients fall within the medium to large category. Our services are customised to each business's needs, scaling strategies to match the complexity and goals of each client.

How long does it take to get results?

Results vary, but based on our history with clients, improvements typically manifest between 6 to 12 months. Our approach is grounded in consistent performance analysis and strategic adjustments to optimise outcomes over time. Be sure to check out our case studies for real client examples and typical timeframes for results.

How do we handle changes in Google's algorithm?

Our team stays current with Google's updates to ensure strategies remain effective. When changes occur, we adjust our methods promptly to mitigate any negative impacts on your search rankings. This proactive approach is integral to maintaining and improving your SEO performance.

Mobile-First Indexing Best Practices

Google is soon going to be approaching a mobile-first indexing process, and this is going to become very important for SEO success.

Google prioritises the mobile version of a website for indexing and ranking. This shift means your mobile site’s performance directly impacts your search rankings. To stay ahead, you must optimise your site for mobile users.

We’ve outlined the best practices for mobile-first indexing to ensure your website remains competitive and user-friendly.

What is Mobile-First Indexing?

Mobile-first indexing means that Google predominantly uses the mobile version of a website’s content for indexing and ranking.

It is a significant shift from the traditional desktop-first indexing. In the past, Google’s indexing system primarily crawled the desktop version of a site, assessing content and relevance based on what was visible on desktop devices. With mobile-first indexing, Google now prioritises the mobile version of the website, reflecting the increasing number of users accessing the internet via mobile devices.

Its ultimate goal is to provide a better search experience for users who search on mobile devices. The mobile-first approach ensures that users get results optimised for their devices, offering a seamless and efficient browsing experience.

Difference Between Mobile-First and Desktop-First Indexing

The fundamental difference between mobile-first and desktop-first indexing lies in the version of the site that Google uses to evaluate and rank content. Under desktop-first indexing, Google’s bots primarily crawled and indexed the desktop version of websites. Mobile versions were secondary and used mainly for mobile-specific searches.

In contrast, mobile-first indexing uses the mobile version as the primary source of content for indexing. The mobile version is the starting point for what Google includes in its index and the baseline for how it determines rankings.

Impact on SEO and Website Rankings

Mobile-first indexing has a profound impact on SEO strategies. Websites that are not optimised for mobile can experience a decline in rankings. Google’s shift means that if your mobile site is slow, difficult to use, or missing content available on the desktop site, your overall search performance could suffer.

Several factors influenced by mobile-first indexing include:

Page Load Speed: Mobile sites must load quickly. Slow-loading pages can negatively impact user experience and rankings.
Content Parity: The content on the mobile site should match the desktop site. Missing or reduced content on mobile can lead to lower rankings.
Usability: Mobile sites need to be user-friendly. Complicated navigation and poor design can result in higher bounce rates and lower rankings.
Structured Data: Both versions of the site should have the same structured data to ensure that search engines can understand and index the content effectively.

Importance of Mobile-First Indexing for SEO and User Experience

Mobile-first indexing is crucial for modern SEO and user experience. With a significant portion of internet users accessing sites via mobile devices, optimising for mobile-first indexing ensures that your site meets the expectations of these users.

Key reasons for its importance include:

Increased Mobile Traffic: More users are accessing the internet through mobile devices than ever before. A mobile-optimised site can capture and retain this traffic.
Improved User Experience: A well-optimised mobile site provides a better user experience, reducing bounce rates and increasing user engagement.
Higher Search Rankings: Google prioritises sites that offer a good mobile experience. Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly can boost your rankings.
Future-Proofing: As mobile usage grows, adapting to mobile-first indexing ensures your site remains relevant and competitive.

Implementing mobile-first indexing should be necessary. It aligns your website with Google’s evolving algorithms and the needs of your audience, ensuring better performance, higher rankings, and an enhanced user experience.

Mobile-First Indexing Best Practices

Create a Mobile-Friendly Website

With most internet traffic coming from mobile devices, a site optimised for mobile ensures a seamless experience.

There are three primary configurations to create a mobile-friendly site:

Responsive design
Dynamic serving
Separate URLs

Responsive design is the most recommended as it uses the same HTML code and URL regardless of the device, adjusting the display based on screen size. This approach simplifies maintenance and ensures consistency across devices.

Dynamic serving, which uses the same URL but different HTML for each device, and separate URLs for different devices, can be more complex and prone to errors. Responsive design offers the advantage of being easier to implement and maintain, providing a consistent user experience across all devices.

Ensure Google Can Access and Render Content

For effective mobile-first indexing, Google must access and render your mobile content. Ensure robots meta tags are consistent across mobile and desktop versions.

Inconsistent tags can prevent Google from crawling and indexing your pages. Avoid lazy-loading primary content that requires user interactions like swiping or clicking, as Google may not load this content.

It's vital to let Google crawl your resources. Blocking resources, especially those with different URLs on mobile, can hinder Google's ability to index your site. Ensuring Google's access to all necessary resources is fundamental for proper indexing.

Maintain Consistent Content Across Desktop and Mobile

Consistency in content between desktop and mobile versions is important. Differences in content can lead to discrepancies in how Google understands your site. Make sure that your mobile site has equivalent content to the desktop version. If the mobile version has less content, update it to match the desktop site to avoid traffic loss. You can use design strategies like accordions or tabs to manage space on mobile while maintaining content parity.

Structured Data and Metadata

Structured data helps search engines understand and index your site content effectively. Ensure both mobile and desktop versions have the same structured data. Use correct URLs in structured data to prevent indexing errors.

Equivalence in titles and meta descriptions across both versions is also important. Consistently structured data and metadata improve how your site is indexed and ranked.

Structured data types like Breadcrumb, Product, and VideoObject should be prioritised on the mobile site. This practice enhances your site's visibility and ranking potential.

Optimise Visual Content for Mobile

Visual content needs careful optimisation for mobile devices. Use high-quality images but compress them to reduce load times. Avoid using URLs for images that change with each page load, as this can disrupt indexing. Ensure images have appropriate alt text on both mobile and desktop versions.

Consistency in titles, captions, filenames, and relevant text across both versions is essential.

Video content should follow similar practices, using supported formats and ensuring ease of access on mobile devices.

Ad Placement and User Experience

Ad placement on mobile sites can significantly impact user experience and SEO. Follow the Better Ads Standards to avoid intrusive ads that can harm your site's ranking.

Ads at the top of the page or those that disrupt content can lead to higher bounce rates and lower engagement. Make sure that ads do not overshadow the main content and that the mobile site remains user-friendly. Proper ad placement improves user experience, encouraging longer site visits and better interaction, which in turn positively affects search rankings.

Technical SEO Considerations

Crawlability and Indexability

Ensuring your site is crawlable and indexable is a fundamental aspect of technical SEO. Google needs to access, crawl, and index your content to rank it effectively. This means you must avoid blocking essential resources like CSS, JavaScript, and images.

Blocked resources can prevent Google from understanding your site’s content, leading to lower rankings.

Tools like Google Search Console and Semrush Site Audit can help you audit your site’s crawlability and indexability. Regular audits reveal issues that might hinder Google’s ability to crawl your site. Addressing these issues promptly ensures your site remains accessible and indexable, maintaining its visibility in search results.

Page Speed and Performance

Fast-loading pages are important for a positive user experience and high search rankings. Slow pages frustrate users and increase bounce rates, negatively impacting SEO. Tools like GTmetrix analyse your site’s performance on mobile and desktop.

These tools provide a score and offer specific recommendations for improvement. Implementing these suggestions, such as optimising images, reducing unused CSS, and eliminating render-blocking resources, can significantly enhance your site's performance.

Faster load times lead to better user experiences, higher engagement, and improved rankings, making this an essential aspect of mobile-first indexing.

Regular Audits and Monitoring

Continuous monitoring and regular audits are vital for maintaining your site’s SEO health.

Issues can arise at any time, impacting your site's performance and rankings. Scheduling regular site audits ensures that problems are detected and resolved promptly.

Tools like Screaming Frog can be set to run automatically, providing ongoing insights into your site’s health. Addressing errors, warnings, and notices as they appear helps keep your site optimised for both users and search engines.

Regular monitoring ensures your site remains competitive and performs well in search results, safeguarding your investment in SEO.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Missing Structured Data: Structured data is important for helping search engines understand your content. Missing structured data can lead to indexing issues and lower rankings. As mentioned above, make sure that both mobile and desktop versions of your site include the same structured data. Regularly check for structured data errors using tools like Google Search Console. Fix any discrepancies promptly to maintain your site's visibility and performance.
Incorrect Use of Noindex Tags: Using noindex tags incorrectly can prevent important pages from being indexed. You need to ensure consistency in the use of robots meta tags across mobile and desktop versions. Avoid placing noindex tags on pages that you want to appear in search results. Run the website on screaming Frog and sort the list to pages with noindex tag only. Then check each of them to see if there are pages that you prefer to get indexed by Google, so you can remove it.
Discrepancies in Content and Media: Discrepancies between desktop and mobile versions can confuse search engines and impact your rankings. Make sure that your mobile site contains the same primary content as your desktop site. Differences in media, such as images and videos, can also cause issues. Ensure that all visual content is present and optimised on both versions. Consistency in content and media helps maintain your site's credibility and ranking potential.
Handling URL and Redirect Issues: URL and redirect issues can cause significant indexing problems. Avoid using fragment URLs, as they are often not indexable. Make sure that mobile and desktop versions of your site have equivalent content and do not redirect to a single URL like the homepage. Regularly check for broken or incorrect redirects using tools like Google Search Console. Fixing these issues promptly ensures that all your pages are properly indexed and accessible, maintaining your site's overall health and performance.

Take Your SEO to the Next Level with Marketix Digital

Contact Marketix Digital, the #1 SEO Agency in Sydney, for expert SEO services. Optimise your website for mobile-first indexing and enhance your search rankings.

We offer a free audit or consultation to help you identify improvement areas and implement effective strategies. Stay ahead of the competition and boost your online presence with Marketix Digital. Reach out to us today to get started.

Mobile-First Indexing Best Practices

What is Mobile-First Indexing?