Important Updates To The Avada WordPress Theme
One of the highest quality and most versatile WordPress themes currently available, Avada, is making some important changes.
They have recently announced a change in their rules which now requires a new code to be purchased from them for each domain in order to receive the updates which are needed to keep the theme secure and up to date.
The new update, Avada 7.3, uses an improved, streamlined registration method. In a significant change, you will no longer be required to generate an Envato token key to register. Instead, copy the license code and add it to the Avada Dashboard registration field.
Why Do You Need To Update?
By updating to the paid 7.3 version will ensure that:
- You will receive future theme updates.
- You will receive future plugin updates.
- You will receive future maintenance patches.
- You will receive access to all future prebuilt websites that are released.
- You can set up a Staging site for each Avada license you own for testing purposes.
What Happens If I Have Updated The Theme Already Without Registering?
If you have updated to Avada 7.3 and have not yet re-registered your Avada website with a purchase code as explained in this help file, the Envato token key will only continue to be valid for an additional ten (10) days.
Once the ten (10) days are concluded, the Envato token key will be rendered invalid. This will not cause your site to break or to stop functioning normally. However, you will be required to register the website with a purchase code.
Please click on the link below for more detailed information and answers to commonly asked questions.
https://theme-fusion.com/documentation/avada/support/avada-registration-q-and-a/
Contact Us
Would like to find out more about this Avada theme update and whether it will impact your website? Give the Footprint Digital team a call on Tel. No. 01883 372488 today.
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Local SEO – It’s More Important Now Than Ever
For many businesses, maximising the visibility of their website in local areas is the key between success or failure. If you are a plumber or an electrician, ensuring that your website appears in search results for your services for people based in your area of coverage can produce a significant level of work.
As such, Local SEO can prove to be the key marketing method for any business focusing on their local geographic area. A constantly evolving area, an effective local SEO campaign can help to push you ahead of your rivals and is well-worth exploring whether you are a large business or a small business.
As with all areas of SEO, implementing local SEO is a constantly evolving process and factoring in these 3 key areas can be vital.
Location Is Everything
Did you know that to help improve the relevance of the information provided, Google tailors search results to the precise location of the person making the search?
This is hugely important for anyone wishing to target local areas and by ticking the key boxes for you, we will ensure that you are in pole position to gain those all-important page one rankings.
Your Website Must Be Responsive
Did you know that Google generates a different set of search results on mobile and desktop devices? If you have avoided upgrading your website to ensure that it is mobile-friendly, this is a mistake that is only going to grow.
With significantly more searches being completed on mobile devices than desktops and laptops, Google takes this very seriously and with their ability to track the location of the person making the search through the GPS marker of their phone, slipping down the mobile search rankings is a dangerous prospect for local businesses.
Contact us today to see how we can ensure that your website is ‘mobile-friendly’.
Review, Reviews and More Reviews
It can come as no surprise that the reputation of a business is hugely important. If first-time customers are not coming to a business on the back of a recommendation from a trusted source, there’s every chance they will take a look at any reviews which are in place to see the type of experience other customers have received.
With many business owners still finding customer reviews (and in particular negative ones) an annoyance which they do not take seriously, they are making a major mistake.
Both Google and potential customers take these reviews seriously and it doesn’t take much homework to realise that online reviews show up frequently for all to see.
You must now do everything possible to encourage customers to leave a review and respond to them when they do.
Contact Us
If you would like a chat about your website, please give the Footprint Digital team a call on Tel. No. 01883 372488 today.
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6 Things That Google Look For In Reviews
Whilst the truth is that as with all areas of SEO, only Google know for certain what they actually look for when taking the reviews of businesses into account.
However, our experience tells us that there are 6 key areas. To help narrow this down, we have drawn up a list of 6 areas to target below.
No. 1 – The Number of Reviews
It is fairly clear that Google loves to have popular businesses ranked near the top of its rankings wherever possible and one of the easiest (and in theory most accurate) ways to do assess this is to factor reviews into their ranking algorithm.
When all things are considered, it is difficult to argue against the fact that popular businesses are more likely to serve a greater number of clients than less popular businesses.
If you can generate a higher number of (positive & genuine) reviews, you have a good chance of forging ahead of your competition in the quest for rankings.
No. 2 – What Do Your Reviews Say?
There are a number of ways that the content of the reviews left on your profiles/citations can impact Google’s ability to find them. The use of positive words and phrases along with words relating to your line of business can both be extremely helpful.
Whilst we understand that any attempt to try and control the content of your customers’ reviews is wrong on a number of levels, a little detail about the level of service and the actually services that your business has provided can go a long way.
No. 3 – Keep Things Fresh & Diverse
A large number of reviews saying ‘Excellent service, happy to recommend and use again’ may well be complimentary and may also be true, a bit of diversity wouldn’t go amiss though! Also, whilst Google Maps & FB reviews are of obvious importance, the generation of reviews on a variety of different platforms is also likely to be beneficial. Yell, Yelp, FreeIndex, Thomson Local & FourSquare are all highly reputable sources.
No. 4 – What Type of Picture Do Your Reviews Paint of Your Business?
This may be surprising to some people but having 5* reviews across the board is not actually as important as you may think it is. Google always aims to provide the most accurate results and with the best will in the world, no-one pleases everyone all of the time!
Whilst aiming for the top and offering the best possible service to all of your customers is certainly advisable, the chances are that from time to time, someone is going to have an experience with you that is less than they hoped for. This does not have to be your fault in any way but the modern world often means that people are more likely to put pen to paper (in a digital way!) if they are angry than happy.
Therefore, a few negative reviews may even help to create an air of realism about your business.
No. 5 – Who Has Left The Review?
Did you know that reviews from members of the Local Guides Program are likely to carry extra weight? A review left from someone who regularly uses the account on that particular platform is highly likely to carry more weight than a review from someone who leaves a review and never uses the account again.
No. 6 – Velocity
A BrightLocal survey highlighted the fact that ‘73% of consumers think that reviews older than three months are no longer relevant. Whilst Google does not remove reviews from an account for much longer than that, it’s worth bearing in mind that a steady drip-feed of reviews over a prolonged period of time is much more likely to be beneficial than a deluge over a short period and then nothing for months.
Tapping Into Customer Feedback
We are now firmly in the grip of the digital age and a very strong case can be made regarding the fact that online reviews have largely taken the place of word-of-mouth referrals.
Such is the ease of access that potential customers have to the internet through their smartphones, tablets, PCs and laptops, it has never been easier to seek out online reviews of products and services offered by various companies all around the world — including people who have used your business in the past.
If you run a business, you have the perfect opportunity to tap into customer feedback by providing your customers with the opportunity to leave their views regarding your products and services in the form of online reviews.
These reviews can either be sent directly to your website or Social Media pages, such as Facebook, Twitter & Google +, or to one of the many online directories which aggregate online reviews, such as Yelp or Yell.
Need Some More Help
Would like to find out more about dealing with poor reviews? Give the Footprint Digital team a call on Tel. No. 01883 372488 today.
