Tuten and Solomon, Chapter 6 Please visit a website of your choice. Go through the website and identify the components that were strategically optimized using SEO and SMO techniques. What could have been done to optimize the site further?
I went onto etsy.com and their SEO presence is fairly good. When you type in 'crafty jewelry' in Google a link to an Etsy seller is the third link down. If you want handmade cool stuff, you would go to Etsy. Their SMO techniques are solid. They have facebook, Pinerest, Instagram, and Twitter. However to find the links to connect to them, you have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. To improve, they should put them on the very top of the page, so people will see them.
I went onto vans.com and I think their SEO presence could be improved upon. Knowing the brand, I can easily search "vans" and get to their website, but those who may not know the brand are not likely to stumble upon it. Even if you type in "skate shoes," "sneakers," or "sneaker brands," Vans is not one of the websites that appears on the first page of the Google results. They have a relaxed style and comfortable shoes, clothes, and accessories, but they need to modify their content or site characteristics to improve search engine rankings and traffic to their site by those who may not know of the brand or immediately think of them. However, their SMO techniques are pretty good. They have Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter and are active on all accounts. They also have links to all of their sites and are easily seen and navigable for people to follow.
I chose to evaluate the SEO and SMO of Kate Spade New York. Kate Spade’s SEO is fairly decent. If you type in Google “designer handbags,” it directs you to websites of outlet stores that sell a variety of designer handbags, not specific brand webpages. Even if you are not able to remember the exact brand name of the designer handbag, you could view these outlet webpages and learn the brand name. I believe Kate Spade could definitely improve their SEO by including keywords such as “colorful” or “bright” alongside “designer handbags and accessories” because if you know a decent amount about Kate Spade’s products, you know the handbags are typically more bright and colorful. Kate Spade’s SMO is evident, easily accessible, and convenient to locate on the website. The social media accounts are located in the bottom corner of the webpage. Kate Spade is active on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and YouTube, all of which one can navigate to via the website.
I chose to analyze Nordstrom's SEO and SMO techniques. Because Nordstrom is such a large brand, I would think it would be difficult to strategically optimize their use of search engine optimization. However, when I did a basic Google search of "Department Stores" Nordstrom popped right up on the first search page. I was pretty impressed that with such a generic search I was still able to find the Nordstrom website. Also when I searched 'upscale department stores' Nordstrom was in the list of search terms related to my search topic. I think Nordstrom has done a very good job in terms of using search engine optimization. I also found it impressive that even when I typed in Nordstrom, that Nordstrom Racks popped up as well. I think it is very smart for them to market all of their stores regardless of the search terms. However, I have noticed that sometimes when you search a specific brand competitors pop up in the search as well. Nordstrom did not pop up anywhere on the page when I searched places like Macy's or Bloomingdale's.
Nordstrom's SMO is extremely recognizable and easily accessible. All six of their social media outlets are clearly displayed on the bottom of their website and labeled under "Connect With Us." Nordstrom has very active social media. Also, not only do they list their 6 social media outlets but they also promote email updates, Nordstrom Apps, and Blogs. I think Nordstrom has very strategically taken advantage of social media optimization and done a great job!
I analyzed Dillards’ SEO and SMO techniques. They do a great job with SEO! When I googled top department stores in the United States, Dillard’s was the second name on the list! Dillard’s also advertises their Clearance options and possibilities, and it is made very clear when googled for department stores. I found that to be very interesting and helpful that even with a broad search, they were able to still show people about their brand and company, and provide details. When I searched for other department stores, such as Nordstrom, only Nordstrom and Nordstrom rack showed up, proving that Dillard’s does not show up with any other sources. As far as the SMO, they have a good presence, but I believe it could be stronger. At the very bottom of the page on their website, there are two small icons for twitter and Facebook. If Dillard’s wants to compete with the other companies, they are going to have to increase their social media presence. They need to utilize Instagram, Pinterest, and other websites so people can get a more personal idea of what the company, and it’s products are about. It is good that they have Twitter and Facebook, but they can definitely improve in many areas.
I chose Walmart to study their SEO and SMO techniques. They do a pretty good job with their SEO through their title pages and keywords. I searched flat screen tv's and Walmart was the first link on the page. Where they fail in their SEO is their URL's. I can understand how hard it would be to optimize this as they have many products, but this could be something Walmart could improve. On their facebook job they do a good job with SMO. They have good content that encourages sharing such as hashtags and videos. The content also uses humor and research hooks.They could improve their SMO tactics by integrating their app as a share tool and plugin to share and spread their content to other social networking sites.
I chose to study Lulu Lemon and their SEO and SMO techniques. They do a decent job at SEO. When I type in "yoga clothing" they are the second link, because they paid for it, otherwise they are the third regular link. I also typed in "yoga mat" which they came up for as second. As for their SMO technique they do a great job with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. They make sure to use the same hashtags throughout and share relevant pictures with all three accounts.
I decided to focus on vans as I recently tried to make an online purchase from vans.com. Originally I was just looking to purchase some comfortable but fashionable sneakers and by using search terms like sneakers, shoes, or relaxed skate shoes the site for vans did not come up on the first google search page. It is a cluttered market but vans could definitely improve. I only found myself directed to their sit by a reference from a friend and by directly searching their brand name. They could definitely improve upon their SEO presence to eliminate losing customers like myself. If you know the brand it is easily searchable but if not maybe not so much, so by modifying the key terms, site content and site characteristics they could maintain their relaxed brand identity while improving their SEO search results thus improving their site traffic. However, they have rather active social media on accounts like Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter showing that their SMO techniques are pretty solid. Each of these accounts have easily accessible links that send you directly to their site creating navigation and site traffic via these avenues.
Nike is a brand that is extremely well established and has been for many, many years. Prior to even analyzing their SEO and SMO techniques, I had a good feeling that they would be excelling in both; I was right. Whether I typed "running shoe" or "women's workout clothes," Nike's website would be within the first several links to choose from. It goes without saying that Nike is successful, so when searching for items that relate to their market, it is not a shock to see Nike's name appear so rapidly. I do think, however, that this is something that could be improved because if Nike wants to stay on top, they need to be able to appear superior to all other brands of the similar market, such as Zappos and other such bargain type websites.
Nike does a fabulous job in regard to their SMO techniques, as well. They engage their website with their other social media postings. In doing so, Nike does not just market an item, but rather speaks to a campaign beyond just that. For instance, if you go to Nike's home page of their website, there is a gif of their ad "Better for it," in addition to other relevant and recognizable ads. It is easy to navigate, just like their instagram, twitter, and Facebook accounts, which makes it a more accessible medium for consumers to be a part of. Nike is frequently a part of workout conversations online in reference to apparel and proper footwear, so it is not just Nike, themselves, talking!
The website that I viewed for this assignment was Tobi. They are a women’s clothing site and they are known best, with my group of friends, for their dresses. When I did a Google search for dresses they were the second hit that came up but that wasn’t their paid advertisement so that was good for them that they didn’t have to pay for that hit. As far as SMO techniques they do a really good job of encouraging their customers to post their products and share with their followers where they got their clothing. Tobi also encourages their customers to like their social media pages where they post updates on their products and their new lines based on the season. They’re very active on their social media and when you search for their social media accounts they are usually the first hit that comes up, if not the second. The only suggestion I would make for Tobi in terms of SMO would be to post more shareable content on their pages. One idea could be to add incentive for customers to share a post by giving them a percentage off an order once that share has been verified on their social media page.
I chose to look at the SEO and SMO techniques of Forever 21. I think their SEO techniques are done very well. If you type in “cheap jewelry” or “cheap dresses” in Google, their website is the third link listed. Usually when I am looking for cheaper clothes with more quality than other stores I go to this website. They have a little of everything and their website comes up when you type a lot into the search engine. The SMOs are also good. They have a Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and even Instagram. They are very active on social media accounts and I think this is because their target market is younger teens/women and they are usually searching on these social media accounts for shopping. They are all easily accessible and take you right to the website, which helps a lot. They did a good job with both of their SEOs and SMOs and this has helped to make their company successful!
I chose to examine the SEO and SMO techniques used by Netflix.com It's really taken off in recent years, and I was wondering if social media buzz was responsible for this. It seems like, yes, that is the case. While Netflix's SMO presence is very strong (present on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc.) and boasts a ton of followers, its SEO has room for improvement. Netflix does not come up until the second page of Google using key words "watch movies" and related. This may or may not be an issue for the brand, but it couldn't hurt to improve the SEO!
The site I chose to do was Orvis, which is an outdoor company but mainly a Fly fishing store. Their SEO was very good. On Google when I put in “Fly Fishing” Orvis was the first unpaid website to come up. When I searched “Fly Fishing Gear” they were the third unpaid one. However when I searched “Fishing Gear” they did not show up at all, but that kind of makes since because usually when people are looking for Orvis they know that they are about fly fishing and they don’t search just fishing. As for Orvis SMO they have a very strong list at the bottom of their main page but an use some work. You can connect to their Facebook, Twitter, Podcast and Youtube channel but not their Instagram or Pintrest, which is pretty important for a company like Orvis which is selling outdoors clothing and fly fishing gear.
I went onto to killcliff.com to view their company's SEO and SMO influence. When you google "recovery drinks" the first thing to come up on google is kill cliff's website, showing how good their SEO is. When I googles "crossfit recovery drinks" they were the first and third to show up. This shows how dominate in this market Kill Cliff is. Their SWO is also very impressive. On their website a link to all their social media sites can be reached on the bottom of their homepage. They have accounts on all major social media sites showing how invovled they are with social media and how dedicated they are to it. They are an up and coming company that knows their target market is heavily involved in social media. This allows them to connect with their customers easily and frequently.
Despite being a run specialty store, Brooks Running Company out of Seattle has a dominant presence in search engine optimization and social media optimization. They are a niche brand, with a quality LinkedIn presence. Lots of people within the sports industry neglect to participate in networking mediums like a Linked In, but Brook’s employees are proud of their name. Their presence on Pinterest is dominated mostly by women who have caught the running fever and love to share their favorite Brooks products with followers. It’s just something about pinning our favorite products that gives us a sense of ownership / influence; therefore, Brooks Running is freely benefiting from this! With 621,215 likes on Facebook, it’s evident that the brand has room to grow through this channel. Twitter is Brook’s focal social media platform. Blogs are posted on their Twitter feed by their sponsored athletes along with newest product technology and customer engagements. As a result, they could bump up their presence on Facebook. Facebook caters to all age groups, just likes Brook’s running / walking shoes; therefore, they are missing much of their market by not taking advantage of Facebook’s reach and since only certain demographics utilize Twitter. As for their search engine optimization, it could be improved as well. When “run specialty shoes” is typed into Google, I had to scroll to the second page to view their offerings. A competitor, Newton, was second on the list, obviously optimizing search engines more effectively. When “gait analysis” was entered into my search engine, another competitor (Asics) came up on the first page without even seeing Brooks. As a result, Brooks Running Company can improve on it’s Facebook presence and should consider investing more in advertising to optimize search engine presence.
I chose the underarmour.com website. Right off the bat, the first thing you see on their website is their current poster child, Jordan Spieth, winner of the 2015 masters. One way they use SEO techniques is by having a giant picture of him on the main screen with links right under to the clothes he wore each round of the masters that come in a set that you can buy. They also give you all the different color shirts and pants and belts. They do a very good job of separating their products into mens, women's, kids, and t-shirts, shorts, shoes, etc. This allows for customers to easily navigate through the website and quickly find what they are looking for. The website emphasizes so many of their different products in such a way where it is impossible to not want more than what you came to the website to buy.
I chose to look at Whole Foods in regards to the SEO and SMO techniques! I think Whole Foods is a grocery store that most people know about but not go to as much as a regular grocery store because it is usually more catered to the "health freaks" and tends to be more pricey. However, I think their SEO techniques are relatively good. When I search "healthy food store" Whole Foods is the first thing to pop up. They also have a lot of rising competition because although they are still first to pop up, there are multiple other stores that do as well.
Whole Foods also does a really good job in the SMO techniques. They tend to cater a lot to the healthy people on all sorts of social media. They market themselves that way though because those are the types of customers they are looking to attract.
I decided to look at Victoria's Secret website to analyze their SEO and SMO Techniques. Victoria's Secret is not as good at SEO as I thought. When typing in women's underwear they are fourth on the page. This is surprising to me because I thought this was a very well known and reliable brand but other brands that I have never heard of were higher up. When typing in women's lingerie though they come up second, which is better but still surprising. In my eyes Victoria's Secret could definitely do better with their SEO because they should be first on every search for bra's, underwear, lingerie. They spend a lot of money on marketing and should reflect it also in their SEO.
Victoria's Secret in my eyes also does a good job on SMO. On their twitter they tell stories relating to deals, and new items that the stores have. Almost all of their tweets have pictures or links with them, and with Facebook they have pictures with all of them. This makes it easy to share in other online communities but I believe they could be more effective in selling more of their items through social media platforms. This will make them interested to look at the website and potentially buy something!
I chose to Visit DicksSportsGoods.com to views the company's SEO and SMOs. I chose Dick’s Sports Goods because they are the top sporting goods store in the country because they care more sporting items than any other chain. They can make a social media presence in the topic of hunting, biking, golfing, archery, skiing, kayaking and many more.
I tested the SMO by searching for a specific item and Google. I searched for running gear and Dicks Sports Goods was the second link on the list. The link directed me to the exact page I was looking for. The page consisted of all different types of running gear from shoes to watches, socks, hats, etc.
The company also has a very visible SMO presence. Not only do they a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but also blogging websites, and other pages where people talk about their interest in sports, sporting gear and equipment. They do a great job becoming involved in conversations about every sport and posting ads with pictures of al different sports. They are in conversation about weather, seasons, and even sports motivational talk. Dick’s has such a huge variety of sporting goods that they can enter a conversation or develop a social media presence for just about any topic.
I decided to look at Sephora's website for both SEO and SMO. I chose this store because I use a lot of their products on a regular basis. When typing "make up" into the Google search bar, Sephora's website was the second option, right behind Covergirl. Personally, I think that's pretty impressive. There are many types of make up, and Covergirl is a power brand. I also did a search for "eye liner," a specific type of make up. Sephora was the first choice on the list, so I believe they are doing a great job with SEO.
As far as SMO, the company does a wonderful job. They have a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Their products are wonderful for brand color, image, and personality. Most of the posts have to do with make up tutorials. The message, "if you buy our product, you will look like this" is pretty prevalent.
I chose to evaluate Charming Charlie for their SEO and SMO. Charming Charlie is a boutique-esque women's accessory store.
To evaluate SEO, I did a google search for "women's accessories". Their SEO is not great at all because they don't even make it onto the first page of results. Instead sites for stores like Amazon, Buckle, Express, and Urban Outfitters come up.
Alternatively, their SMO is actually very good. They have accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and all of these accounts have very high numbers of followers and interaction. They do not, however, have any kind of tumblr page associated with the company, so that is something that they could work on.
I chose Zappos to examine their SEO and SMO. Their SEO is really effective. When simply searching the word "clothing" and "clothes" Zappos is the first website to appear. Although Zappos isn't the cheapest option of websites when searching clothing, it's the first to appear making it more appealing to the consumer searching on the web. Zappos SMO is also another strong point of theirs. They post daily about new products as well as suggested products paired with other products. By seeing these posts on Instagram, they may be persuaded to visit their website. Additionally, they try to market themselves to both male and females. They offer posts about male and female products making it more appealing to both genders.
I chose to assess the SEO and SMO of Adidas. Their SEO was not as good as I had expected. When I typed in “top athletic clothing brands” Adidas came up on a list as number three out of seven, but there was no link available to lead people to their website. Then when I searched for “athletic brands” or “athletic stores”, Adidas did not come up at all on the first page of links. I found this to be interesting since they were number three on the list of top athletic clothing, but their link on the Google search was nowhere to be found. I think that Adidas could improve their SEO by using keywords, such as “athletic wear” or “athletic brands” to increase the amount of customer traffic to their website.
The SMO of Adidas is pretty well established. They have accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Of these four social media account, Twitter and Facebook are used the most. Adidas figured out what forms of social media their customers prefer to use and now use that knowledge to engage with them mostly in those places. They post pictures of new products and videos of famous athletes using their products. One piece of advice I would give to Adidas is to add links to their social media site to their home webpage.
I chose to do www.Amazon.com. The first thing you see on the site is an ad for the Amazon fire HD6. You also see what is included in a prime membership. The way they use SEO techniques is by having a giant picture of their premiere products on the home screen. Amazon also always has ads that they pay for on other sites that are custom tailored to you. Amazon does a great job of separating their products into different categories and making it very easy to find exactly what you want.
I chose to asses Zappos.com because it is a sight I use for everything. There SEO is very effective because when I searched for "sneakers," "shoes," "clothing," "jewelry," etc, they were the first to come up and that is very impressive. Zaps SMO is also very good, they post new items and products on their instagram and Facebook page which can encourage the customer to want to go check out the items.
I chose to asses Under Armour because it is a company that I have looked at through many of these book chats. Their SEO seems to be pretty effective. They do not necessarily come up with search terms such as "shoes" or "clothing", but they are high on searches like "Athletic apparel". UA's SMO is even more effective. they are constantly posting new items on instagram, twitter and facebook. There isn't much advice that I could offer to further optimize their SEO or SMO.
I chose to do Lord & Taylor. Their SEO is pretty good. I had typed department stores into Google and Lord & Taylor was the second option. This is great because customers are able to find this company and it can draw more traffic. Their SMO is good. Everything is pretty organized on their website. At the bottom you are able to connect right to their social media outlets. I think their Instagram is very effective because the pictures are capturing and promotes new events/sales. Their Twitter is also great because they utilize hashtags and tagging others as well as use pictures. The only advice I would have is to try and drive more traffic to increase followers.
I chose to look at Nordstrom's SEO and SMO techniques. When I did a basic Google search of department stores, Nordstrom was one of the first ones that popped up. I thought it was be hard to strategically optimize their search engine optimization because they are such a large brand but surprisingly because they are so well known, they came up right away on Google. Also when I Googled Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack also popped up. Nordstrom does an amazing job at using search engine optimization. Nordstrom's SMO techniques are amazing as well. Every one of their social media is located at the bottom of their website under "Connect with Us". Nordstrom also encourages their customers to sign up for emails to stay up to date with different sales, promotions and events. They do a great job at constantly updating all of their social media - Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.
I choose to look at Hobby Lobby's SEO and SMO techniques. I started by doing a basic search for art supplies and Hobby Lobby would not even appear on the first page. Then I tried searching for craft supplies, and lo and behold, Hobby Lobby was the first item listed. However, their SEO techniques I soon realized need a lot of work because while I search for specific supplies I knew Hobby Lobby would have, they only ever appeared as second, third, or seventh place. I think it is important for them to optimize their site, especially because one of their biggest competitors, Michael's always appears ahead of Hobby Lobby in the search engine. As far as their SMO techniques go, I think they are really good. Their site includes plugins to all their social media profiles. These different sites usually contain a link back to the site, and to the correct page, rather than the main landing page. Some posts have links to a DIY blog post or article, where the materials used in a craft for example can be found at Hobby Lobby. I think Hobby Lobby understands the importance of SMO, but they have to work on their SEO.
I chose to look at Nike because it is a company that I have looked at through many of these book chats. It is also a company that i am very passionate about. Their SEO seems to be pretty effective. They come up with search terms such as "shoes" or "clothing", they are also high on searches like "Athletic apparel". Nike's SMO is even more effective. they are constantly posting new items on instagram, twitter and facebook. They really try to reach out to their customers and uphold a great quality standard. There isn't much advice that I could offer to further optimize their SEO or SMO.
I chose Amazon.com. This company is something that I use almost on a daily basis. Their SEO seems to be effective. They have searches including "shoes", "electronics", "clothing" and "books". Amazon however doesn't really have an effective SMO because they are not a major force on Instagram or Facebook to advertise for potential customers.
I chose the site renttherunway.com because this is a fairly popular site that I have used before and I know many other who have used it as well. Their SEO is fairly good. You can filter your searches right down to the type of neckline you want for your dress. Rent the Runway's SMO is also exceptional - they have almost 70k followers on instagram and constantly post. They encourage people who wear their dresses/accessories to post pictures of them in it too and write reviews.
I chose to look at the SEO and SMO of Dick's Sporting Goods since I play sports and purchase sporting clothing and equipment from them often. Their SEO is very effective and should get them a lot of website traffic. Being that is the beginning of baseball season, I performed a Google search of the terms "baseball bats", "baseball gloves", and "baseball cleats" and Dick's website was the first option that was non-paid. Dick's SMO is easily visible and accessible from their website. They offer links to their Facebook, Twitter Pinterest, Youtube, and Google Plus social media pages which are all used effectively. They engage with their customers, show pictures and information about new products, especially those pertaining to the current sporting season or one that is right around the corner.
I looked at the SEO and SMO of Amazon, since I frequently use the website. I searched “books” and Amazon was the first website on the Google Search. Overall, Amazon has a fantastic SEO. Amazon’s SMO is lacking, there are days between Tweets on their Twitter account.
I went onto etsy.com and their SEO presence is fairly good. When you type in 'crafty jewelry' in Google a link to an Etsy seller is the third link down. If you want handmade cool stuff, you would go to Etsy. Their SMO techniques are solid. They have facebook, Pinerest, Instagram, and Twitter. However to find the links to connect to them, you have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. To improve, they should put them on the very top of the page, so people will see them.
ReplyDeleteI went onto vans.com and I think their SEO presence could be improved upon. Knowing the brand, I can easily search "vans" and get to their website, but those who may not know the brand are not likely to stumble upon it. Even if you type in "skate shoes," "sneakers," or "sneaker brands," Vans is not one of the websites that appears on the first page of the Google results. They have a relaxed style and comfortable shoes, clothes, and accessories, but they need to modify their content or site characteristics to improve search engine rankings and traffic to their site by those who may not know of the brand or immediately think of them. However, their SMO techniques are pretty good. They have Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter and are active on all accounts. They also have links to all of their sites and are easily seen and navigable for people to follow.
ReplyDeleteI chose to evaluate the SEO and SMO of Kate Spade New York. Kate Spade’s SEO is fairly decent. If you type in Google “designer handbags,” it directs you to websites of outlet stores that sell a variety of designer handbags, not specific brand webpages. Even if you are not able to remember the exact brand name of the designer handbag, you could view these outlet webpages and learn the brand name. I believe Kate Spade could definitely improve their SEO by including keywords such as “colorful” or “bright” alongside “designer handbags and accessories” because if you know a decent amount about Kate Spade’s products, you know the handbags are typically more bright and colorful. Kate Spade’s SMO is evident, easily accessible, and convenient to locate on the website. The social media accounts are located in the bottom corner of the webpage. Kate Spade is active on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and YouTube, all of which one can navigate to via the website.
ReplyDeleteI chose to analyze Nordstrom's SEO and SMO techniques. Because Nordstrom is such a large brand, I would think it would be difficult to strategically optimize their use of search engine optimization. However, when I did a basic Google search of "Department Stores" Nordstrom popped right up on the first search page. I was pretty impressed that with such a generic search I was still able to find the Nordstrom website. Also when I searched 'upscale department stores' Nordstrom was in the list of search terms related to my search topic. I think Nordstrom has done a very good job in terms of using search engine optimization. I also found it impressive that even when I typed in Nordstrom, that Nordstrom Racks popped up as well. I think it is very smart for them to market all of their stores regardless of the search terms. However, I have noticed that sometimes when you search a specific brand competitors pop up in the search as well. Nordstrom did not pop up anywhere on the page when I searched places like Macy's or Bloomingdale's.
ReplyDeleteNordstrom's SMO is extremely recognizable and easily accessible. All six of their social media outlets are clearly displayed on the bottom of their website and labeled under "Connect With Us." Nordstrom has very active social media. Also, not only do they list their 6 social media outlets but they also promote email updates, Nordstrom Apps, and Blogs. I think Nordstrom has very strategically taken advantage of social media optimization and done a great job!
I analyzed Dillards’ SEO and SMO techniques. They do a great job with SEO! When I googled top department stores in the United States, Dillard’s was the second name on the list! Dillard’s also advertises their Clearance options and possibilities, and it is made very clear when googled for department stores. I found that to be very interesting and helpful that even with a broad search, they were able to still show people about their brand and company, and provide details. When I searched for other department stores, such as Nordstrom, only Nordstrom and Nordstrom rack showed up, proving that Dillard’s does not show up with any other sources. As far as the SMO, they have a good presence, but I believe it could be stronger. At the very bottom of the page on their website, there are two small icons for twitter and Facebook. If Dillard’s wants to compete with the other companies, they are going to have to increase their social media presence. They need to utilize Instagram, Pinterest, and other websites so people can get a more personal idea of what the company, and it’s products are about. It is good that they have Twitter and Facebook, but they can definitely improve in many areas.
ReplyDeleteI chose Walmart to study their SEO and SMO techniques. They do a pretty good job with their SEO through their title pages and keywords. I searched flat screen tv's and Walmart was the first link on the page. Where they fail in their SEO is their URL's. I can understand how hard it would be to optimize this as they have many products, but this could be something Walmart could improve.
ReplyDeleteOn their facebook job they do a good job with SMO. They have good content that encourages sharing such as hashtags and videos. The content also uses humor and research hooks.They could improve their SMO tactics by integrating their app as a share tool and plugin to share and spread their content to other social networking sites.
I chose to study Lulu Lemon and their SEO and SMO techniques. They do a decent job at SEO. When I type in "yoga clothing" they are the second link, because they paid for it, otherwise they are the third regular link. I also typed in "yoga mat" which they came up for as second. As for their SMO technique they do a great job with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. They make sure to use the same hashtags throughout and share relevant pictures with all three accounts.
ReplyDeleteI decided to focus on vans as I recently tried to make an online purchase from vans.com. Originally I was just looking to purchase some comfortable but fashionable sneakers and by using search terms like sneakers, shoes, or relaxed skate shoes the site for vans did not come up on the first google search page. It is a cluttered market but vans could definitely improve. I only found myself directed to their sit by a reference from a friend and by directly searching their brand name. They could definitely improve upon their SEO presence to eliminate losing customers like myself. If you know the brand it is easily searchable but if not maybe not so much, so by modifying the key terms, site content and site characteristics they could maintain their relaxed brand identity while improving their SEO search results thus improving their site traffic. However, they have rather active social media on accounts like Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter showing that their SMO techniques are pretty solid. Each of these accounts have easily accessible links that send you directly to their site creating navigation and site traffic via these avenues.
ReplyDeleteNike is a brand that is extremely well established and has been for many, many years. Prior to even analyzing their SEO and SMO techniques, I had a good feeling that they would be excelling in both; I was right. Whether I typed "running shoe" or "women's workout clothes," Nike's website would be within the first several links to choose from. It goes without saying that Nike is successful, so when searching for items that relate to their market, it is not a shock to see Nike's name appear so rapidly. I do think, however, that this is something that could be improved because if Nike wants to stay on top, they need to be able to appear superior to all other brands of the similar market, such as Zappos and other such bargain type websites.
ReplyDeleteNike does a fabulous job in regard to their SMO techniques, as well. They engage their website with their other social media postings. In doing so, Nike does not just market an item, but rather speaks to a campaign beyond just that. For instance, if you go to Nike's home page of their website, there is a gif of their ad "Better for it," in addition to other relevant and recognizable ads. It is easy to navigate, just like their instagram, twitter, and Facebook accounts, which makes it a more accessible medium for consumers to be a part of. Nike is frequently a part of workout conversations online in reference to apparel and proper footwear, so it is not just Nike, themselves, talking!
The website that I viewed for this assignment was Tobi. They are a women’s clothing site and they are known best, with my group of friends, for their dresses. When I did a Google search for dresses they were the second hit that came up but that wasn’t their paid advertisement so that was good for them that they didn’t have to pay for that hit. As far as SMO techniques they do a really good job of encouraging their customers to post their products and share with their followers where they got their clothing. Tobi also encourages their customers to like their social media pages where they post updates on their products and their new lines based on the season. They’re very active on their social media and when you search for their social media accounts they are usually the first hit that comes up, if not the second. The only suggestion I would make for Tobi in terms of SMO would be to post more shareable content on their pages. One idea could be to add incentive for customers to share a post by giving them a percentage off an order once that share has been verified on their social media page.
ReplyDeleteI chose to look at the SEO and SMO techniques of Forever 21. I think their SEO techniques are done very well. If you type in “cheap jewelry” or “cheap dresses” in Google, their website is the third link listed. Usually when I am looking for cheaper clothes with more quality than other stores I go to this website. They have a little of everything and their website comes up when you type a lot into the search engine. The SMOs are also good. They have a Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and even Instagram. They are very active on social media accounts and I think this is because their target market is younger teens/women and they are usually searching on these social media accounts for shopping. They are all easily accessible and take you right to the website, which helps a lot. They did a good job with both of their SEOs and SMOs and this has helped to make their company successful!
ReplyDeleteI chose to examine the SEO and SMO techniques used by Netflix.com
ReplyDeleteIt's really taken off in recent years, and I was wondering if social media buzz was responsible for this. It seems like, yes, that is the case. While Netflix's SMO presence is very strong (present on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc.) and boasts a ton of followers, its SEO has room for improvement. Netflix does not come up until the second page of Google using key words "watch movies" and related. This may or may not be an issue for the brand, but it couldn't hurt to improve the SEO!
The site I chose to do was Orvis, which is an outdoor company but mainly a Fly fishing store. Their SEO was very good. On Google when I put in “Fly Fishing” Orvis was the first unpaid website to come up. When I searched “Fly Fishing Gear” they were the third unpaid one. However when I searched “Fishing Gear” they did not show up at all, but that kind of makes since because usually when people are looking for Orvis they know that they are about fly fishing and they don’t search just fishing.
ReplyDeleteAs for Orvis SMO they have a very strong list at the bottom of their main page but an use some work. You can connect to their Facebook, Twitter, Podcast and Youtube channel but not their Instagram or Pintrest, which is pretty important for a company like Orvis which is selling outdoors clothing and fly fishing gear.
I went onto to killcliff.com to view their company's SEO and SMO influence. When you google "recovery drinks" the first thing to come up on google is kill cliff's website, showing how good their SEO is. When I googles "crossfit recovery drinks" they were the first and third to show up. This shows how dominate in this market Kill Cliff is. Their SWO is also very impressive. On their website a link to all their social media sites can be reached on the bottom of their homepage. They have accounts on all major social media sites showing how invovled they are with social media and how dedicated they are to it. They are an up and coming company that knows their target market is heavily involved in social media. This allows them to connect with their customers easily and frequently.
ReplyDeleteDespite being a run specialty store, Brooks Running Company out of Seattle has a dominant presence in search engine optimization and social media optimization. They are a niche brand, with a quality LinkedIn presence. Lots of people within the sports industry neglect to participate in networking mediums like a Linked In, but Brook’s employees are proud of their name. Their presence on Pinterest is dominated mostly by women who have caught the running fever and love to share their favorite Brooks products with followers. It’s just something about pinning our favorite products that gives us a sense of ownership / influence; therefore, Brooks Running is freely benefiting from this! With 621,215 likes on Facebook, it’s evident that the brand has room to grow through this channel. Twitter is Brook’s focal social media platform. Blogs are posted on their Twitter feed by their sponsored athletes along with newest product technology and customer engagements. As a result, they could bump up their presence on Facebook. Facebook caters to all age groups, just likes Brook’s running / walking shoes; therefore, they are missing much of their market by not taking advantage of Facebook’s reach and since only certain demographics utilize Twitter. As for their search engine optimization, it could be improved as well. When “run specialty shoes” is typed into Google, I had to scroll to the second page to view their offerings. A competitor, Newton, was second on the list, obviously optimizing search engines more effectively. When “gait analysis” was entered into my search engine, another competitor (Asics) came up on the first page without even seeing Brooks. As a result, Brooks Running Company can improve on it’s Facebook presence and should consider investing more in advertising to optimize search engine presence.
ReplyDeleteI chose the underarmour.com website. Right off the bat, the first thing you see on their website is their current poster child, Jordan Spieth, winner of the 2015 masters. One way they use SEO techniques is by having a giant picture of him on the main screen with links right under to the clothes he wore each round of the masters that come in a set that you can buy. They also give you all the different color shirts and pants and belts. They do a very good job of separating their products into mens, women's, kids, and t-shirts, shorts, shoes, etc. This allows for customers to easily navigate through the website and quickly find what they are looking for. The website emphasizes so many of their different products in such a way where it is impossible to not want more than what you came to the website to buy.
ReplyDeleteI chose to look at Whole Foods in regards to the SEO and SMO techniques! I think Whole Foods is a grocery store that most people know about but not go to as much as a regular grocery store because it is usually more catered to the "health freaks" and tends to be more pricey. However, I think their SEO techniques are relatively good. When I search "healthy food store" Whole Foods is the first thing to pop up. They also have a lot of rising competition because although they are still first to pop up, there are multiple other stores that do as well.
ReplyDeleteWhole Foods also does a really good job in the SMO techniques. They tend to cater a lot to the healthy people on all sorts of social media. They market themselves that way though because those are the types of customers they are looking to attract.
I decided to look at Victoria's Secret website to analyze their SEO and SMO Techniques. Victoria's Secret is not as good at SEO as I thought. When typing in women's underwear they are fourth on the page. This is surprising to me because I thought this was a very well known and reliable brand but other brands that I have never heard of were higher up. When typing in women's lingerie though they come up second, which is better but still surprising. In my eyes Victoria's Secret could definitely do better with their SEO because they should be first on every search for bra's, underwear, lingerie. They spend a lot of money on marketing and should reflect it also in their SEO.
ReplyDeleteVictoria's Secret in my eyes also does a good job on SMO. On their twitter they tell stories relating to deals, and new items that the stores have. Almost all of their tweets have pictures or links with them, and with Facebook they have pictures with all of them. This makes it easy to share in other online communities but I believe they could be more effective in selling more of their items through social media platforms. This will make them interested to look at the website and potentially buy something!
I chose to Visit DicksSportsGoods.com to views the company's SEO and SMOs. I chose Dick’s Sports Goods because they are the top sporting goods store in the country because they care more sporting items than any other chain. They can make a social media presence in the topic of hunting, biking, golfing, archery, skiing, kayaking and many more.
ReplyDeleteI tested the SMO by searching for a specific item and Google. I searched for running gear and Dicks Sports Goods was the second link on the list. The link directed me to the exact page I was looking for. The page consisted of all different types of running gear from shoes to watches, socks, hats, etc.
The company also has a very visible SMO presence. Not only do they a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but also blogging websites, and other pages where people talk about their interest in sports, sporting gear and equipment. They do a great job becoming involved in conversations about every sport and posting ads with pictures of al different sports. They are in conversation about weather, seasons, and even sports motivational talk. Dick’s has such a huge variety of sporting goods that they can enter a conversation or develop a social media presence for just about any topic.
I decided to look at Sephora's website for both SEO and SMO. I chose this store because I use a lot of their products on a regular basis. When typing "make up" into the Google search bar, Sephora's website was the second option, right behind Covergirl. Personally, I think that's pretty impressive. There are many types of make up, and Covergirl is a power brand. I also did a search for "eye liner," a specific type of make up. Sephora was the first choice on the list, so I believe they are doing a great job with SEO.
ReplyDeleteAs far as SMO, the company does a wonderful job. They have a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Their products are wonderful for brand color, image, and personality. Most of the posts have to do with make up tutorials. The message, "if you buy our product, you will look like this" is pretty prevalent.
I chose to evaluate Charming Charlie for their SEO and SMO. Charming Charlie is a boutique-esque women's accessory store.
ReplyDeleteTo evaluate SEO, I did a google search for "women's accessories". Their SEO is not great at all because they don't even make it onto the first page of results. Instead sites for stores like Amazon, Buckle, Express, and Urban Outfitters come up.
Alternatively, their SMO is actually very good. They have accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and all of these accounts have very high numbers of followers and interaction. They do not, however, have any kind of tumblr page associated with the company, so that is something that they could work on.
I chose Zappos to examine their SEO and SMO. Their SEO is really effective. When simply searching the word "clothing" and "clothes" Zappos is the first website to appear. Although Zappos isn't the cheapest option of websites when searching clothing, it's the first to appear making it more appealing to the consumer searching on the web. Zappos SMO is also another strong point of theirs. They post daily about new products as well as suggested products paired with other products. By seeing these posts on Instagram, they may be persuaded to visit their website. Additionally, they try to market themselves to both male and females. They offer posts about male and female products making it more appealing to both genders.
ReplyDeleteI chose to assess the SEO and SMO of Adidas. Their SEO was not as good as I had expected. When I typed in “top athletic clothing brands” Adidas came up on a list as number three out of seven, but there was no link available to lead people to their website. Then when I searched for “athletic brands” or “athletic stores”, Adidas did not come up at all on the first page of links. I found this to be interesting since they were number three on the list of top athletic clothing, but their link on the Google search was nowhere to be found. I think that Adidas could improve their SEO by using keywords, such as “athletic wear” or “athletic brands” to increase the amount of customer traffic to their website.
ReplyDeleteThe SMO of Adidas is pretty well established. They have accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Of these four social media account, Twitter and Facebook are used the most. Adidas figured out what forms of social media their customers prefer to use and now use that knowledge to engage with them mostly in those places. They post pictures of new products and videos of famous athletes using their products. One piece of advice I would give to Adidas is to add links to their social media site to their home webpage.
I chose to do www.Amazon.com. The first thing you see on the site is an ad for the Amazon fire HD6. You also see what is included in a prime membership. The way they use SEO techniques is by having a giant picture of their premiere products on the home screen. Amazon also always has ads that they pay for on other sites that are custom tailored to you. Amazon does a great job of separating their products into different categories and making it very easy to find exactly what you want.
ReplyDeleteI chose to asses Zappos.com because it is a sight I use for everything. There SEO is very effective because when I searched for "sneakers," "shoes," "clothing," "jewelry," etc, they were the first to come up and that is very impressive. Zaps SMO is also very good, they post new items and products on their instagram and Facebook page which can encourage the customer to want to go check out the items.
ReplyDeleteI chose to asses Under Armour because it is a company that I have looked at through many of these book chats. Their SEO seems to be pretty effective. They do not necessarily come up with search terms such as "shoes" or "clothing", but they are high on searches like "Athletic apparel". UA's SMO is even more effective. they are constantly posting new items on instagram, twitter and facebook. There isn't much advice that I could offer to further optimize their SEO or SMO.
ReplyDeleteI chose to do Lord & Taylor. Their SEO is pretty good. I had typed department stores into Google and Lord & Taylor was the second option. This is great because customers are able to find this company and it can draw more traffic. Their SMO is good. Everything is pretty organized on their website. At the bottom you are able to connect right to their social media outlets. I think their Instagram is very effective because the pictures are capturing and promotes new events/sales. Their Twitter is also great because they utilize hashtags and tagging others as well as use pictures. The only advice I would have is to try and drive more traffic to increase followers.
ReplyDeleteI chose to look at Nordstrom's SEO and SMO techniques. When I did a basic Google search of department stores, Nordstrom was one of the first ones that popped up. I thought it was be hard to strategically optimize their search engine optimization because they are such a large brand but surprisingly because they are so well known, they came up right away on Google. Also when I Googled Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack also popped up. Nordstrom does an amazing job at using search engine optimization.
ReplyDeleteNordstrom's SMO techniques are amazing as well. Every one of their social media is located at the bottom of their website under "Connect with Us". Nordstrom also encourages their customers to sign up for emails to stay up to date with different sales, promotions and events. They do a great job at constantly updating all of their social media - Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.
I choose to look at Hobby Lobby's SEO and SMO techniques. I started by doing a basic search for art supplies and Hobby Lobby would not even appear on the first page. Then I tried searching for craft supplies, and lo and behold, Hobby Lobby was the first item listed. However, their SEO techniques I soon realized need a lot of work because while I search for specific supplies I knew Hobby Lobby would have, they only ever appeared as second, third, or seventh place. I think it is important for them to optimize their site, especially because one of their biggest competitors, Michael's always appears ahead of Hobby Lobby in the search engine.
ReplyDeleteAs far as their SMO techniques go, I think they are really good. Their site includes plugins to all their social media profiles. These different sites usually contain a link back to the site, and to the correct page, rather than the main landing page. Some posts have links to a DIY blog post or article, where the materials used in a craft for example can be found at Hobby Lobby. I think Hobby Lobby understands the importance of SMO, but they have to work on their SEO.
I chose to look at Nike because it is a company that I have looked at through many of these book chats. It is also a company that i am very passionate about. Their SEO seems to be pretty effective. They come up with search terms such as "shoes" or "clothing", they are also high on searches like "Athletic apparel". Nike's SMO is even more effective. they are constantly posting new items on instagram, twitter and facebook. They really try to reach out to their customers and uphold a great quality standard. There isn't much advice that I could offer to further optimize their SEO or SMO.
ReplyDeleteI chose Amazon.com. This company is something that I use almost on a daily basis. Their SEO seems to be effective. They have searches including "shoes", "electronics", "clothing" and "books". Amazon however doesn't really have an effective SMO because they are not a major force on Instagram or Facebook to advertise for potential customers.
ReplyDeleteI chose the site renttherunway.com because this is a fairly popular site that I have used before and I know many other who have used it as well. Their SEO is fairly good. You can filter your searches right down to the type of neckline you want for your dress. Rent the Runway's SMO is also exceptional - they have almost 70k followers on instagram and constantly post. They encourage people who wear their dresses/accessories to post pictures of them in it too and write reviews.
ReplyDeleteI chose to look at the SEO and SMO of Dick's Sporting Goods since I play sports and purchase sporting clothing and equipment from them often. Their SEO is very effective and should get them a lot of website traffic. Being that is the beginning of baseball season, I performed a Google search of the terms "baseball bats", "baseball gloves", and "baseball cleats" and Dick's website was the first option that was non-paid.
ReplyDeleteDick's SMO is easily visible and accessible from their website. They offer links to their Facebook, Twitter Pinterest, Youtube, and Google Plus social media pages which are all used effectively. They engage with their customers, show pictures and information about new products, especially those pertaining to the current sporting season or one that is right around the corner.
I looked at the SEO and SMO of Amazon, since I frequently use the website. I searched “books” and Amazon was the first website on the Google Search. Overall, Amazon has a fantastic SEO. Amazon’s SMO is lacking, there are days between Tweets on their Twitter account.
ReplyDelete