Why Localization Should Be a Must For Your Dental Practice

The retail landscape has undergone a transformative shift, and direct-to-consumer brands are at the forefront of this revolution. These brands have revolutionized the traditional business model by embracing social commerce, a powerful tool that offers consumers unparalleled control over their shopping journey. By bypassing intermediaries, streamlining the buying process, and leveraging the vast potential of social media, DTC apparel brands are redefining how consumers discover, engage with, and purchase products. As a result, social commerce has become a crucial aspect of DTC strategies, enabling brands to establish direct interactions with their target audience at any time and leverage valuable insights to create stronger, more tailored channels. In an age where 74% of consumers turn to social networks for purchase guidance, owning the sales channel has become imperative. Social media platforms have recognized this paradigm shift, vying to become the go-to destination for consumers looking to make informed buying decisions. Recent data reveals that a staggering 98% of customers intend to utilize social purchasing for at least one purchase this year, indicating a significant increase from previous years. It is evident that social media channels are positioning themselves to capture a larger share of the market, and this upward trend shows no signs of slowing down. In this article, we will delve deeper into the realm of social commerce and explore its critical significance for DTC apparel brands. We will unravel the transformative potential of this burgeoning trend, highlighting its ability to empower consumers, streamline the buying process, and propel brands to new heights. Social Commerce, Social Shopping, and DTC Social shopping, a hybrid of eCommerce and social media, has emerged as a result of the changing landscape of retail. By seamlessly integrating retail channels with social media profiles and followers' feeds, social shopping provides a unique opportunity for consumers to discover new products, explore emerging brands, and make purchases without ever leaving their social feeds. This convergence of online shopping and social interaction is proving to be wildly profitable, with social commerce generating a remarkable $475 billion in sales in 2020. According to industry experts, this figure is projected to skyrocket to a staggering $3.37 trillion by 2028, exhibiting an annual growth rate of 28.4%. For DTC apparel brands, social commerce is an instrumental element in their quest for success. These brands understand the importance of fostering direct connections with their audience, and social media platforms serve as a pivotal factor in achieving that objective. By embracing shoppable posts, on-site storefronts, and innovative features, DTC brands are harnessing the power of social commerce to enhance customer engagement, drive sales, and forge long-lasting relationships. Social Commerce and Customer Behavior Emerging as the predominant buyer segment, millennials exert an increasingly influential impact on the market. A key aspect characterizing these evolving consumers is their desire for personalized shopping experiences and tailored product recommendations. Their curiosity extends beyond product utility, as they actively seek insights into how others employ various products and services. Real-life encounters and the opinions of genuine individuals hold greater sway over their decision-making processes than brand-generated content. Crucially, 77% of shoppers exhibit a higher inclination to make purchases from brands that effectively personalize their shopping experiences. It is evident that change permeates the landscape for brands and retailers, necessitating a profound understanding of and adaptation to the evolving preferences and behaviors of this connected and discerning consumer base. Why Does Social Commerce Work For Fashion Brands? According to Statista, the number of social buyers in the United States alone reached a staggering 80 million in 2020, marking a notable 30% increase compared to the previous year. Experts suggest that the social commerce trend would have continued its growth trajectory even without the pandemic; however, COVID-19 acted as a catalyst, accelerating its expansion. In terms of monetary value, these consumers collectively spent around $27 billion throughout 2020. Retail experts predict that social commerce sales will witness a further surge of over 35% in 2021, surpassing $36 billion in consumer expenditure. Projections for the future paint an even more remarkable picture, with social commerce sales in the United States, expected to reach nearly $80 billion by 2025. The pandemic-induced spike in these numbers can be attributed to a significant shift in consumer behavior. Notably, consumers have become increasingly reliant on digital platforms, as highlighted by PWC's research, which revealed that over 50% of surveyed consumers reported a heightened digital engagement. Furthermore, the popularity of smartphone shopping has been steadily rising, outpacing in-store shopping since March 2021 by a two-percentage-point margin. Establishing a robust presence on social media platforms has proven to be a key driver of sales. Stores that maintain at least one social media account experience an average increase of 32% in sales compared to those that do not leverage social media channels. Social media platforms have also emerged as the go-to destination for product reviews, with a remarkable 84% of online buyers in the United States consulting these platforms before making a purchase decision. When it comes to discovering new brands and products, the younger demographic, specifically Generation Z, heavily relies on Instagram. Being a mobile-first generation, Gen Z utilizes Instagram as their primary channel for exploration, with a recent report from digital and creative agency Composed indicating that 60% of U.S. Gen Z shoppers utilize the platform for this purpose. While it is evident that capitalizing on the social media trend is crucial for the growth of e-commerce fashion brands, it is essential to know where to begin in order to navigate this landscape successfully and that is what we will break down for you! What Works in DTC and Social Commerce? Your Audience and Social Media: Your Audience and Social Media Consumers utilize social media platforms in a manner akin to their use of search engines, employing channels such as Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit as integral components of their purchasing journey. These platforms serve as valuable sources of information, allowing individuals to delve deeper into companies and products as part of their decision-making process. Moreover, social networks enable users to explore recommendations from their own networks, guiding them towards relevant offerings. In this manner, social media plays a pivotal role in connecting shoppers with their desired products and services. Over time, social media has transformed into a virtual marketplace, where users can engage with friends, brands, and creators, resembling the experience of perusing merchandise in a conventional store. Just as the likelihood of making a purchase increases with more time spent browsing in a physical setting, extended periods of interaction on social media platforms similarly enhance the chances of conversion. Customers tend to gravitate towards platforms they are already familiar with and comfortable using. Millennials and Generation Z, for instance, exhibit a preference for visually-oriented networks like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. In contrast, Baby Boomers are anticipated to favor Facebook as their platform of choice. Women seek inspiration and ideas on TikTok and Pinterest, while men turn to Twitter and Twitch for their next potential acquisitions. Apart from the prominent platforms, there exist other social buying sites such as Kaboodle and ShopStyle, which provide users with the ability to curate personal style boards, compile product lists, and engage in blogging. Much like the experience of shopping together in a physical store, these platforms facilitate product reviews and direct recommendations among friends and social connections. Your platform of choice should depend on the target audience of your product/service. It is important that you invest your energy and resources in a directive manner. The Recent (and Relevant)Trends: Present-day consumers display a keen interest in exploring novel features offered by social media platforms. Their diverse connections and interactions provide valuable insights to businesses regarding brand discovery and purchasing patterns. Among various tools for social media targeting, livestreams have gained exceptional popularity. A notable 71% of viewers engaging with livestreams have made purchases through social media, with 48% expressing a desire to utilize in-platform commerce tools for future transactions. Looking ahead to 2023, a significant portion of customers, approximately 45%, will prefer to make purchases directly through their favorite social media platforms. However, these customers also expect a more streamlined and efficient experience. While Gen Z emerges as the demographic most likely to embrace this functionality, with 52% expressing eagerness to engage in social media commerce, overall expectations encompass faster browsing and seamless purchasing processes. Moreover, as the metaverse continues to gain prominence, consumers can anticipate the integration of virtual or augmented reality-powered shopping carts in the near future. However, the extent to which customers embrace this trend largely depends on their generational affiliation. Older customers are generally less inclined to adopt these advancements, while early adopters exhibit a willingness to pay a premium for such immersive experiences. Notably, over 80% of consumers who regularly engage with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies have already embraced social shopping, indicating their receptiveness to innovative approaches. Understand Influence: When making purchases on social media, 49% of buyers are influenced by targeted ads, while 4 out of 10 users are swayed by a brand's organic content. Some individuals (34%) seek recommendations from friends' posts or browse multiple social sites (34%) before making a decision. Throughout the purchasing process on social media, customers continue to rely on various influences: Friends Product comments, remarks, and reviews Brand familiarity Recommendations from significant others Among those aged 18 to 40, friends play the most crucial role in their purchasing decisions, followed by social media influencers. Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen X have developed increased trust in influencers, comparable to their trust in friends, particularly during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Baby Boomers, who are less influenced by Millennials, place greater trust in their significant others and friends. Trust plays a vital role in convincing individuals to purchase a specific product or service. Therefore, crowdsourced feedback or product reviews from strangers have the least influence on someone's buying decisions. Consumer’s Psychology The Recent (and Relevant)Trends One aspect of social shopping is the utilization of social proof and heuristic thinking. Consumers often observe what others are buying or have bought and take their lead from them. This is because people tend to view popular or dominant choices as the best and most valid options. It is a classic example of the power of peer influence. Social shopping features employ social evidence to encourage heuristic thinking in purchasing decisions. These features include Pick Lists, which provide insights into what people want and value, and Popularity Lists that showcase the most popular or remarkable products. Additionally, the Share Your Story tool allows consumers to offer human-interest testimonials or reviews, further influencing others' decisions. Follow the Leader Another psychological aspect of social shopping is the reliance on expert opinions and authority figures. Consumers have a natural tendency to trust the judgments of experts, regardless of what they say. This trust in expertise saves time and energy for users by relying on the knowledge and experience shared by authoritative individuals. Social shopping features take advantage of this tendency by incorporating Expert Reviews, which provide insights from niche leaders and industry experts. Referral-Generating Programs also play a role, as recommendations from trusted individuals within the community carry significant weight in the decision-making process. Follow Those You Like People often feel inclined to emulate and agree with individuals they like, admire, or find attractive. This tendency contributes to building social bonds and trust, as it is part of managing our image and identity through association. Social shopping features leverage this aspect by offering Influencer's Lists, showcasing the favorite brands, products, or services of influential individuals. Referral Programs create private shopping events or exclusive live-stream portals that are trusted by the social community. Additionally, Group Shopping features enable users to co-browse online stores together, allowing them to become influenced by the preferences of people they like and trust. In Conclusion Having a social commerce strategy in place is the current of doing business. To optimize yours, partner with Saffron Edge, a leading digital marketing agency with expertise in social media marketing and e-commerce. Contact us today to take your social shopping initiatives to new heights. ...

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Google has recently announced an upcoming update to its existing search algorithm as page experience in 2021. You might ask what’s so new in this as Google is known for releasing around 400-500 updates along with fixes for its search algorithms each year. Well, this is a well-known fact, but it is the first time ever that Google has announced an update that will be taking effect in the coming year. Usually, Certified SEO professionals get to know about the algorithm updates only after they have been implemented by Google. The new update termed as Google Page Experience Update is being touted to change the whole scenario of Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs). The rankings of the pages will be altered by this update because the new algorithm will rank the web pages based on the user experience. This means the websites that have been indexed for poor user experience by Google are much prone to lose their current rankings. This new metric of page experience is going to be a game-changer for most of the website owners and administrators. What Is Page Experience? Google wants to make the user experience much more refined and smooth. To attain this goal the new metric of page experience is being introduced. Google defines page experience as the metric to decide how the users perceive the experience of interacting with a web page. There has been no official list of terms that affect the user experience of a website but considerable factors that may affect it are the speed of a web page, its affinity with HTTPS, mobile-friendliness, and the placing of ads. The pop-ups and display ads that spring up while surfing a page also determine the user experience score of a webpage or website. Why Is This Update So Important? As it is clearly evident that the parameters of the new algorithm are dependent on many existing metrics. So why is this new update being considered in such high regard? Being a user-centric platform, Google is devoted to refining the search metrics so that the end-user can have the best possible web surfing experience. And the blunt truth is that the users do not care about the number of backlinks that you have provided on your webpage or whether the page has an indexed code or not? While these features may provide the users with some additional accessibility, they are still not the sole focus of the user when browsing your site. Ask any link building specialist, and they will tell you that backlinks are for strengthening the on-page SEO and not for improving the user experience. Looking at the online marketplace through this lens levels the playing field for big brands as well as small and medium-sized business owners. You already know the impact of a brand name on its SEO. For instance, take a look at the SEO ranking graph of Neil Patel. Over time the SEO ranking for his websites has gone up. This increment is due to the ever-growing brand popularity of Neil Patel. He has converted his ad agency and his name into a well-known brand in the field of digital marketing. But Google is trying to change that with this new update. Google is aware of the fact that most of the online business owners do not enjoy the benefits of having a big brand. With this update, Google aims to give the sites a chance to grow its traffic irrespective of their brand name and brand value. This is being done to create a sustainable environment for the website owners, where everyone can grow their business. How to sustain and improve website performance in 2021 With every new update, a race to achieve the top rankings is commenced. This update is no different. There is no need to panic as Google has notified about this update months prior to its release. Based on the considerations that Google has indicated in its official announcement, here are the key pointers that will help you sustain and improve your website performance in 2021: Content is still the king Content is still the backbone of your whole web presence. Ensure that relevant content is being provided to the end-users. Without content, there is no audience. The quality of the content must be top-notch. Invest in a good content marketing strategy and build your content around the keywords that your users are mostly searching for. Hire an SEO specialist for a good content marketing strategy. Mobile is the way to go Certified SEO professionals advise creating a mobile version for every website. Google also rolled out an update for this way back in September last year. The update requires every website owner to have an AMP version of their website. The AMP helps the web pages to load faster on a mobile device. Also, make sure that your website’s interactiveness is as good on mobile as on desktop. Say nay to pop-ups Pop-ups are considered to be intrusive for smooth user experience. They also hamper the SEO rankings and many certified SEO professionals advise against using them. So it is better to avoid pop-ups on your web pages. If it is almost necessary to place a pop up make sure that the pop up does not cover the majority of content on your webpage. Steer towards providing a safe browsing experience The optional choice of incorporating HTTPS into your domain has now become mandatory for every website. HTTPS was introduced in 2000 to provide a safe browsing experience to its users. And from 2006 onwards Google has been pushing its usage actively. With the increasing number of cyber threats, it has become necessary to use HTTPS. Additionally, it also affects the ranking of your page on the Search Engine Result Page (SERP). Conclusion With every new update, Google tries to make the virtual experience better and safer for its users. This update is a culmination of the updates that Google has rolled out in recent years. You will need to adapt to the same or else you might lose your ranking. If you are well aware of the metrics, then you do not need the services of a certified professional SEO. But in case you need to hire an SEO specialist, then you can contact us. We have SEO specialists and link building specialists that will help you to rank higher in the SEO rankings. ...

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The prime motive of implementing Local SEO strategies to your law firm’s website is to enhance your search visibility in the local search results. Consequently, you get to book more appointments with your clients within your geographical area. Your online clients would also prefer seeking legal aid from a lawyer that comes from the same location because most of their cases would come from a specific jurisdiction. A study that was published in 2016 showed that almost 78% of legal clients feel that it's important to have a local attorney It's quite evident how the internet has taken over those traditional directories and phonebooks. According to a survey made by an organization, less than 2% of their sample population would prefer using a phonebook to hire a lawyer. According to a report published by American Bar Association, almost 87% of the law firms have a website as of 2020. There’s a reason why such a large portion of law firms are focusing on building their websites. The reason is simple - to attract more local clients because most of the searches for clients who are seeking legal services start with the internet. Most of the legal searches are 'non-branded, what do we mean by that? It means that most of the legal searches don't have a specific name of a lawyer or a law firm. 62% of the online legal searches don't include a specific name of an attorney or a law firm. They simply search 'Real Estate Lawyers Texas'. Therefore, a law firm must have an established online reputation and high local search visibility to gain the trust of your local clients. For that, you have to rank higher in the local search engine results. To show up on local search results you need a set of robust legal SEO marketing strategies that can help you in optimizing your website so that it can attract local clients as well. Although running an online website pushes you into a furiously competitive space, but the Google search engine has laid down some pretty straightforward measures through which you can easily build a strong SEO strategy for your law firm. We have mentioned these segments below - 1. Setting Up Your “Google My Business” Account The first step towards building an SEO-friendly strategy starts with the ‘Google My Business’ Page of your law firm. Why setting up a Google My Business Page is important for a law firm? Here’s the thing, open your search engine and search ‘Bakery shops near me'. What do you see? Do you see a list of local bakery shops near you in the search results? Yes! You can now check their shop’s address, phone number, location, website, and more. These are businesses that are located within your geographical area, so it’ll be quite obvious for you to contact a bakery shop that is situated nearby. You are likely to contact these shops first. That’s what you want for your business as well. You want to grab the attention of your local clients as quickly as possible because most of them are searching the internet to find a suitable attorney from their area who can help them with their cases. How can you get listed? By creating a Google My Business page! Although it will complement your efforts made on local SEO, if you want to squeeze out the maximum benefits from your Google My Business Page, you have to optimize it. Make sure you add a description of your law firm and include rich-keywords. Make sure to upload as many pictures of your law firm/attorneys as possible. Make sure you select your specialization from the categories mentioned. Add your local phone number through which your clients can contact you. Make sure to add your firm’s website link. Make sure you add the same office address as mentioned on your website. Make sure all the details are accurate. Keep updating these details. After adding these details to your Google listing, you’ll get useful statistics about your website like how many clicks did your website received or how many calls did your legal firm get after listing on Google. Once you improve other SEO aspects as well, you’ll start receiving more local clients. 2. Focus On Local Keywords While Optimizing Your Website To make your website local SEO-friendly with a motive to attract local clients, you need to focus on local keywords. You must add local keywords on each webpage of yours. That’ll help Google in understanding that your law firm is a local business from a specific location. For instance, if your law firm is situated in California, then you must look for keywords like ‘California real estate lawyer’ and use them on your website. These technicalities are a bit specific, we would suggest that you should hire a Local SEO expert for the same. But there are some key optimizations that you can easily perform on your own, these are - Adding the city/place of your firm on your website’s title. Eg. California real estate lawyer Adding your primary headings (H1 tag) must include your local keywords. Using your local keywords multiple times on your pages. Adding your location in your URL. Eg. ‘www.californiaestatelawyer.com’ if possible. Adding local keywords to your alt tags. Eg. ‘californiarealestatelawyer.jpg’. Adding your Google Maps location on your law firm’s contact page. Did you know that global mobile searches contributed towards 53% of the worldwide internet traffic? According to a survey made on 400 legal clients, 57% of them said that they would prefer using a smartphone to find a lawyer. What does this suggest? Due to a huge hike in mobile search volume, your law firm must make its website mobile-friendly, even Google prefers to push those websites higher in SERPs who are focusing on making their websites mobile-friendly. All these steps would help you to drive a significant amount of local legal clients to your website. 3. Name, Address Phone - NAP Citations Adding NAP citations is a very crucial element in your SEO strategy. Needless to say, but your citations should be consistent across all webpages! It should be the same on all social media platforms as well, like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. Make sure they have the same format everywhere. Avoid having inconsistencies in your Name, Address Phone citations. Even minor mistakes can affect your website crawling and indexing. Use Schema (Recommended by Google) that helps you in providing the list of approved properties that can be incorporated in your website’s HTML code. This will help the search engines to understand your NAP details. This would also help you to improve your position in Google search rankings which would, in turn, increase your website traffic for local legal clients. 4. Get Maximum Client Reviews On Google and Yelp. Your local SEO strategies are incomplete without Google Reviews. You have to generate maximum positive customer reviews from your previous legal clients on your Google My Business page. Do you know how important they are? A recent study shows that 75% of the legal clients who are looking for an attorney/law firm, visit review sites before contacting them. The word-of-mouth culture is here to stay! Online clients treat online reviews as honest recommendations. Google reviews also allow Google to understand what type of business you are and how well you perform in providing services to your clients. This also helps in improving your Google local search rankings, therefore helping you to make the most out of your local SEO efforts. Just like Google, try getting reviews on other directories like Yelp. Positive reviews deliver a straight statement to your potential clients that your law firm is credible and trustworthy. If your potential ‘local’ clients are looking for legal aid in their location/jurisdiction, then chances are very high that they end up visiting your website after reading your Google or Yelp reviews. 5. Get Quality Backlinks From Different Resources Any SEO strategy would be incomplete without mentioning the importance of creating incoming links or backlinks from other websites Are backlinks important for Local SEO? Well, getting backlinks is considered to be very important for Global SEO but when it comes to local SEO, it’s not that important. But, that’s not the end! The websites that link with your law firm’s website must contain a few keywords that are also relevant to your law firm’s website along with NAP citations. We have mentioned a few tips that your law firm can implement while running its local SEO campaign, these are - Attending local events for speeches, guest lectures, etc, and asking the organizers to list your website on their website. Host your event, conference, or a small meeting in your locality to educate people about the new amendments. This would also help your firm to get more potential clients. Give interviews to local news journals, writers, or bloggers. Reach out to them to publish your blogs/articles on their website. Take up some philanthropy projects where you can donate something to relief programs. Ask them to add your website link to their donor list on their website. Local SEO can turn out to be a lethal weapon to beat all your local competitors and shine above all other small law firms located in your area. It’s a very useful way to drive local clients to your website who are looking for a lawyer who belongs to the same location. If you want to enhance your local search engine rankings and want to ace the top positions in the local SERPs then you have to implement these effective strategies to get the most out of your marketing efforts. Make sure you utilize them as they’ll help you in bringing more clients from your local area. ...

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