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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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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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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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Achieving Winning Search Rankings in a Competitive Search Environment | Rochester, MN SEO Services

MLT Group provides SEO Services and SEO Strategy in Rochester, Minneapolis, St. Paul, MN and throughout the United States!

As a business owner, you know the business market is competitive regardless of the industry you’re in. Unfortunately, the web world is no different. There are millions of websites available on the Internet, all competing for Google’s attention and for a place at the top of the search market. There has to be something to set you apart from your competitors, and in both the real world and web world, the differentiating factor is strategy. MLT Group – Creative Solutions provides SEO strategy for websites in Rochester, MN and the surrounding areas.

Formulating an SEO strategy is important to overcome the search rankings of your competitors. When a new website is launched and on-site SEO is implemented, there is a waiting game that must be played with the preexisting competition for that search. It can be frustrating to see competitors with sub-par websites outrank newly designed websites; however, don’t fret, the rankings will come in time. After a site receives an “SEO redesign” or is newly launched into the web world, Google needs time to “crawl” through the site’s changes and index the information. An ongoing SEO strategy is vital to ensuring your website doesn’t become stagnant. Posting monthly blogs, keeping an eye on competitors, updating relevant key phrases, and ensuring a great customer experience all accelerate long-term SEO strategy and rankings.

Your SEO strategy doesn’t have to be formulated alone – MLT Group wants to help! With years of experience in the industry, we’re on top of the recent trends, research, and customer interests. We’ll work hard to analyze your competition, your website, and your potential to achieve the search rankings you want. Contact MLT Group today to discuss plans for an SEO strategy to take charge of the competition!

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Battle Wounds: MLT Group’s Digital Marketing Staff Goes Paintballing

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MLT Group’s digital marketing staff in Rochester, MN takes a break for some live-action fun

Last weekend, MLT Group brought the underground bunker to the battlefield in a paintball extravaganza. The 2nd annual paintball excursion was a great way for us to work on our strategy skills, quick responses, and team unity. Even with stretching and warm-up exercises before and after the game, we all walked away quite sore.

Just like in paintball, MLT Group is prepared with an arsenal of weapons to make your digital marketing campaign the most effective it can be. Our strategic methods help us succeed in both paintball and digital marketing. Without a solid plan in place, you may be casting too wide of a net in your digital marketing strategy. By concentrating your efforts, especially when it comes to SEO services, you can see and measure your results much more easily then by attacking randomly.

If you find yourself in need of web development, print design, or SEO services in Rochester, MN (or even across the US) contact the professionals at MLT Group. Our aim is dead-on when it comes to helping you achieve your digital marketing goals. To check out more photos from our paintball fun, visit our Facebook page.

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Hummingbirds, Penguins, and Pandas? Decoding the Google SEO Zoo

MLT Group provides web development, search engine optimization, and digital marketing in Rochester,MN and throughout the United States

If you pay attention to recent Google news, you may have heard the phrases Google Hummingbird, Google Penguin, and Google Panda. Of course, this sounds like very strange terminology when thinking about one of the largest information technology companies in the world. As Google would have it, these terms do not mean what they appear. Google has not taken a single hummingbird, penguin, and panda under its roof, though that would be an interesting sight to see! When you encounter strange “tech-talk” like this, MLT Group – Creative Solutions provides the answers to your questions regarding Google, SEO, and digital marketing in Rochester, Minneapolis, and throughout the United States.

Many websites compete for recognition and rankings on Google, and Google needs to respond to the competition. At Google, more weight is put on the quality of your website and the great content you publish, rather than the number of “tricks” you can pull to show up on the top of Google’s search rankings. Though the average person may be a step behind Google’s geniuses, those competing on the web have figured out tips, tricks, and solutions to achieving high rankings on Google, which is commonly phrased as Search Engine Optimization, or “SEO.” When too many people figure out the tricks, Google puts out a new algorithm, which changes the game and eliminates any quick tricks you many have uncovered to gain high search engine rankings. (These quick tricks that Google responds to are commonly referred to as Black Hat SEO, something that Google penalizes.) Each new algorithm has a specific name, with the past three being Google Panda, Google Penguin, and Google Hummingbird, the most recent algorithm change.

When new algorithm changes are implemented, Google raises the stakes. Websites are now required to have better content, better quality design, and user-friendly features. Though it can be frustrating when these algorithms kick in, the result is quite favorable – better websites, better user experiences, and the push to be smarter, wiser, and more intentional on the web. Rather than being confused about these algorithms, MLT Group provides solutions for your company and website – we handle the competition so you don’t have to. Digital marketing and SEO are constantly changing, and we must adapt to Google’s standards. Our web experts and SEO specialists are committed to staying informed and “in the know” with all of Google’s adaptations, which means you don’t have to do the grueling research and hard work! You can keep your focus on your customers, and we’ll keep our focus on you, your website, and the Google atmosphere.

MLT Group – Creative Solutions provides digital marketing, web development, and SEO in Rochester, MN and nearby communities, as well as across the US. Every time a new animal is added to the Google Zoo, the SEO Zookeepers at MLT Group are on top of it. For your Rochester and Minneapolis website solutions, contact MLT Group today!

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MLT Group Unveils New Digital Marketing Scorecard

Website Design and Development in Rochester, MN by MLT Group

 

MLT Digital Marketing Scorecard
MLT Digital Marketing Scorecard

MLT Group – Creative Solutions has been hard at work developing a new reporting system for our clients. Throughout the brutal Polar Vortex(es) and countless parade of blizzards, the talent at MLT has been hunkered down in our brain-storming creativity bunker crafting and fine-tuning our newest quarterly report; the Digital Marketing Scorecard. We are very excited to offer our clients this new digital marketing service in Rochester and Minneapolis, Minnesota, and throughout the country.

The scorecard provides a score from 0 to 100 that can be assessed for both current and potential clients. With an assessment of 6 different aspects of digital marketing, MLT’s new scorecard is a simple, streamlined way to determine what else your company could do to improve its digital marketing, online presence, and rankings.

A look at the details:

Web Presence – This section deals specifically with the set-up of your current website and reviews it based on both user experience and digital marketing expectations (read: Google’s algorithms).

On Site SEO – When you work with MLT Group to SEO your website, we ensure that nothing is left undone, and that the site is thoroughly optimized as it should be from the biggest picture on the home page to the smallest link in the footer.

SEO Building – SEO is a process that continues long after the content is optimized and the site has been launched. We focus much of our energy on consistent blog posting and backlink building. Page Two of the scorecard also lists examples of your search engine rankings at the time of the report.

Social Media – Now more than ever, it’s important that your business be found through a variety of platforms. In addition to ensuring all information is consistent and correct, it’s also important to continually post fresh content to your social media sites.

Other Digital – In the world of smart phones and tablets, your site must work on all platforms of technology, or you miss out on business. To optimize your presence in the digital realm, no form of communication should be left untapped.

Stats – We want to make sure you have quantitative evidence of your successes with MLT Group. We provide stats information so you can see your quarterly progress, all in one convenient document.

MLT Group is very excited about our newest digital marketing scorecard and how it will help us better serve our clients. We hope that this will be a great resource for both those that currently work with us and those that may be considering MLT Group.

Contact us today for assistance with your digital marketing and web design. From Rochester, MN, to the rest of the world, MLT Group – Creative Solutions is prepared to help advance your business and digital presence in our ever-expanding local and global marketplace!

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Bay & Bay Transportation’s new website is live

MLT Group is proud to announce the launch of the new website for Bay & Bay Transportation!

Bay & Bay is based in Eagan, MN and was formed in 1941 deriving its name from the original mode of tranportation used by the company, two bay horses. Over the years Bay & Bay has grown into a leader in the trucking industry.

MLT Group worked with Bay & Bay to create a website that would enhance the overall digital marketing brand and exposure for the company. MLT Group is also working with Bay & Bay on a Search Engine Optimization campaign to attract new clients as well as new drivers. The overall digital marketing campaign includes website development, search engine optimizaton, social media, graphic design and video production.

Soon you’ll be able to look  for MLT Group’s design work on a semi-trailer near you!