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3 Reasons Why You Need a Responsive Website

Almost two years ago, Moz predicted that responsive websites were going to become the industry standard for website design. With increased smartphone internet searches and increased tablet use, it was no reach to make this claim. It used to be enough to just have a mobile version and a desktop version of your website, but now the various screen sizes that exist across all platforms have rendered this method inefficient.

There are 3 major reasons why responsive websites have become an industry norm. From a technical standpoint and from a user perspective, responsive websites are truly the standard for website design today.

1) Increases Usability and User Experience

Though this  may seem like an arbitrary benefit, Google considers how user-friendly a website is within its ranking algorithm. A desktop version may have many utilities, loads of content, and great photos; this is perfect for stationary users, but it takes far too long to load on a mobile phone. This decreases the number of “Googlers”, something that the major search engine wants to avoid at all costs.

2) Updating  is Faster and Easier Than Ever

In previous years, a change to your website meant both a change to the desktop version and the mobile version. This would take twice the time of either your employee or your website company. With a responsive design, the change only needs to be made once, keeping your website consistent across all platforms and efficiently using your time and money.

3) SEO, Link Building, and Campaigns are Streamlined

Similar to how updating is easier, SEO will only need to be done to one version of the site. In some cases, it’s beneficial to have a mobile SEO campaign and a desktop SEO campaign, but the majority of SEO looks the same across all platforms. Link building also becomes streamlined, as the URL structure remains the same.

If your website is outdated, or you’re looking for your first one, be sure to ask your web design company about responsive website designs. MLT Group provides individual mobile designs as well as responsive designs to meet the needs of every business. Contact MLT Group today or call our office at 507. 281.3490 for more information.

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Changing Trends in Search Rankings: Embrace Change for Long-Term Success

MLT Group provides SEO services in Rochester, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and throughout the nation based on the most recent search research.

As it has been said before, SEO is an ever-changing practice that cannot be summarized through a solely quantitative approach. Blending both qualitative and quantitative research when evaluating SEO practice effectiveness is important, as Google continues to release algorithm changes that are far more sophisticated than the algorithms of the past.

For example, a 2014 study from search data firm Netbooster suggests that page 1 positions may not be the only hope to be found organically. The study summarizes that trends in what users click and why is changing, and click-through rates (CTR) indicate users have been navigating beyond the first page of search results to find the content for which they’re looking. If you’re interested in reading the study and the technical components, we encourage you to check out the article here.

Now that we know searches are expanding their searches to multiple Google results pages, digital marketers must adjust their strategies. The major implications for SEOs include adaptability, change, and patience. As Google has continued to make the push towards great content and quality over quantity, it left SEOs initially skeptical and confused as to what they can do aside from wait. Well, waiting is absolutely essential, and these studies continue to prove the point. However, this study gives evidence that patience it works long-term, even if its difficult. If your site is relevant to your keywords, is optimized on the front-end and back-end, then widen your horizons and continue putting out great content for users. In the end, this will be the best way to not only increase search rankings, but sustain good presence on the web.

Stated in the article, “What is clear is no other industry is changing as rapidly as search. Understanding how we all interact with new forms of search results will be a crucial part of measuring and creating success.” As you continue in your digital marketing efforts, find comfort in the fact that research is beginning to show true correlation to users and quality content. Continue researching; embrace the change that exists within digital marketing and see your results compete fairly over time.

MLT Group – Creative Solutions is committed to staying up-to-date with Google update releases, SEO trend changes, and marketing best practices. We provide quality web design, content creation, and SEO services, all components that are important in holistic SEO that succeeds long-term.  Call MLT Group – Creative Solutions today; SEO services, website design, and content writing in Rochester, St. Paul, Minneapolis, MN and throughout the United States!

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SEO: Why Your Website Needs It

Search engine optimization drives traffic to your site and creates lead opportunities.

seoSEO, or search engine optimization, is the practice of building and arranging your business’ website to be easily read by search engines, and, in turn, to rank well in organic search results when your products or services are looked for online. From content to site structure to meta tags, SEO is about balancing the interpretation of you site by individual people, while still making the site readable by the bots of Google, Yahoo!, and Bing.

Websites need to take a holistic approach to SEO. This includes:

• Organized site structure
• Keyword or key phrase usage
• Location targeting
• Original content
• Appropriate title and meta tags
• Continuing SEO services and updates

MLT Group provides SEO services for both new websites and those that have already been established. By investing in search engine optimization, you can increase exposure of your site to potential customers and ensure it can be found by your existing customer base.

From web design and development through content creation and on to continuing SEO services, MLT Group provides the entire gamut of services that you need to establish a strong digital presence. Get started today! All you have to do is email jeff@mltgroup.com or call one of our friendly professionals at 507.281.3490.

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Your Website: Stock Images vs. Local Photos

Which photo types are the best for your business’ website?

Though stock photos can be tastefully used, at MLT Group we always encourage our clients to use photos unique to their business. Initially, stock images may seem like the best choice: they are sometimes cheaper, more readily available, and usually high quality. Sounds perfect, right? Before you decide, consider the benefits of having a photo shoot unique to your business and operations.

1) Photos look more natural and are relevant to your business.

2) Unique photos reinforce that you are a local business.

3) You legally own the photos used on your website.

4) No other business will have the same photos that you do.

5) You can garner trust from customers by using local photos.

Imagine a customer checks out your website before visiting your business, then walks in to find the same person on the home page greeting customers at the door. Your local branding and recognition is immediately reinforced by your digital presence!

At MLT Group, we provide a full range of services to help you make your new website look fantastic. From web design and development to photography and video services, we can help you with all of your digital and traditional marketing needs. For more information, please contact jeff@mltgroup.com or call our office at 507.281.3490.

 

 

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Is Your Website Design Affecting Your Bottom Line?

Your online presence and website design can impact your brick and mortar business!

digital marketing picHaving a credible looking website is extremely important. An outdated, cluttered website can create a negative customer experience and cause customers to spend their money elsewhere.

Your website design is a key part of your digital marketing strategy; its design is where real world marketing meets the internet. The impression you leave on your online customers translates into how they view your business in real life. Does your website make you look like a credible business or like you’re still doing business in the 90’s?

 

What makes your website look credible to users?

1) Make sure your website is arranged in a user-friendly format

2) Place the most important information “above the fold”

3) Ensure your design looks like quality, professional work

4) Leverage a blog to show expertise in your field

Don’t get stuck in the past! If you need a website redesign to keep up with technological advancements, contact jeff@mltgroup.com or call the MLT Group office at 507.281.3490. We’d be happy to provide you with a quote or more information about our many traditional and digital marketing services.

 

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MLT Group Team Member Attends Forbes Under 30 Summit

MLT Group – Creative Solutions provides innovative SEO, web design, and video production services in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, MN and throughout the Midwest

This past October, one of MLT Group’s team members, Tori Utley, was invited to attend the first ever Forbes Under 30 Summit, a gathering of 1,000 hand-selected entrepreneurs, game changers, and innovators from all around the world who are under 30 years old. We were very excited to have had one of our staff members attending and wanted to share a few of the takeaways she learned from the exciting event.

1. Millennials are Unstoppable

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Tori Utley Attends the Forbes Under 30 Summit This October

With the many breakthrough products, services, and ideas that the Forbes Under 30 Summit participants brought to the gathering, it was apparent that this is a generation that won’t settle. Millennials want the best – whether they create it or use it. How does this tie into digital marketing strategy? It shows that your strategy, website, and product matter. So long are the days where black hat digital marketing and SEO was truly effective – Google has become much more sophisticated and complex and will judge a site based on its quality, just like the millennials of the Forbes under 30.

2. Limits? What Limits?

If there was one underlying theme of the Forbes Under 30 Summit, it was the absence of limits on what a person can and cannot do to innovate in their industry. Although there are limits on what you can and can’t do to get ahead in the eyes of search engines, there are no limits on what you can do to exceed your customer’s expectations. Write great content, have a great web design, sharp graphic design, and more – these areas of your site are limitless concerning how innovative and creative you can be. All of these factors ultimately lead to greater search rankings, so go past the limits of traditional sites and see the reward follow.

3. Collaboration Matters

The participants of the Forbes Under 30 are secure in the fact that collaboration and teamwork are essential to success. In digital marketing, collaboration and teamwork come full circle in the practice of link building strategies. Just like in the real world of business, collaboration and link building cannot be cheated or faked. True link building that holds validity will be a collaboration between sites, all revolving around the generation of great content, a relevant site, and quality information for consumers.

Although there were many themes represented at the Forbes Under 30 Summit, we can all learn something from the members of the Forbes Under 30. In your website design, video production, SEO, or overall digital marketing strategy in Rochester, Minneapolis, or throughout the United States, remember – you have the opportunity to create unstoppable, limitless, and truly collaborative experiences for your consumers. As it has been said, content is king, and so is the quality you bring to the digital marketplace. Thank you, Forbes Under 30, for continuing to drive home these important concepts!

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Google My Business: How Does it Fit Into Your SEO Strategy?

MLT Group provides SEO services and strategy in Rochester, St. Paul, and Minneapolis, MN, as well as throughout the United States.

In the world of digital marketing and search engine optimization (SEO), you’ve heard of Google+ and the many ways it can be a benefit to SEO campaigns and marketing strategies. This year, Google announced the integrated Google+ platform to transition Google Places to the new “Google My Business.” Don’t forget this important new component in your SEO strategy. Contact MLT Group for SEO in Rochester, MN and throughout the United States!

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business is an integrated platform for businesses, both local and national, to gather information, promote reviews, and interact with consumers. This platform utilizes components of social media, directory listings, and traditional SEO to allow business owners to use a “one stop shop” for all digital marketing needs. Although there is still a place for these components individually, Google My Business is a unique and intriguing product that brings these digital marketing disciplines together in a way that will continue to evolve and impress search engines and users.

What are the benefits?

The benefits of Google My Business are endless. From a user perspective, this platform provides extensive information about anything from business hours to service offerings to direct interaction with customers. Having an integrated platform on the web provides the ability for businesses to remain organized in their efforts to establish greater brand positioning and overall web presence – all factors that correlate to a strong SEO strategy. Also, one of the greatest benefits is the ability to combine preexisting Google+ accounts on a central dashboard for ease of use and the ability to transfer accounts. This change was highly demanded by marketers, and is much appreciated now that the launch is complete.

What are the costs?

Although it is free to sign up for Google My Business, the service isn’t entirely free. Using Google My Business requires time – to post regularly, create new content, edit outdated information, interact with customers, and more. This can be incredibly time consuming, but efforts will not go unnoticed to Google. Using this platform further ensures the signal to Google that your company truly desires to merge real word marketing with digital marketing – to provide customers with the information they’re looking for and unparalleled service no matter the platform.

If you feel a Google My Business account is the right option for your business or if you would like to talk with a sales representative regarding an SEO strategy or web development services in Rochester, Minneapolis, or St, Paul, MN, call us today! We’re ready and willing to help you in your digital marketing needs, so leave the tough tasks to our group of highly competent digital marketing specialists. Contact MLT Group – Creative Solutions today!

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FAQs About Web Hosting, Servers, and Other Website Services

MLT Group offers domain hosting and a variety of other website services, but what does it all mean?

When you first begin the process of a custom website design, it’s easy to get caught up in the design, color preferences, and functionality. But soon, the project manager will begin using terms that are unfamiliar to you. Worse yet, the terms may be familiar, but you’re unsure of the correct answers to her questions. The internet and all of it’s nuances can be a confusing place! Don’t worry though; MLT Group is here with a brief guide into hosting and service terms to help your website design and build out go smoothly.

To simplify things, we’ll be associating each part of hosting and web services with a familiar household item or service. At MLT Group, we love a good analogy!

Let’s start with the easiest part of a website: the domain name. The domain name (and URL) of a website is a unique name that identifies an item on the internet, like your website. For example, the URL for MLT Group is www.mltgroup.com, and the domain name is mltgroup.com. Essentially, the domain name is what is found after the www.

Think of a domain as a contact name in the phone book.

The next essential part is the IP address of your website. Also known as the Internet Protocol Address, this part of hosting has two purposes: 1) to host identification and location addressing and 2) to identify where the website is located. Because computers read in only code and numbers, the IP address is the number that your computer “dials” to reach your domain. For example, an IP address would look something like this: 123.45.67.89.

Think of an IP address as the phone number in the phone book.

Website hosting is much less complicated than it sounds. Your website host is where your website files are kept. It is similar to renting out a building for your business. Without a host, your domain becomes disconnected, like a phone number without a phone company to support it. Additionally, the web host translates the code of your web files into the visual images that appear on your website. So it is essential to the user experience of your website to have your website published with a web hosting service.

Think of web hosting as the drawer in which you keep a phone book.

Contrastingly, the DNS, or Domain Name System, is a more complicated aspect of web hosting and development. The DNS houses the information for each domain name and IP address of all websites. It is the main database of the internet, and the internet would fail to work without the DNS. It translates the information easily between the domain name and the IP address. Additionally, the DNS records must be pointed at the host of the website.

Think of DNS as the phone book itself.

A name server is usually taken care of by the web host of your domain, as well as other domains that may be hosted there. A name server has DNS software installed on it so that all of the address and location information is easily available. The name server is where requests from your local computer are processed and translated from human language to computer code.

Think of the name server as your location, such as a house, where the phone book is kept.

A domain registrar keeps track of who owns what domain name. This can be different or the same as your hosting company. You renew your domain with a registrar so that you and only you have permission to use that domain or web address.

Think of a domain registrar as a landlord.

An A Record is completely different from a DNS record. What an A Record does is attach a domain name to an IP Address, making the dialing process simplified for both the user and the computer.

Think of A Records as speed dial.

Also associated with web services is an MX record. A mail exchanger record (MX record) is a resource with the DNS that tells senders how to send an email to your domain. Email operates by another set of rules, just as complex as hosting and other web services.

Think of an MX record as a post office.

So there you have it! The most commonly asked about aspects of web hosting and other website services. Luckily for you, we can take care of them all!

When you need a custom website design in Rochester, Minneapolis, St. Paul, or anywhere else nation wide, just call on MLT Group. With design, optimization, video and traditional marketing services, we can help you handle all of your marketing needs. Contact us today!

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Have you heard about the new Google algorithm update?

MLT Group provides SEO services and SEO research in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Rochester, MN to help your website adapt to search engine changes

In the world of digital marketing, there is a common phrase – “King Google.” Well, at times King Google can be a difficult fellow, and once again the world of the web has seen a change in the way Google is operating. In July 2014, Google released an unnamed algorithm update dubbed “Google Pigeon” by SEO specialists. Thankfully, MLT Group provides SEO services in Rochester, Minneapolis, St. Paul, MN and throughout the United States to tackle the challenges that come with Google updates.

This algorithm change increased Google’s awareness of local search factors and national directories. This has increased the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) more than ever. Google is looking for search factors that are applicable to local searches, a component that is tackled by a well-optimized Google+ page. The negatives? You may see a decrease in search rankings as major directory competitors with high PageRank pull to the front of many search terms. SEO Specialists and Digital Marketers are hopeful this is a temporary adjustment and there are hopes that Google will reconsider this change.

MLT Group does not take Google algorithm changes lightly. In the event of an update, our team of digital marketers, blog writers, and SEO specialists collaborate to do anything and everything we can to adapt and adjust to the new atmosphere of Google. Here’s how we do it:

  • SEO Strategy – putting our heads together, collaborating ideas, and documenting a plan of action for your website’s SEO.
  • SEO and Web Research – a key to any online strategy is continuing education and research. We learn through best practices and lessons learned, and staying on top of research is our greatest asset!
  • Blog Writing and SEO Copywriting – Google has not changed its stance on fresh, new content. By using our blog writing and SEO writing services, you’ll ensure your site has content that will impress any of the Google algorithms!

MLT Group will handle your website’s SEO strategy with ease, even in the midst of a Google algorithm update. In our underground bunker, we’ll strategize and collaborate to tackle the toughest research questions and will provide stellar on-site SEO implementation so you can reap the benefits of a well-optimized page. For SEO services, website design, digital marketing, and more, contact MLT Group – Creative Solutions today!

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MLT Group Overindulges with New Website Launch

We’ve set a lot of websites live recently, but this one was a real treat!

Dippin'StixOver the last two months, MLT Group has set multiple custom websites live. We have created numerous designs in various industries, but we recently launched a website in the food and snack industry… and we couldn’t wait to sample to products!

Dippin’Stix provides healthy snack options for lunches and people that are on the go constantly. Each provides a fruit or vegetable serving with a delicious dip, all packaged for traveling convenience. After our recent launch of the site, we acquired some samples and the feeding frenzy began! Whether it was apples and caramel, carrots and hummus, or celery and ranch, each member of the MLT Group team enjoyed healthy snacks throughout the day.

Some other notable recent site launches include:

ServiceMaster by Libby Green (Bel Air, MD)
ServiceMaster Restoration by QuickResponse (Rockland County, NY)
Piranhas Basketball (Southeast Minnesota)
ServiceMaster Complete Restoration by Stiffey (Greensburg, PA)
Gentling Dental Care (Rochester, MN)
ServiceMaster Metropolitan (Jersey City, NJ)
Select Milling (Rochester, MN)

MLT Group is working hard on designs and build-outs for quite a few more websites. Be sure to check back frequently to see more of our work!

When you need website design and development in Rochester, MN or anywhere in the US, look no further than your local MLT Group. We provide creative solutions for all of your marketing needs, from print and graphics, to web development and digital marketing. Contact us today!