Category: Articles

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, email marketing remains a cornerstone of effective communication and customer engagement strategies. In this article, LION Digital’ CRM and Loyalty Director Luke Crocker will share his specialist knowledge to explain the intricacies of crafting successful email marketing campaigns and automation. Luke demonstrates how the team he leads at LION explores the various stages of email marketing, including awareness, consideration, acquisition, and retention, providing valuable insights for businesses looking to enhance their digital outreach.

The Journey Begins: Raising Brand Awareness

Luke emphasises the importance of a personalised customer journey, from initial brand discovery to their first purchase. The first step in this journey involves capturing potential customers’ attention through compelling website forms. These forms, whether pop-ups, embedded forms, or fly-out forms, offer incentives like discounts or gifts with purchases to encourage email signups. By capturing email, SMS and other crucial customer information, businesses can tailor their communications based on customer preferences right from the start.

Data Capture: The Foundation of Personalisation

A critical aspect of email marketing is the effective capture and utilisation of data. When working with LION Digital clients, Luke incorporates a multi-step form approach that balances the need for low-friction simplicity and detailed information gathering. Starting with basic customer contact details and progressively asking for specific preferences allows for a more personalised communication strategy without overwhelming potential customers.

Engaging the Interested: Moving to Consideration and Acquisition

Once a potential customer joins our LION Digital client’s mailing list, the focus shifts to nurturing that person through targeted email flows and campaigns. Luke outlines several strategies to guide customers through the consideration phase, including a personalised welcome series, browse abandonment flow, and dynamic content blocks based on their preferences. These automated sequences are designed to drive customer action through education and urgency, encouraging customers to make their first purchase.

The Power of Segmentation and Engagement Tracking

A key to effective email marketing is understanding and segmenting your audience, explains Luke. Using tools like Klaviyo, our LION Digital team can segment your business’s audience by initiating and collating email engagement, product interests, stated preferences, and purchase history. This allows for more targeted and relevant communication, increasing the likelihood of conversion and retention.

Retention: Keeping Customers Engaged Post-Purchase

Acquiring a customer is just the beginning. Luke highlights the importance of retention strategies, including the post-purchase flows, targeted cross-sell recommendations, and timely replenishment reminders for consumable products we action for our LION clients. These strategies ensure ongoing engagement, encourage repeat purchases and foster a loyal customer base.

Mastering Email Marketing For Your Business

Luke Crocker sheds light on the sophisticated yet accessible strategies that businesses can employ to maximise their email marketing efforts. From the initial data capture on a website to the nuanced engagement of long-term customers, the journey of email marketing is a testament to the power of personalised communication. Luke’s insights loosely outline our LION Digital roadmap to email marketing success, emphasising the importance of thoughtful engagement and showing considered appreciation at every stage of the customer journey.

This personalised approach to email marketing underscores the dynamic nature of digital marketing and the pivotal role of email communication in building lasting customer relationships. The team at LION Digital excels at customising tailored strategies to help our clients win more customers while successfully growing customer loyalty. If you’d like to learn more about making email and SMS marketing work harder for your business, reach out for a discovery call to discuss your business needs.

Article by

LUKE CROCKER –
CRM & Loyalty Director

Lexer has revolutionised the eCommerce customer journey with its Australian-grown customer data and experience platform supporting many of the world’s most iconic brands. Forged from a deep commitment to resolving customer problems, the Lexer offering aligns with LION Digital’s vision to enable businesses to enhance the customer journey central to their client’s goals.

Effortless Integration, Actionable Insights

Lexer’s CDP is known for its remarkably simple integration process, standing out by intuitively combining, cleansing, standardising, and enriching customer data into a single, actionable view. This streamlined approach not only simplifies data management but also enhances the ability of businesses to engage with their customers in a more personalised and effective manner.

AI-Powered Predictive Analytics

Lexer goes beyond mere data organisation by boosting customer IQ through AI-powered predictive analytics, third-party data enrichment, and targeted customer surveys. These advanced tools give businesses customer insights while simultaneously anticipating their needs and preferences, paving the way for personalised experiences that drive loyalty and sales. Additionally, their platform features Lexi, a generative AI assistant that provides role and goal-relevant insights across all areas of Lexer to help businesses know their customers and grow.

A Catalyst for Customer-Centric Transformation

The world’s great brands are typically built on exceptional customer experiences. Lexer’s platform is designed to transform disconnected data into actionable insights to help businesses overcome the challenges of becoming a customer-centric organisation. A deeper understanding and engagement with your eCommerce customers is vital for business success. Lexer’s comprehensive customer data platform empowers brands to transform customer interactions into meaningful relationships while showcasing tangible business growth.

Comprehensive Support for Every Team

Lexer’s platform is uniquely positioned to support every team within an organisation, making customer data available across all touchpoints. From marketing to retail, customer service to executive decision-making, and IT, Lexer ensures that every department can leverage enriched customer insights for informed engagement and strategic decisions. Compliance and customer data protection are key across so many access points as Lexer works to ensure data security.

Beyond a Vendor: A Partner in Growth

Lexer offers more than just a platform to help businesses overcome the challenge of becoming effectively customer-centric and data-driven. Its professional services act as an extension of your team, helping to fill strategic, analytical, capacity, and IT gaps. The flexibility and quality of Lexer’s services ensure meaningful scalability, supporting your business growth every step of the way.

Lexer’s platform integrates seamlessly with retail tech stacks, making data available across all customer touchpoints and allowing for informed customer insights and engagement. It includes solutions for marketing, clienteling (guiding retail sales associates), and service (combining all customer data and service channels into one streamlined inbox for personalised service).

Proven Impact Through Testimonials

Lexer’s transformative impact is best illustrated through the testimonials of satisfied clients:
Sam Hopgood, Digital Marketing Manager at Rip Curl: “The connection and input of data were vast. Lexer is relatively easy to onboard and connect—you don’t need to be a massive tech head to use it.”
Jeremy Hale, President of Mountain Khakis: “The CDP is solving multiple things for me at the same time. I’m going to know where my customers live, how they transact, what their interests are in my collection.”
Catherine Phuong, CRM Associate Manager at Pierre Fabre: “The platform is very insightful to explore data about our customers, and the follow-up with the Lexer team each week makes it easy to clearly highlight key priorities and recommendations.”

Embrace the Future with Lexer

As retail evolves towards more personalised and data-driven strategies, Lexer helps brands confidently navigate this experience. By choosing Lexer, businesses not only gain access to a powerful platform but also a partner committed to their growth and success in the ever-changing retail landscape.

Through our strategic partnership with Lexer, LION Digital offers a unique opportunity for clients to explore Lexer’s CDP. This collaboration enables a comprehensive review process, provided at no cost, in which LION Digital can demonstrate Lexer’s advanced data platforms using client data to identify tangible growth opportunities. Retailers get to see a live demo with their own data in Lexer’s CDP platform, and the clients who have jumped on board have been deeply impressed to see the insights on their existing customers. Through this partnership, clients are afforded a risk-free glimpse into the future of their business.

Get in Contact with LION Digital

At LION Digital, we only partner with organisations and services that help our clients amplify their offers by delivering highly strategic approaches to driving targeted traffic. We take pride in hand-selecting quality partnerships for our customers so your brand can go from strength to strength. Book a discovery call with us today to discuss your data & CDP requirements.

Leave the lacklustre results behind and go from ordinary to extraordinary today!

Article by

JENNIFER MCCARTHY –
DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER

This year looks set to send Digital Ad spending into the stratosphere, with a remarkable USD $740 billion forecast for 2024, an increase of $61 billion from last year. A significant portion of this budget is expected to go towards search advertising, which remains the most lucrative segment in the digital advertising space. It’s anticipated that businesses will allocate over $300 billion to search ads, achieving a growth of 10% compared to the previous year.

According to forecasts by Statista, this year is set to break records with an expected increase of $27.4 billion in search ad investments to reach $306.7 billion and contribute 41% of the entire digital ad revenue. The United States is poised to lead the way with $132 billion of the search ad spend, accounting for almost 45% of the year’s total, while China will follow as the second-largest market with $61 billion in spending.

“Given Google’s dominance in the search market and the widespread adoption of its tooling ecosystem, customers will persist in using search engines for brand discovery and product research,” says Robert Munro, Paid Media Director at LION Digital. “Therefore, investing in paid search campaigns remains crucial for allocating media budgets.”

Technology is Set to Heavily Influence the Ever-Changing Digital Marketing Landscape

Despite the impact of social media, influencers, retail media, and advances in artificial intelligence, search ads still hold the crown as the top revenue driver in the digital advertising landscape. The evolution of AI and natural language processing has reshaped the market substantially, contributing to an almost doubled spend from the $167.5 billion investment in 2020 for search advertising.

Mobile advertising is enjoying plenty of growth, with a projected 65% of the overall ad spend at $172.3 billion, while desktop search ads comprise the remaining 35% at $134.4 billion. Video advertising is expected to generate $191 billion, accounting for 25% of the market’s total revenue, closely paralleled by banner ads.

Meanwhile, influencer advertising is set to contribute $35 billion, representing less than 5% of the total market revenue. As digital advertising continues to expand and adapt, the popularity of search ads remains strong.
If you’re interested in tapping into this remarkable growth and want our specialist eCommerce team at LION Digital to craft a tailored blended search strategy that propels your business forward in a challenging market, don’t hesitate to get in touch to schedule a discovery call today!

Reference: Digital advertising spend to hit $740bn in 2024, with search ads dominating

 Incredible day at the Tennis Australia Australian Open to host our first
LION Digital eCommerce Business Leaders event. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with high-level eCommerce business leaders!

Our super box guests from various industry sectors, along with our esteemed partners preezie, Power Retail, and eStar, got to enjoy a centre-court experience at Rod Laver while discussing business and making valuable new connections in a premium environment.

Thank you to all who attended… Alison Evans John Barkle Sera Volau Tatum Ambler Ryan Fehily Ash Mehta Vince Lebon Rachel Gowland Grant Arnott Jared TellingMichael Tutek and the LION Digital team Leonidas Comino George Sarris Robert Munro Deryll N.

🎄✨ Christmas is here! We are blessed to have such an amazing client roster and feel a sense of accomplishment for helping our clients hit their business goals across 2023 and the growth we managed to achieve.

Our dedicated team put in the lion’s share of effort behind the scenes to ensure our valued clients receive the best-in-class eCommerce marketing services. 
During this festive season, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year. See you all for more success in 2024! 🎁🌟

Save Your Abandoned Shoppers with an Automated Rescue Operation Designed to Capture and Convert

The online retail space is extremely competitive, no matter the sector, without adding the complexities of abandoned shopping carts. Most eCommerce companies are heavily invested in attracting new customers to their websites, with a strong emphasis on growth. However, the common issue that has lured Instant’s many clients is that while consumers shop on their sites, they have struggled to convert them into loyal shoppers. In fact, many eCommerce brands experience high rates of abandoned carts, the proportion often exceeding 70%.

Instant is exclusively dedicated to helping eCommerce businesses increase revenue by implementing faster automation that increases checkout conversions. Their solution, Instant Checkout, streamlines the checkout process into a single step, significantly boosting conversion rates. For instance, while a typical ‘generic’ checkout process converts at 25%, Instant Checkout achieves an impressive average conversion rate of 65%. 

The combination of hiring an eCommerce specialist to develop a targeted strategy alongside the power of Instant provides personalised shopping experiences for your customers that capture and convert. 

In addition, Instant SMS complements Checkout by enabling eCommerce companies to identify and convert abandoned cart shoppers, offering the Checkout solution directly via SMS.

KICK CART ABANDONMENT TO THE KERB WITH INSTANT’S SUITE OF TOOLS

Don’t just take their word for it, look at what some of Instant’s customers have to say: 

“We were so devoted to creating top-tier apparel and acquiring new customers that we didn’t consider the business impact of cart abandonment. We were allocating marketing resources to attract shoppers, only to see them leave without completing a purchase.”

– Sean Inkley, IT Manager at Zhik

“When the Instant team told us about their new SMS feature, we immediately jumped on board following the success of using Instant Checkout. Since implementing Instant SMS, we’ve seen incredible results for acquiring new customers and driving more revenue.”

– Katie Chisholm, eCommerce Manager at NOVO Shoes

INSTANT’S DATA GATHERING GAINS FURTHER REACH INTO BUYING BEHAVIOUR 

In line with their mission to boost revenue for the eCommerce industry, Instant has introduced exciting new products, such as Instant Audiences. This tool allows merchants to identify anonymous shoppers, helping eCommerce companies expand their database of high-intent shoppers. 

The insights gained from Instant Audiences allow merchants to create a tailored approach to convert first-time customers on their eCommerce sites. Structured buying parameters can help power re-engagement strategies to ensure that friction points are removed for anonymous customers, increasing the likelihood of seamless conversions. 

The results so far have been exceptional, with significant revenue increases for participating merchants.

CAPTURE A LARGER AUDIENCE WITH INSTANT’S HIGH-CONVERTING CHECKOUT

Instant’s customer success stories are largely due to their three key focus areas: providing a seamless integration process, exceptional customer service and, of course, substantially increasing a merchant’s revenue – their mission to power the most innovative brands, driving their revenue and retention on autopilot.
You can see this in action, and check out how Instant increased Wine Direct’s revenue by 37% in its first month of implementing Instant Checkout here: https://www.instant.one/case-studies/winedirect-increased-online-revenue-by-37-with-instant

Here at LION Digital, we only partner with organisations and services that help you amplify your offer. We take pride in hand-selecting quality partnerships for our customers so your brand can go from strength to strength.

If your eCommerce brand is experiencing a lull, Instant is the obvious solution to convert more shoppers with a checkout designed to drive profitable ROI. Instant specialises in turning browsers into customers for life with shopping experiences that captivate and convert.

If you’d like to know more about how LION Digital’s team of eCommerce specialists can help you implement Instant within your eCommerce stack, reach out today!

Overview

In today’s interconnected digital world, Australian businesses cannot ignore the impact of the stringent security guidelines of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), adopted by the European Union in 2018. While originating in the EU, GDPR applies globally. This blog post explores the minutiae of GDPR, and its implications for Australian businesses. Keeping you aligned with the key steps to ensure compliance, LION Digital is your one-way ticket to thrive in the digital era, and to help you understand and adhere to GDPR.

Data is king. It drives businesses forward, shapes customer experiences, and fuels innovation. Yet, with great data comes great responsibility, and in Australia, as well as internationally, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an intelligent piece of legislation that businesses must understand and comply with to navigate the complex data landscape for best practice.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into the whole GDPR projectory, how it affects Australian businesses, and help you understand whether or not you’re compliant…

Understanding GDPR and Australian Businesses

GDPR and Australian Businesses

The GDPR is a set of data protection regulations that were implemented by the European Union (EU) in 2018. While it’s EU-centric in origin, it impacts businesses in Australia as it is an international guideline. This is because the GDPR applies not only to all organisations within the EU but also to any entity that processes the personal data of EU residents. In today’s interconnected world, that’s a minefield of data regulations you don’t want to be shy of.
In addition, we are increasingly seeing Australian businesses from medium to enterprise scale experiencing data breaches at the expense of their customers’ sensitive personal information. Unsurprisingly, this heightened risk is making consumers more selective about who they give their information to and how it will be handled.

GDPR and How It Affects Your Business in Australia

So, how does GDPR affect your business Down Under?

If you collect or process data from individuals in the EU, the guidelines state you must comply with GDPR rules that govern European customers or those that run marketing campaigns targeting EU citizens.

GDPR Compliance for Australian Businesses

So, yes, there is relevance of GDPR for Australian businesses, but what does compliance mean for you?

Understand What Data You Collect and Why

The first step towards GDPR compliance is understanding the data you collect and why you gather it. Conduct a thorough audit of your data practices.

Ask yourself: What information do we gather from customers and employees? Why do we collect it? Knowing what data you have and its purpose is fundamental to GDPR compliance.

Adopt a Robust and Secure Customer Data Platform (CDP)

A Customer Data Platform (CDP) is a centralised system that collects, organises, and analyses customer data from various touchpoints, such as websites, email campaigns, social media, and more.
This thorough gathering of comprehensive information enables businesses to securely deliver personalised and targeted marketing campaigns, thereby enhancing customer engagement and driving sales.
Klaviyo has recently rolled out its Customer Data Platform (CDP) Solutions, promising to revolutionise customer data management and drive marketing strategies for businesses.

Obtain Explicit Consent

Under GDPR, you must have clear and specific consent from individuals before collecting their data. Review your consent forms and opt-in processes to ensure they meet GDPR’s stringent requirements. This step is crucial for any Australian business engaging with EU residents.

Implement Robust Data Security Measures

GDPR places a strong emphasis on data security. Make sure your data handling and storage practices are up to date. Encrypt sensitive data, regularly revise security protocols, and train your employees to be vigilant about data protection.

Appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO)

Depending on your organisation’s size and the scale of data processing, appointing a Data Protection Officer might be beneficial and having a dedicated DPO can ensure your compliance is always up to speed.

Educate Your Team

GDPR compliance isn’t just an IT issue; it’s a company-wide responsibility. Educate your team about GDPR principles and train them on best practices for data protection. Awareness and knowledge among your staff are key to helping you avoid unintentional breaches.
It is not necessarily relevant whether your business is trading within the EU or not. We can predict that with the increasing regularity of data breaches, there will be a call for stricter data protection standards globally within the near future to protect consumers.

Be Prepared for Data Subject Requests

GDPR gives individuals more control over their data. You must be prepared to handle data subject requests, such as access, rectification, or deletion of personal data, in a timely manner.

Monitor and Adapt

The digital landscape is ever-evolving, and therefore data protection regulations are constantly under review. Stay informed about changes to GDPR and adapt your practices accordingly. Regularly review and update your privacy policies and procedures to stay compliant and ensure no intervening action is required.

GDPR and Australian businesses are inextricably linked in today’s globalised digital world. Understanding the implications of GDPR and taking proactive steps to ensure compliance is part of your trust-building connection with your customers. It is also the first step in safeguarding their data.

Article by

ERIKA MAGPILI – DIGITAL EXECUTIVE & MARKETING MANAGER

Overview

Shopify has recently launched more than 100 updates for the mid-year 2023 season. So, what does that mean for the eCommerce landscape? Looking to see how these improvements will impact your business? As a Shopify Plus Partner Agency, our LION Digital team have explored the latest innovations of all new Shopify features and functions for you. We’ve covered everything that end-user merchants and eCommerce business owners need to know – from theme updates to advanced analytics and expanded payment options – to empower you to create exceptional online shopping experiences for your valued customers.

Brands must be open to innovating and constantly learning to stay ahead in the fast-paced world of eCommerce. For Shopify merchants and eComm operators, this means adding Shopify’s latest updates and improvements to your toolkit.

To help you stay in the loop, we’re excited to bring you a comprehensive overview of the most recent Shopify updates for 2023. These updates are designed to deliver the tools and resources you need to create outstanding online shopping experiences for your clients.

LION Digital + Shopify Updates = Success

As one of the few performance marketing focused Shopify Plus Partner Agencies, LION Digital is at the forefront of the latest Shopify updates. We understand how to harness the improved features and functionality to drive growth and success for your eCommerce business.

Discover how LION Digital, as a leading Shopify developer and Shopify Plus Partner, can take your projects to the next level.

• Increasing the average order value
• Delivering curated value and convenience for your customers
• Providing discount shopping for your customers
• Clearing outdated inventory
• Driving greater product visibility.

Shopify Subscriptions App: Shopify’s free subscription app helps you set up and manage subscriptions easily. Customers now gain the flexibility to pause, skip, or modify orders. You can also enhance customer loyalty by suggesting hassle-free, relevant recurring purchases.

Marketplace Connect App: By using the Shopify Marketplace Connect app, business owners can connect product catalogues to multiple marketplaces, including major platforms such as Amazon and eBay. This allows you to gain key access to new customers while syncing and managing all your listings, inventory, and orders in Shopify admin. Along with product prices automatically converting to local currencies on your chosen marketplaces, any changes to products or orders are automatically synced across all platforms for seamless fulfilment through this centralised Shopify app.

Improved B2B Features: You can now manage both wholesale B2B and D2C sales in one intuitive admin, with tools optimised for flexibility and customisation for all your buyers. The updated B2B functionality simplifies the entire wholesale buying process with seamless volume pricing and accepted PayPal payments. You can customise the end-to-end experience for all your buyers for products, pricing publishing, quantity guidelines and payment options without the need for coding or multiple apps.

Shopify Credit Card: Enjoy hassle-free purchasing via the Shopify Credit Card exclusively for Shopify merchants. The card offers up to 3% cashback on eligible purchases, no fees, and scalable credit limits based on sales.

Expanded Payment Options

Shopify is constantly growing its payment options to cater to a global audience. In 2023, you can expect even more options, including:

• Localised Payment Methods to accept payments in various local currencies through popular regional payment gateways.
• Buy Now, Pay Later to increase conversion rates and offer flexible payment choices for your customers.

With these expanded payment options, you can easily expand into new markets to increase sales worldwide.

Shopify 2023 Theme Updates

Themes are the cornerstone of any successful eCommerce store. In 2023, Shopify introduced several theme updates that, with the help of the LION Digital team, you can use to create visually stunning and highly functional online stores. Some highlights include:

• Theme Sections 2.0: A revamped system that enables even more flexibility in customising the layout and design of your clients’ stores.
• Responsive Images: Better image handling to ensure optimal performance across all devices, enhancing the overall shopping experience for customers.
• Improved Accessibility: Making online stores more accessible to all users, adhering to the highest accessibility standards.

These updates empower us to help you deliver exceptional, user-friendly designs that convert visitors into customers.

Enhanced eCommerce Analytics

Understanding customer behaviour is key to making data-driven decisions. Shopify’s enhanced analytics gives our team access to deeper insights into your business. New features include:

• Customer Segmentation to easily categorise and analyse customer behaviour, allowing for targeted marketing campaigns and personalised experiences.
• Enhanced Funnel Analytics to track the customer journey from landing on your website to making a purchase, identifying drop-off points and areas for improvement.
• Inventory Insights to gain a better understanding of inventory trends, optimise stock levels and reduce waste.

Your Trusted Shopify Plus Partner Agency

When it comes to implementing the latest Shopify updates to harness their full potential, partnering with a premium eCommerce digital marketing agency is essential to get the most benefits. As a distinguished Shopify Plus Partner Agency, LION Digital has a demonstrated commitment to excellence in eCommerce development and a deep understanding of the Shopify platform.

Leveraging the Power of Shopify Plus

Shopify Plus is Shopify’s enterprise-level platform tailored for high-growth businesses. Our partnership with Shopify Plus means we can seamlessly scale your eCommerce operations to new heights. Here’s what sets LION Digital apart:

• Customised Solutions: Our specialist team is well-versed in Shopify Plus’s advanced capabilities, allowing us to create tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of your clients.
• Optimised Performance: We can fine-tune Shopify Plus stores for optimal performance, ensuring speed, reliability, and scalability, even during peak traffic.
• Seamless Integrations: Our in-depth knowledge of Shopify’s APIs and integrations ensures smooth and efficient connections with third-party tools and systems.
• LION Digital is a specialist eCommerce solution, SEO, paid media and Klaviyo agency, so we understand the retail landscape best.

Partner with us and tap into our wealth of experience and expertise to make the most of these updates. Whether adopting new theme features, optimising eCommerce analytics, or integrating expanded payment options, our team has the know-how to ensure a seamless and effective Shopify implementation for your business.

Contact our specialist LION Digital team today.

Article by

ERIKA MAGPILI – DIGITAL EXECUTIVE & MARKETING MANAGER

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, staying ahead of the curve is key; no organisation knows this better than Google. While the search engine game-changer delivers a “nothing to see here” approach to its constant redefinition of search algorithms, LION has done all the hard work so you don’t have to lose any sleep over Google’s game-busting new moves. Google delivers several core and algorithm updates that have left marketers and website owners eager to learn. So the team at LION has compiled a comprehensive guide to shed light on these imperative updates, their impact on search engine rankings, and what that means for your business.

Here’s the 2023 Google Core Algorithm Updates & what you need to know

Google is constantly innovating and looking for new ways to ensure that its search algorithms identify the best content to appear at the top of the search engine results. This often means updating the way websites are evaluated. Here’s some key information about the changes Google has made to its search algorithms in 2023.

October 2023: The October Core and Spam Updates

The October core update is the third of 2023 focused on improving Google’s search ranking systems. In addition to the core algorithm update earlier in the month, October also marked the rollout of enhanced spam detection systems with better language coverage, better coverage for various types of spam and cleaner search results.

The update, a result of feedback from global community members reporting increased spam results across a range of languages, is designed to target cloaking, hacked, auto-generated, and scraped spam content.

How the Spam Update Works

Google leverages a combination of human review and AI systems to identify and penalise pages that use any of the following:

• Hidden text or links that users don’t see but search engines do.
• Automatically generated content with little or no added value for users.
• Large-scale article scraping without permission
• Pages loaded with distracting ads that provide a poor user experience
• Affiliate pages with thin content focused heavily on monetization

Those sites that don’t use any of the above tactics to increase their rank will be unaffected by changes. Those who do should fix or remove pages to avoid penalty.

You can learn more about Google’s Web Search Spam Policies here, and make changes to your website if you believe that you’re violating any of these, otherwise contact LION Digital now if you need a bit of help from one of our SEO & website best practice experts.

September 2023: The Helpful Content Update

In September 2023, Google introduced the Helpful Content Update, reaffirming the importance of making valuable, relevant, and trustworthy information accessible to everyone in business. No surprises that this update once again highlights the need to prioritise user-centric content creation in your ecommerce SEO strategy.

What do these updates mean for my site?

The September 2023 Helpful Content Update reinforces the importance of offering valuable, relevant, and trustworthy information to users. Websites are guided to prioritise creating content that genuinely helps their audience. So, focussing on user needs, addressing common queries, and providing comprehensive, informative content needs to be ongoing to help your business win the big game.

How the helpful content system works

The trickiest part is figuring out what all these algorithmic updates mean for you. Let LION show you the way by helping you understand that Google favours websites that provide answers, solutions, and valuable insights to users. Therefore, to align with the latest Google update, ensure your content addresses the intent of the search users so that it can add real value to your audience’s results experience.

August 2023: The Core Update Redux

Google’s commitment to improving user experience was reinforced with the August 2023 Core Update. Core updates can significantly impact various types of websites, yet they can be difficult to navigate. Digital marketers must adapt their SEO strategies to accommodate these changes, and at LION Digital, we will tailor a strategic plan to ensure your website remains visibly strong.

What do these updates mean for my site?

The August 2023 Core Update reinforces Google’s commitment to user satisfaction. If you notice changes in your website’s rankings and traffic, it’s simply a reminder to adapt your SEO strategy, which is where LION’s specialist SEO team excels. Focus on providing high-quality, user-centric content and an exceptional website experience and ensure you’re implementing authentic content delivered in your brand voice.

Going one step further, it’s crucial that the structure and hierarchy of your URLs allows Google to understand the importance, placement and context of your content, and unless you’re sure this has been done correctly, consider engaging LION Digital for some website architecture consulting.

CASE STUDIES

How do core updates work?

Google keeps on top of its game by covering all bases. One thing to consider is the core updates, which help strategists evaluate various aspects of your website, including content quality, relevance, and user experience. Google refines its algorithms to ensure users receive the most valuable search results. Staying ahead of your competitors requires commitment. Your website and SEO channels must deliver first-class content and optimise user experiences to remain on top.

April 2023: Another Focus on Reviews

April 2023 witnessed another noteworthy update targeting reviews. For eCommerce websites that thrive on reviews and product information, this update was of particular significance. LION Digital can help you remain informed about these changes while optimising your content accordingly to secure and enhance your position in search results.

What will this system do to my site?

The April 2023 Reviews Update underlines Google’s promise to deliver trustworthy information to users. For websites with a strong focus on reviews, this means emphasising credibility, transparency, and in-depth analysis of your content. Avoid promotional language and prioritise authentic user experiences to maintain or improve your visibility in search results.

How the reviews system works

The reviews system update evaluates the quality and credibility of reviews presented in search results. Google rewards websites that offer objective, user-focused reviews. To align with this update, make sure your reviews are honest, informative, and free from bias.

March 2023: The Core Update

In March 2023, Google rolled out its Core Update, a significant event in SEO in Australia and internationally. Core updates often have a significant impact on search results, reconfiguring various aspects of Google’s ranking algorithm. Marketers must pay attention to these updates if they want to continue to rank and gain traffic and sales for their brand. This update is a reminder to provide valuable, high-quality content to help maintain or improve your search rankings.

What do updates to this system mean for my site?

Google’s Core Updates, including the March 2023 version, have a broad impact on search rankings. With this in mind, it is vital to monitor site performance, to ensure you’re on top of changes in traffic, rankings, and user behaviour. At LION Digital, it’s our job to remain on top of Google’s curve balls, so contact us to tailor an SEO strategy that will send your business success sky-high.

February 2023: The Product Reviews Update

Google kicked off the year with the February 2023 Product Reviews Update. This update was aimed at enhancing the quality of product-related content in search results. Google’s focus on delivering valuable information to users meant that eCommerce websites with high-quality product reviews gained an advantage. If your website features product-related content, understanding and optimising this update has become crucial.

What do this system and updates mean for my site?

The February 2023 Product Reviews Update again signals Google’s reaffirmed dedication to delivering the most relevant and valuable content to users. If your site features product reviews, this update highlights the importance of ensuring your content offers genuine content. Be mindful that there is no wiggle room for spam. Google aims to reward websites that provide comprehensive user-focused product reviews.

How the reviews system works

The reviews system update will ultimately improve how product-related content occurs in search results. The Google magnifying glass is ever-present when it comes to scrutinising reviews, favouring sites with informative content and unbiased product reviews. If your site relies on product reviews, the team at LION Digital can help you maintain transparency, avoid promotional language, and provide the right kind of information that Google loves to ensure greater search rankings and improved sales.

If you want to stay on top of Google’s next move, partner with LION Digital today. Our specialist team understands the many-nuanced metrics and metres and how to read the data. We’re here to help you stay ahead of the pack. Talk to us today to get your content ‘up top’.

The holiday season is gearing up, and so is the excitement surrounding Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM). These back-to-back shopping extravaganzas have become a golden opportunity for eCommerce businesses to skyrocket their revenue. If you’re ready to dive into the world of BFCM success, keep reading for practical strategies that can make a real difference to your online store.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have transformed into more than just an extended weekend for shoppers to secure discounted products. They’ve teamed up to represent a critical opportunity for eCommerce enterprises to revitalise their earnings and exert a notable influence on their financial outcomes.

Guide to Effectively Maximise BFCM Success

It’s all about the hustle and the smarts — from crafting irresistible offers that leave customers hungry for more, to optimising your website, the following strategies are your ticket to dominating BFCM.

✅ Advance Planning and Promotion

Achieving success during BFCM begins with meticulous preparation well in advance. Early promotion generates excitement among your target audience, maintaining their interest and eagerness for what bargains they can get their hands on.

✅ Creating Irresistible Offers

With competition at its peak, your offers need to stand out. Consider offering bundle deals, limited-time promotions, buy-one-get-one offers, or tiered discounts based on purchase value. Tailor your offers to cater to different customer segments.

✅ Enhancing Website Performance

The surge in visitors during BFCM can strain an unprepared website. Ensure your website can manage heightened traffic by optimising its performance, refining loading speeds, and conducting stress tests.

✅ Prioritising Mobile-First Approach

A substantial portion of BFCM traffic comes from mobile devices. Ensure your website is mobile-responsive and offers a seamless shopping experience on both smartphones and tablets.

✅ Streamlined Checkout Process

A complicated checkout process can lead to cart abandonment. Simplify the checkout process, offer multiple payment options, and consider implementing one-click purchasing to reduce friction.

✅ Multi-Channel Strategy

Effectively executing a holistic multi-channel strategy can significantly amplify the success of your BFCM campaign.These channels may include your website, social media platforms, email marketing, and paid campaigns.

Guide to Effectively Maximise BFCM Success

Partnering with a seasoned digital marketing agency like LION Digital can take your BFCM campaign to the next level.

• Optimising Through SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)

With BFCM providing a peak online shopping period, securing high visibility is important. Meticulously conducting keyword research, optimising product descriptions, enhancing website structure, and augmenting site speed to ensure a seamless user experience will bolster your eCommerce website’s visibility on search engine results pages.

• Leveraging Paid Campaigns

During the BFCM frenzy, when competition is fierce, it is essential to ensure your products are prominently displayed to users actively searching for them. This approach maximises the likelihood of converting clicks into conversions and driving revenue.

• Harnessing the Power of Social Media

The influence of social media during BFCM cannot be underestimated. Whether it’s teasing exclusive deals or fostering user engagement through contests, implementing comprehensive social media strategies can help your brand shine bright.

• Email Marketing Expertise

Email remains a potent tool for BFCM success. From crafting attention-grabbing subject lines to designing visually appealing templates, it is pivotal to ensure your BFCM messages stand out in crowded inboxes and ultimately drive recipients to your eCommerce platform.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have evolved into more than just shopping holidays—they’re now a battleground for eCommerce success. By implementing a combination of strategic planning and comprehensive multi-channel strategies, your business can harness the immense potential of BFCM to boost revenue and solidify its position in the competitive eCommerce landscape for 2023. 

If you’re aiming to kick your campaigns up a notch, teaming up with the pros at LION Digital is a smart move. Our know-how and track record can give your BFCM efforts an impressive boost, helping you reach giddying heights of success.

So, take these strategies onboard, ask for help from seasoned experts, and get ready to make this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday an eCommerce extravaganza to remember.

Partner with us today.

Article by

Erika magpili – digital executive & marketing manager