Category: Internet Marketing

If you want to make money selling online, it’s important to look at how to cut costs for your eCommerce business expenses – but not cut any corners. The online marketplace is incredibly competitive, but quality matters as much as price. That’s why we’ve come up with a number of ways you can cut expenses in running an online shop or service without reducing the level of quality you serve customers.

• Reduce Storage Costs
• Cut Label Printing Costs
• Look for Online Web Store Deals
• Hire Marketing Help Using Online Platforms
• Be Savvy with Packaging
• Automate Some Processes
• Negotiate Supplier and Shipping Costs
• Invest in Customer Retention

Reduce Storage Costs

One of the biggest outlays for an online shop is storage space. Whether you’re working from your living room or renting secure storage, minimising your storage costs can slash your operating expenses.

The fastest way to do this is assess your stock levels. What isn’t shifting? Do you have overly large single items that take up bulky space? Looking at what is taking up space and how fast you rotate through different inventory items is one of the fastest ways to assess whether you need to rent less space.

If you handle a large inventory or big items, dropshipping is an option to consider. This gives you less control over the quality of items and delivery dates, but it means you don’t need to store physical stock. While there is a boom in dropshipping eCommerce businesses lately, they take away the personalised aspect which can put customers off. You don’t have oversight of parcels as they are packed and delivered, and you can’t do things like add branded cardboard boxes or inserts into packages to promote deals.

Finally, if you rent storage space for your inventory, negotiate! Ask if you can have an introductory discount or if you can get a reduction for paying a few months up-front. Some places will also do referral fees so you could even discuss putting an affiliate link on your website to encourage signups.

Cut Label Printing Costs

It might feel like a saving to buy fewer printed labels for your products until you know what sells and what doesn’t. However, bulk buying products like postal labels, packaging inserts, and branded stickers will save you an awful lot of money. Labels are the kind of thing you’ll use far more quickly than you expect!

Once you have a strong creative brand for your business, you can save a lot of money on bulk buying branded labels, like the round ones used to secure a box. If you’re not into branding or haven’t quite settled on your designs yet, blank labels and security labels are also cheaper to buy in bulk and can be used at any time so it’s never a waste of money.

Look for Introductory Web Store Deals

If you’re setting up your own online shop, it’s important to shop around for the best deal for setting up your website. The cheapest deal might not be the best, so do some research before opting for the lowest price.

Look for website packages that include:

• Your domain name registration
• Email addresses
• 24/7 customer support
• Web hosting
• The ability to scale up easily as you grow
• Ecommerce templates for easy web design
• Integration with common payment types like PayPal

These things will make setting up your store much easier and help you build a website that grows with your business.

Hire eCommerce Marketing Help Online

Platforms like Fiverr are fantastic for finding people with skills that you don’t have. The art of running a business starts with being able to delegate. Focus on the tasks you know you can do, and hire people to do the things you can’t. It might not feel like a saving at the start, as you’ll need to pay some money. However, the time saving you get from having to learn a new skill (which can take years!) and getting a professional to help in days is well worth the expense.

It is worth noting, however, that sometimes online hiring platforms can be hit or miss. You may find that it is better to go for a service linked to a supplier. You may find a website designer also does branding, for example. Or perhaps your packaging supplier has a design service for branded boxes.

Put together a clear creative brief for whatever it is you’re looking for. Do you need someone to grow your social media following? Design your brand logo? Create a website? Whatever it is, be clear in the brief about what you need, when you expect it to be done by, and your budget. This will help to find the right people to help in a shorter time – saving even more cash as you can get started faster!

Be Savvy with Packaging

Instead of getting lots of small cardboard boxes of different sizes, it can be more economical to send things in medium and larger boxes with stuffing in. This way, you can bulk buy packaging like branded cardboard boxes and mailing envelopes as well as packaging. Doing that will reduce your overall cost per item to cut costs for your eCommerce business and actually increase quality as you send branded packaging.

Try to be as sustainable as you can, too. Cardboard always is better than plastic, and it is better to use the smallest box you can rather than using lots of excess stuffing. From letters to parcels, you should be aware of the size and weight you need to ship.

Automate Some eCommerce Business Processes

While many of us are aware of the incoming AI revolution with some trepidation, there are ways it can help automate your work processes to save you time. More than that, it can help you analyse your customer behaviour, so that you can work out the best way to maximise sales to increase profits.

Automation might be as simple as sending a follow-up email once an item has been delivered to make sure your customer is happy. This is a small-scale example of how to improve customer service, but gives a feeling of personalised service that will increase the chance of customers returning to buy more.

Automating processes that save you time can also include sending ‘items left in your cart’ emails, encouraging people to sign up to newsletters, and analysing stock and inventory levels. These are all straightforward tasks that can take you a lot of time as a new online shop owner, that will save you a lot of cash in the long term if you put automated processes in place.

You might not be able to automate everything, but being aware of how to manage your accounts well is another way to save time and money. Rather than spending on accountant fees, learning more about Making Tax Digital for businesses and what software you need to manage accounts will save a lot of time – and therefore money – in filing for your taxes!

Negotiate Supplier and Shipping Costs

If you use a local courier, talk to them to see how much you can negotiate on your shipping prices. You’d be surprised how much you could save!

Suppliers are also where you can cut costs for your eCommerce business. Bulk buying is one way to do it – but if you don’t have the storage space, don’t worry! Talk to suppliers to see if you can commit to buying a certain amount to achieve a discount, but receive the items in spread out shipments. This saves on your storage space while helping you take advantage of per-unit discounts.

Invest in Customer Retention

This one might feel a bit backwards, but stick with us on this. Investing in your customer service as you launch your eCommerce business is one of the best ways to cut costs in the long-term.

Customer retention could be as simple as printing package inserts with unique discount codes to thank them for their purchase, offering a discount on their next purchase. Or, as outlined above, sending thank-you emails after their item has been delivered. If you have a technical item, including user guides either as printed inserts or in an email will improve customer satisfaction, too.

 

 

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence. When investing your capital is at risk.

The post Cut Costs for Your eCommerce Business Without Cutting Quality appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/cut-costs-for-your-ecommerce-business-without-cutting-quality

If you want to make money selling online, it’s important to look at how to cut costs for your eCommerce business expenses – but not cut any corners. The online marketplace is incredibly competitive, but quality matters as much as price. That’s why we’ve come up with a number of ways you can cut expenses in running an online shop or service without reducing the level of quality you serve customers.

• Reduce Storage Costs
• Cut Label Printing Costs
• Look for Online Web Store Deals
• Hire Marketing Help Using Online Platforms
• Be Savvy with Packaging
• Automate Some Processes
• Negotiate Supplier and Shipping Costs
• Invest in Customer Retention

Reduce Storage Costs

One of the biggest outlays for an online shop is storage space. Whether you’re working from your living room or renting secure storage, minimising your storage costs can slash your operating expenses.

The fastest way to do this is assess your stock levels. What isn’t shifting? Do you have overly large single items that take up bulky space? Looking at what is taking up space and how fast you rotate through different inventory items is one of the fastest ways to assess whether you need to rent less space.

If you handle a large inventory or big items, dropshipping is an option to consider. This gives you less control over the quality of items and delivery dates, but it means you don’t need to store physical stock. While there is a boom in dropshipping eCommerce businesses lately, they take away the personalised aspect which can put customers off. You don’t have oversight of parcels as they are packed and delivered, and you can’t do things like add branded cardboard boxes or inserts into packages to promote deals.

Finally, if you rent storage space for your inventory, negotiate! Ask if you can have an introductory discount or if you can get a reduction for paying a few months up-front. Some places will also do referral fees so you could even discuss putting an affiliate link on your website to encourage signups.

Cut Label Printing Costs

It might feel like a saving to buy fewer printed labels for your products until you know what sells and what doesn’t. However, bulk buying products like postal labels, packaging inserts, and branded stickers will save you an awful lot of money. Labels are the kind of thing you’ll use far more quickly than you expect!

Once you have a strong creative brand for your business, you can save a lot of money on bulk buying branded labels, like the round ones used to secure a box. If you’re not into branding or haven’t quite settled on your designs yet, blank labels and security labels are also cheaper to buy in bulk and can be used at any time so it’s never a waste of money.

Look for Introductory Web Store Deals

If you’re setting up your own online shop, it’s important to shop around for the best deal for setting up your website. The cheapest deal might not be the best, so do some research before opting for the lowest price.

Look for website packages that include:

• Your domain name registration
• Email addresses
• 24/7 customer support
• Web hosting
• The ability to scale up easily as you grow
• Ecommerce templates for easy web design
• Integration with common payment types like PayPal

These things will make setting up your store much easier and help you build a website that grows with your business.

Hire eCommerce Marketing Help Online

Platforms like Fiverr are fantastic for finding people with skills that you don’t have. The art of running a business starts with being able to delegate. Focus on the tasks you know you can do, and hire people to do the things you can’t. It might not feel like a saving at the start, as you’ll need to pay some money. However, the time saving you get from having to learn a new skill (which can take years!) and getting a professional to help in days is well worth the expense.

It is worth noting, however, that sometimes online hiring platforms can be hit or miss. You may find that it is better to go for a service linked to a supplier. You may find a website designer also does branding, for example. Or perhaps your packaging supplier has a design service for branded boxes.

Put together a clear creative brief for whatever it is you’re looking for. Do you need someone to grow your social media following? Design your brand logo? Create a website? Whatever it is, be clear in the brief about what you need, when you expect it to be done by, and your budget. This will help to find the right people to help in a shorter time – saving even more cash as you can get started faster!

Be Savvy with Packaging

Instead of getting lots of small cardboard boxes of different sizes, it can be more economical to send things in medium and larger boxes with stuffing in. This way, you can bulk buy packaging like branded cardboard boxes and mailing envelopes as well as packaging. Doing that will reduce your overall cost per item to cut costs for your eCommerce business and actually increase quality as you send branded packaging.

Try to be as sustainable as you can, too. Cardboard always is better than plastic, and it is better to use the smallest box you can rather than using lots of excess stuffing. From letters to parcels, you should be aware of the size and weight you need to ship.

Automate Some eCommerce Business Processes

While many of us are aware of the incoming AI revolution with some trepidation, there are ways it can help automate your work processes to save you time. More than that, it can help you analyse your customer behaviour, so that you can work out the best way to maximise sales to increase profits.

Automation might be as simple as sending a follow-up email once an item has been delivered to make sure your customer is happy. This is a small-scale example of how to improve customer service, but gives a feeling of personalised service that will increase the chance of customers returning to buy more.

Automating processes that save you time can also include sending ‘items left in your cart’ emails, encouraging people to sign up to newsletters, and analysing stock and inventory levels. These are all straightforward tasks that can take you a lot of time as a new online shop owner, that will save you a lot of cash in the long term if you put automated processes in place.

You might not be able to automate everything, but being aware of how to manage your accounts well is another way to save time and money. Rather than spending on accountant fees, learning more about Making Tax Digital for businesses and what software you need to manage accounts will save a lot of time – and therefore money – in filing for your taxes!

Negotiate Supplier and Shipping Costs

If you use a local courier, talk to them to see how much you can negotiate on your shipping prices. You’d be surprised how much you could save!

Suppliers are also where you can cut costs for your eCommerce business. Bulk buying is one way to do it – but if you don’t have the storage space, don’t worry! Talk to suppliers to see if you can commit to buying a certain amount to achieve a discount, but receive the items in spread out shipments. This saves on your storage space while helping you take advantage of per-unit discounts.

Invest in Customer Retention

This one might feel a bit backwards, but stick with us on this. Investing in your customer service as you launch your eCommerce business is one of the best ways to cut costs in the long-term.

Customer retention could be as simple as printing package inserts with unique discount codes to thank them for their purchase, offering a discount on their next purchase. Or, as outlined above, sending thank-you emails after their item has been delivered. If you have a technical item, including user guides either as printed inserts or in an email will improve customer satisfaction, too.

 

 

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence. When investing your capital is at risk.

The post Cut Costs for Your eCommerce Business Without Cutting Quality appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/cut-costs-for-your-ecommerce-business-without-cutting-quality

Home Business Magazine Online

Have you ever wondered about personal injury law firms? Many people have misconceptions. These myths can prevent you from getting the help you need. This article debunks some of these common myths about personal injury law firms. Understanding the truth can help you make informed decisions.

Myth 1: Personal Injury Lawyers Are Too Expensive

Many people think personal injury lawyers are too expensive. This is only sometimes true. A personal injury law firm often works on a contingency fee basis. In the state and local government sector in South Carolina, 9,000 injury and illness cases were reported in 2022, resulting in a rate of 3.5 cases per 100 full-time workers. This means they get paid only if you win your case. You do not have to pay upfront fees. This makes legal help more accessible. Lawyers want to help you get fair compensation. They understand your financial concerns. Don’t let cost stop you from seeking help.

Myth 2: You Can Handle a Claim on Your Own

Some believe they can handle a claim alone. This is risky. Personal injury law is complex. A lawyer has the expertise you need. They understand the legal process. They can negotiate with insurance companies. With a lawyer, you might get more compensation. Lawyers know how to gather evidence. They can build a strong case. Handling it yourself can lead to mistakes. It’s better to have professional help.

Myth 3: All Personal Injury Lawyers Are the Same

People often think all personal injury lawyers are the same. This is not true. Lawyers have different levels of experience. Some specialize in certain types of cases. It’s essential to choose the right lawyer. Look for someone with experience in your specific case. Check their track record. Read client reviews. Find a lawyer who understands your needs. The right lawyer makes a big difference.

Myth 4: Personal Injury Cases Take Too Long

Many believe personal injury cases take too long. Some cases do take time. But not all cases are lengthy. The duration depends on the complexity of the case. A good lawyer works efficiently. They aim to resolve cases quickly. They keep you informed throughout the process. Delays can happen. But with the right lawyer, the process is smoother. Patience and communication are key.

Myth 5: You Don’t Need a Lawyer for Minor Injuries

Some think they don’t need a lawyer for minor injuries. Even minor injuries can have long-term effects. A lawyer helps you understand your rights. They ensure you get fair compensation. Minor injuries can become severe over time. Medical bills can add up. A lawyer helps you get the compensation you deserve. Remember to consider the importance of legal help.

Myth 6: Personal Injury Lawyers Only Want Money

People think personal injury lawyers only want money. This needs to be clarified. Lawyers are there to help you. They want to ensure you get justice. They understand your struggles. Many lawyers are passionate about helping clients. They work hard to win your case. It’s not just about money. It’s about getting fair treatment.

Myth 7: You Can’t Afford a Good Lawyer

Many believe they can’t afford a good lawyer. This is only sometimes true. Many lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means they get paid only if you win. You don’t need to pay upfront fees. This makes legal help accessible. Good lawyers are committed to your case. They want to help you get the best outcome. Don’t let cost stop you from getting help.

Myth 8: Personal Injury Claims Are Always Fraudulent

Some think personal injury claims are always fraudulent. This is not true. Many claims are legitimate. People get injured and need help. Fraudulent claims are rare. Lawyers work to ensure genuine cases are heard. They gather evidence to support your claim. The legal process helps prevent fraud. Trust the system. Genuine claims deserve attention.

Conclusion

There are many myths about personal injury law firms. These misconceptions can stop you from getting the help you need. It’s essential to know the truth. Personal injury lawyers are there to help you. They work on a contingency fee basis. They have the expertise to handle your case. Not all lawyers are the same. Choose the right one for your needs. Personal injury cases sometimes take little time.

Even minor injuries need legal help. Lawyers are not just about money. They want to ensure you get justice and the maximum compensation you deserve. Legal help is accessible and affordable. Fraudulent claims are rare. Trust the process. Get the help you need and deserve. Understanding these truths can make a big difference. It ensures you get fair compensation. Don’t let myths stop you from seeking help.

The post What Are the Common Myths About Personal Injury Law Firms? appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/management/legalese/common-myths-personal-injury-law-firms/

A majority of Americans are spending more time searching for services online today than five years ago — and they’re frustrated about it, according to a new survey.

Why we care. Search engines are supposed to help people find information they want or need. This survey indicates that subpar search engine results and experiences may be failing to help users accomplish tasks, frustrating them.

Search engine frustration. Respondents were asked which part of the process of searching for services online was most frustrating to them. The top three:

• Looking through search results: 26%
• Coming up with the right search term: 22%
• Visiting multiple websites: 21%

My reaction: These are all problems that Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT and other answer engines will someday (soon?) be in a position to solve. However, the full promise of generative AI in search has not been realized.

More searching. A majority of respondents said they look through more search results compared to five years ago:

• More: 54% (19% “a lot more”; 35% “a little more”).
• Less: 27% (19% “a little less”; 8% “a lot less”).
• About the same: 20%.

A majority of respondents also said they spend more time searching when looking for services online:

• More time: 51% (16% “a lot more”; 35% “a little more”).
• Less time: 28% (18% “a little less”; 10% “a lot less”).
• About the same amount of time: 21%.

My reaction: Users have been increasingly frustrated by Google’s search quality – and this is further confirmation that we’re not imagining it – despite Google telling us people love AI Overviews and Search results. Google told us Search usage is increasing due to AI Overviews – but is that because they are researching more deeply or because they can’t find the right answers?

Low PPC ad relevance. Only 12% of respondents said search ads were relevant to them. Yes, PPC ads just barely beat out radio at 10% in this survey.

• More respondents said they encounter more relevant ads on six other channels: television (41%), YouTube (37%), Facebook (32%), Instagram (32%), TikTok (19%), websites (18%).

My reaction: I’m shocked that television is number one, though I’m less surprised to see that multiple social platforms rank higher right now – especially in light of more users using social for search and discovery, perhaps due to a growing frustration with ads on search results.

What else. On the SERPs, 35% of respondents said they skip (I assume scroll past) ads to go to the website (organic) results. Also:

• 33% look for sources/companies they recognize by name (hello, brand recognition).
• 33% look for results with higher star ratings.

Less surprising. Other findings of note:

• 30% of respondents believe services that appear higher in search results are usually more relevant.
• 46% of respondents said having “credible” results would make the search experience more enjoyable.
• 86% of respondents believe they almost always, or more often than not, can distinguish between organic and paid results.
• 47% believe it’s easier to tell the difference between organic and paid results; 37% think it’s harder; 16% believe it’s no different vs. five years ago.

But. It’s also entirely possible that some, or many, of the survey respondents aren’t the most technologically savvy.

About the data. The survey of 1,000 U.S. adults was designed to ensure a national representation in terms of gender, age and region. It was conducted in late February by Dynata, an independent market research company, on behalf of Scorpion, which provides technology and services for local businesses.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/search-engine-experience-results-ads-survey-442943

If you want to make money selling online, it’s important to look at how to cut costs for your eCommerce business expenses – but not cut any corners. The online marketplace is incredibly competitive, but quality matters as much as price. That’s why we’ve come up with a number of ways you can cut expenses in running an online shop or service without reducing the level of quality you serve customers.

• Reduce Storage Costs
• Cut Label Printing Costs
• Look for Online Web Store Deals
• Hire Marketing Help Using Online Platforms
• Be Savvy with Packaging
• Automate Some Processes
• Negotiate Supplier and Shipping Costs
• Invest in Customer Retention

Reduce Storage Costs

One of the biggest outlays for an online shop is storage space. Whether you’re working from your living room or renting secure storage, minimising your storage costs can slash your operating expenses.

The fastest way to do this is assess your stock levels. What isn’t shifting? Do you have overly large single items that take up bulky space? Looking at what is taking up space and how fast you rotate through different inventory items is one of the fastest ways to assess whether you need to rent less space.

If you handle a large inventory or big items, dropshipping is an option to consider. This gives you less control over the quality of items and delivery dates, but it means you don’t need to store physical stock. While there is a boom in dropshipping eCommerce businesses lately, they take away the personalised aspect which can put customers off. You don’t have oversight of parcels as they are packed and delivered, and you can’t do things like add branded cardboard boxes or inserts into packages to promote deals.

Finally, if you rent storage space for your inventory, negotiate! Ask if you can have an introductory discount or if you can get a reduction for paying a few months up-front. Some places will also do referral fees so you could even discuss putting an affiliate link on your website to encourage signups.

Cut Label Printing Costs

It might feel like a saving to buy fewer printed labels for your products until you know what sells and what doesn’t. However, bulk buying products like postal labels, packaging inserts, and branded stickers will save you an awful lot of money. Labels are the kind of thing you’ll use far more quickly than you expect!

Once you have a strong creative brand for your business, you can save a lot of money on bulk buying branded labels, like the round ones used to secure a box. If you’re not into branding or haven’t quite settled on your designs yet, blank labels and security labels are also cheaper to buy in bulk and can be used at any time so it’s never a waste of money.

Look for Introductory Web Store Deals

If you’re setting up your own online shop, it’s important to shop around for the best deal for setting up your website. The cheapest deal might not be the best, so do some research before opting for the lowest price.

Look for website packages that include:

• Your domain name registration
• Email addresses
• 24/7 customer support
• Web hosting
• The ability to scale up easily as you grow
• Ecommerce templates for easy web design
• Integration with common payment types like PayPal

These things will make setting up your store much easier and help you build a website that grows with your business.

Hire eCommerce Marketing Help Online

Platforms like Fiverr are fantastic for finding people with skills that you don’t have. The art of running a business starts with being able to delegate. Focus on the tasks you know you can do, and hire people to do the things you can’t. It might not feel like a saving at the start, as you’ll need to pay some money. However, the time saving you get from having to learn a new skill (which can take years!) and getting a professional to help in days is well worth the expense.

It is worth noting, however, that sometimes online hiring platforms can be hit or miss. You may find that it is better to go for a service linked to a supplier. You may find a website designer also does branding, for example. Or perhaps your packaging supplier has a design service for branded boxes.

Put together a clear creative brief for whatever it is you’re looking for. Do you need someone to grow your social media following? Design your brand logo? Create a website? Whatever it is, be clear in the brief about what you need, when you expect it to be done by, and your budget. This will help to find the right people to help in a shorter time – saving even more cash as you can get started faster!

Be Savvy with Packaging

Instead of getting lots of small cardboard boxes of different sizes, it can be more economical to send things in medium and larger boxes with stuffing in. This way, you can bulk buy packaging like branded cardboard boxes and mailing envelopes as well as packaging. Doing that will reduce your overall cost per item to cut costs for your eCommerce business and actually increase quality as you send branded packaging.

Try to be as sustainable as you can, too. Cardboard always is better than plastic, and it is better to use the smallest box you can rather than using lots of excess stuffing. From letters to parcels, you should be aware of the size and weight you need to ship.

Automate Some eCommerce Business Processes

While many of us are aware of the incoming AI revolution with some trepidation, there are ways it can help automate your work processes to save you time. More than that, it can help you analyse your customer behaviour, so that you can work out the best way to maximise sales to increase profits.

Automation might be as simple as sending a follow-up email once an item has been delivered to make sure your customer is happy. This is a small-scale example of how to improve customer service, but gives a feeling of personalised service that will increase the chance of customers returning to buy more.

Automating processes that save you time can also include sending ‘items left in your cart’ emails, encouraging people to sign up to newsletters, and analysing stock and inventory levels. These are all straightforward tasks that can take you a lot of time as a new online shop owner, that will save you a lot of cash in the long term if you put automated processes in place.

You might not be able to automate everything, but being aware of how to manage your accounts well is another way to save time and money. Rather than spending on accountant fees, learning more about Making Tax Digital for businesses and what software you need to manage accounts will save a lot of time – and therefore money – in filing for your taxes!

Negotiate Supplier and Shipping Costs

If you use a local courier, talk to them to see how much you can negotiate on your shipping prices. You’d be surprised how much you could save!

Suppliers are also where you can cut costs for your eCommerce business. Bulk buying is one way to do it – but if you don’t have the storage space, don’t worry! Talk to suppliers to see if you can commit to buying a certain amount to achieve a discount, but receive the items in spread out shipments. This saves on your storage space while helping you take advantage of per-unit discounts.

Invest in Customer Retention

This one might feel a bit backwards, but stick with us on this. Investing in your customer service as you launch your eCommerce business is one of the best ways to cut costs in the long-term.

Customer retention could be as simple as printing package inserts with unique discount codes to thank them for their purchase, offering a discount on their next purchase. Or, as outlined above, sending thank-you emails after their item has been delivered. If you have a technical item, including user guides either as printed inserts or in an email will improve customer satisfaction, too.

 

 

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence. When investing your capital is at risk.

The post Cut Costs for Your eCommerce Business Without Cutting Quality appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/cut-costs-for-your-ecommerce-business-without-cutting-quality

Home Business Magazine Online

Creating a home office that fosters productivity and comfort can make a significant difference in your work-from-home experience. Whether you have a dedicated room or a small corner, setting up an effective home office requires careful planning and thoughtful choices. In asking ‘How to set up a home office?’, here are eight essentials to remember to ensure your home office is functional, stylish, and conducive to a productive work environment.

1. Choose the Right Location

The first step in setting up your home office is selecting the right location. Ideally, you want a quiet space with minimal distractions. If you don’t have a separate room, consider a corner of your bedroom or living room that can be dedicated solely to work. Ensure that the chosen spot has adequate lighting and is away from high-traffic areas in your home.

2. Invest in a Comfortable Chair

A comfortable chair is crucial for maintaining good posture and preventing back pain. Look for an ergonomic chair that offers lumbar support, adjustable height, and a seat cushion that keeps you comfortable during long working hours. Remember, your chair is an investment in your health and productivity.

3. Get a Suitable Desk

Your desk is the centerpiece of your home office. Choose a desk that fits your space and provides enough surface area for your computer, paperwork, and other essentials. If you’re short on space, consider a compact desk or a wall-mounted option. Make sure your desk height allows your arms to rest comfortably at a 90-degree angle while typing.

4. Consider Multi-Functional Furniture

In a home office, space is often at a premium, so multi-functional furniture can be a game-changer. For instance, an ottoman that doubles as storage or a desk that folds away when not in use can help maximize your space. If you’re curious about versatile pieces, you might want to explore what is considered a coffee table. These pieces can serve multiple purposes and blend seamlessly into your home office setup.

5. Organize Your Supplies

Clutter can be a significant distraction, so keeping your workspace organized is vital. Invest in storage solutions such as shelves, filing cabinets, and desk organizers. These will help you keep your documents, office supplies, and personal items neatly arranged and easily accessible.

6. Add Personal Touches

Your home office should reflect your personality and make you feel comfortable. Add personal touches such as family photos, artwork, or plants to create a space that inspires you. However, avoid over-cluttering your workspace; keep it simple and focused on items that genuinely bring you joy or motivation.

7. Optimize Technology

Reliable technology is the backbone of any productive home office. Ensure your computer, printer, and internet connection are up to par. Invest in a good-quality monitor, keyboard, and mouse to enhance your comfort and efficiency. Cable management solutions can help keep cords organized and out of sight.

8. Ensure Proper Lighting

Good lighting is essential for reducing eye strain and creating a pleasant working environment. Natural light is the best, so position your desk near a window if possible. Supplement with task lighting, such as a desk lamp, to ensure you have adequate illumination during cloudy days or nighttime work sessions.

More Tips for Enhancing Your Home Office

Once you have the basics covered, think about simple changes like adding a whiteboard for brainstorming, using noise-canceling headphones, or incorporating smart home devices that can significantly enhance your productivity and comfort. Check out these ways to upgrade your home office to find more ideas tailored to your needs.

A. Stay Organized and Declutter

Declutter your home office regularly to maintain a clean and organized workspace. Spend a few minutes at the end of each day tidying up and preparing for the next day’s tasks. This simple habit can prevent your workspace from becoming overwhelming and keep you focused on your work.

B. Take Breaks and Move Around

Aside from enhancing your physical room, you should also keep improving and taking care of yourself. Don’t forget to incorporate breaks into your workday.

Sitting for long periods can be detrimental to your health, so stand up, stretch, and move around every hour. Consider setting a timer to remind you to take breaks, and use that time to step away from your desk and refresh your mind and body.

Transform Your Home Office Today

Answering, “How to set up a home office office?” doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With these essentials, you can create a space that supports your productivity and well-being. Remember to choose the right location, invest in a comfortable chair, and keep your workspace organized and personalized. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to a functional and stylish home office that makes working from home a breeze.

The post How To Set Up a Home Office: 8 Essentials to Remember appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/home-office/home-office-set-up/how-set-up-home-office-essentials/

AI-powered search engine Perplexity introduced a new product – Perplexity Pages – to select free and paid users on May 30. Content from these Pages has started appearing in Google’s AI Overviews and featured snippets.

What are Perplexity Pages. Perplexity called it a way to share your knowledge with the world, via in-depth articles, detailed reports or informative guides. You can even select the audience type (beginner, advanced, anyone) when you have AI generate your content. You can also add sections, videos, images and more.

As TechCrunch explained it further:

• “All these pages are publishable and also searchable through Google. You can share the link to these pages with other users. They can ask follow-up questions on the topic as well. What’s more, users can also turn their existing conversation threads into pages with the click of a button.”

Pages in Google. These pages are being indexed by Google and included as citations in AI Overviews and appearing in featured snippets.

Here are examples showing this, shared on X by Kristi Hines:

Spam? This definitely seems like a case of one search engine spamming another search engine. Or, as Ryan Jones put it on X, “An AI overview of an AI overview in search results pages in my search results page.”

Aside from that absurdity, Perplexity Pages are ripe for abuse by those who will probably try to use it to hack their way into AI Overviews.

A big question is how Google will handle this new AI-generated content in its Search results long-term. This tactic could be short-lived, as pointed out in an X thread, started by Glenn Gabe. From the thread:

• Shared searches used to be indexed in Google, but the March 2024 core update hammered these pages.
• This could be comparable to LinkedIn Collaborative Articles, which surged briefly before a huge drop.

Perplexity’s announcement. Introducing Perplexity Pages

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/perplexity-pages-showing-in-google-ai-overviews-featured-snippets-442936

If you want to make money selling online, it’s important to look at how to cut costs for your eCommerce business expenses – but not cut any corners. The online marketplace is incredibly competitive, but quality matters as much as price. That’s why we’ve come up with a number of ways you can cut expenses in running an online shop or service without reducing the level of quality you serve customers.

• Reduce Storage Costs
• Cut Label Printing Costs
• Look for Online Web Store Deals
• Hire Marketing Help Using Online Platforms
• Be Savvy with Packaging
• Automate Some Processes
• Negotiate Supplier and Shipping Costs
• Invest in Customer Retention

Reduce Storage Costs

One of the biggest outlays for an online shop is storage space. Whether you’re working from your living room or renting secure storage, minimising your storage costs can slash your operating expenses.

The fastest way to do this is assess your stock levels. What isn’t shifting? Do you have overly large single items that take up bulky space? Looking at what is taking up space and how fast you rotate through different inventory items is one of the fastest ways to assess whether you need to rent less space.

If you handle a large inventory or big items, dropshipping is an option to consider. This gives you less control over the quality of items and delivery dates, but it means you don’t need to store physical stock. While there is a boom in dropshipping eCommerce businesses lately, they take away the personalised aspect which can put customers off. You don’t have oversight of parcels as they are packed and delivered, and you can’t do things like add branded cardboard boxes or inserts into packages to promote deals.

Finally, if you rent storage space for your inventory, negotiate! Ask if you can have an introductory discount or if you can get a reduction for paying a few months up-front. Some places will also do referral fees so you could even discuss putting an affiliate link on your website to encourage signups.

Cut Label Printing Costs

It might feel like a saving to buy fewer printed labels for your products until you know what sells and what doesn’t. However, bulk buying products like postal labels, packaging inserts, and branded stickers will save you an awful lot of money. Labels are the kind of thing you’ll use far more quickly than you expect!

Once you have a strong creative brand for your business, you can save a lot of money on bulk buying branded labels, like the round ones used to secure a box. If you’re not into branding or haven’t quite settled on your designs yet, blank labels and security labels are also cheaper to buy in bulk and can be used at any time so it’s never a waste of money.

Look for Introductory Web Store Deals

If you’re setting up your own online shop, it’s important to shop around for the best deal for setting up your website. The cheapest deal might not be the best, so do some research before opting for the lowest price.

Look for website packages that include:

• Your domain name registration
• Email addresses
• 24/7 customer support
• Web hosting
• The ability to scale up easily as you grow
• Ecommerce templates for easy web design
• Integration with common payment types like PayPal

These things will make setting up your store much easier and help you build a website that grows with your business.

Hire eCommerce Marketing Help Online

Platforms like Fiverr are fantastic for finding people with skills that you don’t have. The art of running a business starts with being able to delegate. Focus on the tasks you know you can do, and hire people to do the things you can’t. It might not feel like a saving at the start, as you’ll need to pay some money. However, the time saving you get from having to learn a new skill (which can take years!) and getting a professional to help in days is well worth the expense.

It is worth noting, however, that sometimes online hiring platforms can be hit or miss. You may find that it is better to go for a service linked to a supplier. You may find a website designer also does branding, for example. Or perhaps your packaging supplier has a design service for branded boxes.

Put together a clear creative brief for whatever it is you’re looking for. Do you need someone to grow your social media following? Design your brand logo? Create a website? Whatever it is, be clear in the brief about what you need, when you expect it to be done by, and your budget. This will help to find the right people to help in a shorter time – saving even more cash as you can get started faster!

Be Savvy with Packaging

Instead of getting lots of small cardboard boxes of different sizes, it can be more economical to send things in medium and larger boxes with stuffing in. This way, you can bulk buy packaging like branded cardboard boxes and mailing envelopes as well as packaging. Doing that will reduce your overall cost per item to cut costs for your eCommerce business and actually increase quality as you send branded packaging.

Try to be as sustainable as you can, too. Cardboard always is better than plastic, and it is better to use the smallest box you can rather than using lots of excess stuffing. From letters to parcels, you should be aware of the size and weight you need to ship.

Automate Some eCommerce Business Processes

While many of us are aware of the incoming AI revolution with some trepidation, there are ways it can help automate your work processes to save you time. More than that, it can help you analyse your customer behaviour, so that you can work out the best way to maximise sales to increase profits.

Automation might be as simple as sending a follow-up email once an item has been delivered to make sure your customer is happy. This is a small-scale example of how to improve customer service, but gives a feeling of personalised service that will increase the chance of customers returning to buy more.

Automating processes that save you time can also include sending ‘items left in your cart’ emails, encouraging people to sign up to newsletters, and analysing stock and inventory levels. These are all straightforward tasks that can take you a lot of time as a new online shop owner, that will save you a lot of cash in the long term if you put automated processes in place.

You might not be able to automate everything, but being aware of how to manage your accounts well is another way to save time and money. Rather than spending on accountant fees, learning more about Making Tax Digital for businesses and what software you need to manage accounts will save a lot of time – and therefore money – in filing for your taxes!

Negotiate Supplier and Shipping Costs

If you use a local courier, talk to them to see how much you can negotiate on your shipping prices. You’d be surprised how much you could save!

Suppliers are also where you can cut costs for your eCommerce business. Bulk buying is one way to do it – but if you don’t have the storage space, don’t worry! Talk to suppliers to see if you can commit to buying a certain amount to achieve a discount, but receive the items in spread out shipments. This saves on your storage space while helping you take advantage of per-unit discounts.

Invest in Customer Retention

This one might feel a bit backwards, but stick with us on this. Investing in your customer service as you launch your eCommerce business is one of the best ways to cut costs in the long-term.

Customer retention could be as simple as printing package inserts with unique discount codes to thank them for their purchase, offering a discount on their next purchase. Or, as outlined above, sending thank-you emails after their item has been delivered. If you have a technical item, including user guides either as printed inserts or in an email will improve customer satisfaction, too.

 

 

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence. When investing your capital is at risk.

The post Cut Costs for Your eCommerce Business Without Cutting Quality appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/cut-costs-for-your-ecommerce-business-without-cutting-quality

Lots of insights and opinions have already been shared about last week’s leak of Google’s Content API Warehouse documentation, including the fantastic write-ups from:

• Rand Fishkin
• Mike King (on the iPullRank site and here on Search Engine Land)
• Andrew Ansley

But what can link builders and digital PRs learn from the documents?

Since news of the leak broke, Liv Day, Digitaloft’s SEO Lead, and I have spent a lot of time investigating what the documentation tells us about links. 

We went into our analysis of the documents trying to gain insights around a few key questions:

• Do links still matter?
• Are some links more likely to contribute to SEO success than others?
• How does Google define link spam?

To be clear, the leaked documentation doesn’t contain confirmed ranking factors. It contains information on more than 2,500 modules and over 14,000 attributes.

We don’t know how these are weighted, which are used in production and which could exist for experimental purposes.

But that doesn’t mean the insights we gain from these aren’t useful. So long as we consider any findings to be things that Google could be rewarding or demoting rather than things they are, we can use them to form the basis of our own tests and come to our own conclusions about what is or isn’t a ranking factor. 

Below are the things we found in the documents that link builders and digital PRs should pay close attention to. They’re based on my own interpretation of the documentation, alongside my 15 years of experience as an SEO. 

1. Google is probably ignoring links that don’t come from a relevant source

Relevancy has been the hottest topic in digital PR for a long time, and something that’s never been easy to measure. After all, what does relevancy really mean? 

Does Google ignore links that don’t come from within relevant content?

The leaked documents definitely suggest that this is the case.

We see a clear anchorMismatchDemotion referenced in the CompressedQualitySignals module:

While we have little extra context, what we can infer from this is that there is the ability to demote (ignore) links when there is a mismatch. We can assume this to mean a mismatch between the source and target pages, or the source page and target domain.

What could the mismatch be, other than relevancy?

Especially when we consider that, in the same module, we also see an attribute of topicEmbeddingsVersionedData.

Topic embeddings are commonly used in natural language processing (NLP) as a way of understanding the semantic meaning of topics within a document. This, in the context of the documentation, means webpages. 

We also see a webrefEntities attribute referenced in the PerDocData module.

What’s this? It’s the entities associated with a document. 

We can’t be sure exactly how Google is measuring relevancy, but we can be pretty certain that the anchorMismatchDemotion involves ignoring links that don’t come from relevant sources.

The takeaway?

Relevancy should be the biggest focus when earning links, prioritized over pretty much any other metric or measure.

2. Locally relevant links (from the same country) are probably more valuable than ones from other countries

The AnchorsAnchorSource module, which gives us an insight into what Google stores about the source page of links, suggests that local relevance could contribute to the link’s value.

Within this document is an attribute called localCountryCodes, which stores the countries to which the page is local and/or the most relevant.

It’s long been debated in digital PR whether links coming from sites in other countries and languages are valuable. This gives us some indication as to the answer.

First and foremost, you should prioritize earning links from sites that are locally relevant. And if we think about why Google might weigh these links stronger, it makes total sense. 

Locally relevant links (don’t confuse this with local publications that often secure links and coverage from digital PR; here we’re talking about country-level) are more likely to increase brand awareness, result in sales and be more accurate endorsements. 

However, I don’t believe links from other locales are harmful. More than those where the country-level relevancy matches are weighted more strongly. 

3. Google has a sitewide authority score, despite claiming they don’t calculate an authority measure like DA or DR

Maybe the biggest surprise to most SEOs reading the documentation is that Google has a “site authority” score, despite stating time and time again that they have no measure that’s like Moz’s Domain Authority (DA) or Ahrefs’ Domain Rating (DR).

In 2020, Google’s John Mueller stated:

• “Just to be clear, Google doesn’t use Domain Authority *at all* when it comes to Search crawling, indexing, or ranking.”

But later that year, did hint at a sitewide measure, saying about Domain Authority:

• “I don’t know if I’d call it authority like that, but we do have some metrics that are more on a site level, some metrics that are more on a page level, and some of those site-wide level metrics might kind of map into similar things.” 

Clear as day, in the leaked documents, we see a SiteAuthority score. 

To caveat this, though, we don’t know that this is even remotely in line with DA or DR. It’s also likely why Google has typically answered questions in the way they have about this topic.

Moz’s DA and Ahrefs’ DR are link-based scores based on the quality and quantity of links. 

I’m doubtful that Google’s siteAuthority is solely link-based though, given that feels closer to PageRank. I’d be more inclined to suggest that this is some form of calculated score based on page-level quality scores, including click data and other NavBoost signals. 

The likelihood is that, despite having a similar naming convention, this doesn’t align with DA and DR, especially given that we see this referenced in the CompressedQualitySignals module, not a link-specific one.

4. Links from within newer pages are probably more valuable than those on older ones

One interesting finding is that links from newer pages look to be weighted more strongly than those coming from older content, in some cases. 

We see reference to sourceType in the context of anchors (links), where the quality of a link’s source page is recorded in correlation to the page’s index tier. 

What stands out here, though, is the reference to newly published content (freshdocs) being a special case and considered to be the same as “high quality” links. 

We can clearly see that the source type of a link can be used as an importance indicator, which suggests that this relates to how links are weighted. 

What we must consider, though, is that a link can be defined as being “high quality” without being a fresh page, it’s just that these are considered the same quality. 

To me, this backs up the importance of consistently earning links and explains why SEOs continue to recommend that link building (in whatever form, that’s not what we’re discussing here) needs consistent resources allocated. It needs to be an “always-on” activity.

5. The more Google trusts a site’s homepage, the more valuable links from that site probably are

We see a reference within the documentation (again, in the AnchorsAnchorSource module) to an attribute called homePageInfo, which suggests that Google could be tagging link sources as not trusted, partially trusted or fully trusted.

What this does define is that this attribute relates to instances when the source page is a website’s homepage, with a not_homepage value being assigned to other pages.

So, what could this mean?

It suggests that Google could be using some definition of “trust” of a website’s homepage within the algorithms. How? We’re not sure.

My interpretation: internal pages are likely to inherit the homepage’s trustworthiness.

To be clear: we don’t know how Google defines whether a page is fully trusted, not trusted or partially trusted. 

But it would make sense that internal pages inherit a homepage’s trustworthiness and that this is used, to some degree, in the weighting of links and that links from fully trusted sites are more valuable than those from not trusted ones.

6. Google specifically tags links that come from high-quality news sites

Interestingly, we’ve discovered that Google is storing additional information about a link when it is identified as coming from a “newsy, high quality” site. 

Does this mean that links from news sites (for example, The New York Times, The Guardian or the BBC) are more valuable than those from other types of site?

We don’t know for sure.

But when looking at this – alongside the fact that these types of sites are typically the most authoritative and trusted publications online, as well as those that would historically had a toolbar PageRank of 9 or 10 – it does make you think.

What’s for sure, though, is that leveraging digital PR as a tactic to earn links from news publications is undoubtedly incredibly valuable. This finding just confirms that.

7. Links coming from seed sites, or those links to from these, are probably the most valuable links you could earn

Seed sites and link distance ranking is a topic that doesn’t get talked about anywhere near as often as it should, in my opinion. 

It’s nothing new, though. In fact, it’s something that the late Bill Slawski wrote about in 2010, 2015 and 2018.

The leaked Google documentation suggests that PageRank in its original form has long been deprecated and replaced by PageRank-NearestSeeds, referenced by the fact it defines this as the production PageRank value to be used. This is perhaps one of the things that the documentation is the clearest on.

If you’re unfamiliar with seed sites, the good news is that it isn’t a massively complex concept to understand.

Slawski’s articles on this topic are probably the best reference point for this:

“The patent provides 2 examples [of seed sites]: The Google Directory (It was still around when the patent was first filed) and the New York Times. We are also told: ‘Seed sets need to be reliable, diverse enough to cover a wide range of fields of public interests & well connected to other sites. In addition, they should have large numbers of useful outgoing links to facilitate identifying other useful & high-quality pages, acting as ‘hubs’ on the web.’

“Under the PageRank patent, ranking scores are given to pages based upon how far away they might be from those seed sets and based upon other features of those pages.”

– Bill Slawski, PageRank Update (2018)

8. Google is probably using ‘trusted sources’ to calculate whether a link is spammy

When looking at the IndexingDocjoinerAnchorSpamInfo module, one that we can assume relates to how spammy links are processed, we see references to “trusted sources.”

It looks like Google can calculate the probability of link spam based on the number of trusted sources linking to a page.

We don’t know what constitutes a “trusted source,” but when looked at holistically alongside our other findings, we can assume that this could be based on the “homepage” trust.

Can links from trusted sources effectively dilute spammy links?

It’s definitely possible.

9. Google is probably identifying negative SEO attacks and ignoring these links by measuring link velocity

The SEO community has been divided over whether negative SEO attacks are a problem for some time. Google is adamant they’re able to identify such attacks, while plenty of SEOs have claimed their site was negatively impacted by this issue.

The documentation gives us some insight into how Google attempts to identify such attacks, including attributes that consider:

• The timeframe over which spammy links have been picked up.
• The average daily rate of spam discovered.
• When a spike started.

It’s possible that this also considers links intended to manipulate Google’s ranking systems, but the reference to “the anchor spam spike” suggests that this is the mechanism for identifying significant volumes, something we know is a common issue faced with negative SEO attacks.

There are likely other factors at play in determining how links picked up during a spike are ignored, but we can at least start to piece together the puzzle of how Google is trying to prevent such attacks from having a negative impact on sites. 

10. Link-based penalties or adjustments can likely apply either to some or all of the links pointing to a page 

It seems that Google has the ability to apply link spam penalties or ignore links on a link-by-link or all-links basis. 

This could mean that, given one or more unconfirmed signals, Google can define whether to ignore all links pointing to a page or just some of them.

Does this mean that, in cases of excessive link spam pointing to a page, Google can opt to ignore all links, including those that would generally be considered high quality?

We can’t be sure. But if this is the case, it could mean that spammy links are not the only ones ignored when they are detected.

Could this negate the impact of all links to a page? It’s definitely a possibility.

11. Toxic links are a thing, despite Google saying they aren’t

Just last month, Mueller stated (again) that toxic links are a made-up concept:

• “The concept of toxic links is made up by SEO tools so that you pay them regularly.”

In the documentation, though, we see reference given to “BadBackLinks.”

The information given here suggests that a page can be penalized for having “bad” backlinks. 

While we don’t know what form this takes or how close this is to the toxic link scores given by SEO tools, we’ve got plenty of evidence to suggest that there is at least a boolean (typically true or false values) measure of whether a page has bad links pointing to it. 

My guess is that this works in conjunction with the link spam demotions I talked about above, but we don’t know for sure.

12. The content surrounding a link gives context alongside the anchor text

SEOs have long leveraged the anchor text of links as a way to give contextual signals of the target page, and Google’s Search Central documentation on link best practices confirms that “this text tells people and Google something about the page you’re linking to.”

But last week’s leaked documents indicate that it’s not just anchor text that’s used to understand the context of a link. The content surrounding the link is likely also used.

The documentation references context2, fullLeftContext, and fullRightContext, which are the terms near the link. 

This suggests that there’s more than the anchor text of a link being used to determine the relevancy of a link. On one hand, it could simply be used as a way to remove ambiguity, but on the other, it could be contributing to the weighting. 

This feeds into the general consensus that links from within relevant content are weighted far more strongly than those within content that’s not.

Key learnings & takeaways for link builders and digital PRs

Do links still matter?

I’d certainly say so.

There’s an awful lot of evidence here to suggest that links are still significant ranking signals (despite us not knowing what is and isn’t a ranking signal from this leak), but that it’s not just about links in general. 

Links that Google rewards or does not ignore are more likely to positively influence organic visibility and rankings.

Maybe the biggest takeaway from the documentation is that relevancy matters a lot. It is likely that Google ignores links that don’t come from relevant pages, making this a priority measure of success for link builders and digital PRs alike.

But beyond this, we’ve gained a deeper understanding of how Google potentially values links and the things that could be weighted more strongly than others.

Should these findings change the way you approach link building or digital PR?

That depends on the tactics you’re using.

If you’re still using outdated tactics to earn lower-quality links, then I’d say yes.

But if your link acquisition tactics are based on earning links with PR tactics from high-quality press publications, the main thing is to make sure you’re pitching relevant stories, rather than assuming that any link from a high authority publication will be rewarded.

For many of us, not much will change. But it’s a concrete confirmation that the tactics we’re relying on are the best fit, and the reason behind why we see PR-earned links having such a positive impact on organic search success.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/links-digital-pr-key-takeaways-google-documentation-leak-442905

While auditing PPC accounts from agencies, freelancers and in-house teams, I’ve found that Performance Max campaigns typically fall into one of four categories.

Below, I’ll break down each category, discuss their pros and cons and share some insider tips on how we run our accounts. This should help you make the most of opportunities in the Performance Max auction.

1. Top performer/high margin segmentation

By far and away, the most common structure our audits uncover is a focus on “top products.” Many advertisers work under the assumption that they should focus their advertising on the products they sell the most. Sure, they have other products in their catalog, but they may not want to advertise all of them. 

By segmenting products into “top performer” and “long-tail” campaigns, you can artificially force Performance Max to spend more on top-performing products by setting lower ROAS targets. This can cut down on the time it takes for Performance Max to learn what products are good versus bad.

This approach sometimes works, but it is usually driven by bad assumptions: 

• The product clicked is not necessarily the product purchased. Our internal research determines cross-sell rates to most commonly sit at ~70%. By forcing Google to show the product you want to sell instead of the product they want to show, CPCs often rise, while CTRs decrease.
• Assigning queries to the most appropriate product is vital to success in shopping. For instance, the top products for shoe retailers may be Nike, Adidas and HOKA. However, a New Balance search should turn up a New Balance sneaker. Forcing top products likely means they’ll be the only retailer in the SERP showing a Nike shoe on a New Balance search. They’ll lose the click along with a long-tail sale opportunity.
• A common mistake we uncover is when advertisers fail to segment asset groups by product type. If your top products segment contains products from multiple categories or brands, use asset groups to make sure ad creative and copy make sense. Otherwise, you could end up with ads that talk about women’s apparel but show images of men’s products, like this one:

2. Product type segmentation

The second most common structure is a strategy that groups like products together. Operating this way ensures that asset groups are relevant, with budgets and promotions easily managed. This structure keeps seasonal demand trends groups. Additionally, it enables maximally relevant auction insights.

Not only does this structure keep data clean and assets relevant, it is probably one of the easiest to execute. However, it fails to consider business contexts surrounding margins, call center sales volumes, customer types and more.

Moreover, a common mistake we find is when people quickly use feed product types to segment all products into campaigns and send them live. While this is an easy approach, adding a layer of data analysis before you launch is worth the extra step.

Performance Max requires sufficient signal volume to be successful. Examine the historical performance of your products, and you may discover smaller categories with insufficient volume to stand on their own. These may need to be grouped with other long-tail categories to be successful. Just be sure to use asset groups to keep ad copy cleanly segmented. 

Dig deeper: The Performance Max playbook: Best practices and emerging tactics for 2024

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3. Brand and non-brand segmentation

I don’t commonly see this structure in account audits, possibly because implementing it is a little more complex.

That said, it’s a common recommendation from self-appointed experts on LinkedIn who claim Google inflates Performance Max’s performance by including branded traffic. While it is true that Performance Max runs on branded content, I don’t believe it is as big an issue as it is often made out to be.

Performance Max’s branded search traffic in the shopping network is a good volume that does not cannibalize any organic traffic (besides negligible free listing clicks). 

However, some advertisers take issue with Performance Max running branded text ads that they’d rather run through existing search campaigns. However, since Performance Max cannot run a search ad if the user’s query exactly matches the text of any keyword you have built, this should not be a problem.

Note: This has nothing to do with “exact match” the match type.

So, either:

• You have built a sufficient breadth of branded keywords, including any variants and/or misspellings with significant volume, and there is no problem.
• You have not built a sufficient breadth, and Performance Max is entering the auction with your search campaign and, due to higher ad rank, is entering the auction with a lower CPC than your branded campaign. You just saved money.

That said, this does become an issue when Performance Max is limited by budget and is forced to run a lot of branded text ads because of a bad search build. This will leave Performance Max with no budget for shopping, which will definitely hurt performance. 

If you build a high-quality, comprehensive branded search campaign, you don’t have a problem. 

The positive aspect of this strategy is that it can fix problematic Performance Max/Search overlap in poorly built and managed accounts. It can also segment brand and non-brand in shopping in case ROAS targets, budgets or other campaign-level settings must differ between brand and nonbrand.

However, this strategy often solves a problem that doesn’t exist. This causes data to be segmented between more campaigns, often leading to less revenue at the same efficiency. Also, the brand is usually recommended to be run on standard shopping, which again nets less revenue at the same efficiency.

4. Customer segmentation based on nCAC/LTV

This is the least common structure I see in audits. When I do, it often has significant errors due to its complexity. The general idea is to build Performance Max based on a customer acquisition strategy informed by new customer acquisition cost (nCAC) and lifetime value (LTV).

This strategy enables advertisers to justify higher CPAs by understanding the true value of a purchase beyond the average order value. This way, Performance Max algorithms bid to the value of the consumer rather than the value of the transaction. 

This helps them win more of the right auctions that help businesses grow long-term. By emphasizing high-value new customers, Performance Max can support the growth of more efficient channels like email, branded search and direct load.

However, this strategy ultimately enables lower ROAS in-platform and can significantly squeeze margins. This can be particularly difficult in the short term if you use a long payback window in your LTV calculation, creating a cash crunch that requires advertisers to level up their understanding of the whole sales practice.

Yet, those who can pull off this strategy will go the furthest, the fastest. However, an expert must implement this strategy because it can quickly get out of hand, squeezing margins beyond profitability. Proceed with caution.

Two Performance Max must-haves

With that, I’ll leave you with a few must-haves, regardless of what strategy you choose: 

• Zombie SKU campaigns: These campaigns are filled with products that are the “living dead.” They are active, in stock and eligible to serve but get very few (or 0) clicks. Sometimes, these products don’t get the attention they should get from bid algorithms due to low historical volume. By separating them into their own campaign, the algorithm is forced to test them. Occasionally, a winner that adds meaningful incremental volume will emerge.
• Catch-all: Set to low priority, this campaign helps ensure you aren’t missing anything in your build. Sometimes, existing targeting will not pick up new products that are added. Incorporating this campaign and monitoring volume pick-up helps you take advantage of products as soon as they hit the catalog, whether you’ve been kept in the loop or not.

Enhance your Performance Max campaigns through segmentation

Performance Max has come a long way since its debut in late 2021. As an out-of-the-box solution, it works reasonably well for advertisers. 

Smart Bidding and Smart Campaigns have largely commoditized both bidding and budget allocation. As a result, a major way to win in modern Google Ads is through structuring that gives Performance Max the best signal quality and volume. Get out there and win.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/performance-max-segmentation-strategies-442868