Chatbots

What are Chatbots and how do They Work?

Chatbots are also called conversational agents. They are software applications that text or talk like humans with a purpose of simulating interaction with a real person. There are two ways chatbots are offered to visitors – web-based applications or standalone apps.

Chatbots are becoming a common thing to witness on many websites due to the fact on how easy they have become to create. Today, creating chatbots does not require one to have sophisticated programming knowledge and specialized technical skills.

How Chatbots Work?

Chatbots operate using NLP (Natural Language Processing). NLP is the same technology that forms the basis of voice recognition systems that are used by virtual assistants such as Google Now, Apple’s Siri, and Microsoft’s Cortana.

As a user presents the text to the chatbot, the latter processes the text using complex algorithms in a process called “parsing” where the chatbot interprets what the user has said and determines the response based on this information.

Some chatbots are remarkable and offer very authentic conversation experience. A user would find it hard to tell if they are talking to a real person or a chatbot.

What Else Can Chatbots Do?

Integrating a chatbot to your business website can helps you in the following ways:

  • Help you gain more visitors
  • Generate more leads
  • Close more sales
  • Improve e-commerce
SEO or PPC

Which one should I invest in – SEO or PPC?

All businesses know they should invest in digital marketing. But many are unsure of which one is better for their website, PPC or SEO.

Before you make that decision, it is a good idea to look at what SEO and PPC means for your business.

SEO: The Basics

SEO or Search Engine Optimization a group of strategies used to make your website rank better on search engines. In other words, you are increasing the likelihood of your website being found online organically. These strategies may include –

  • keyword research to understand rankings
  • integrating more keywords with your on-page content
  • making your site faster and search-engine-friendly
  • adding keyword- and topic-relevant content
  • building high-quality links to your site to establish trustworthiness of your site

An SEO campaign may take time to give results but it ensures that your website consistently ranks higher.

PPC: The Possibilities

PPC or Pay-Per-Click may remind you of ads on the top of Google listings. However, these ads have come a long way over the years. Now they include clickable buttons, extra links, and more.

Apart from the traditional Google ads, there are several other ad choices. You could choose Local Services ads for if you’re a home services provider. Or you could go for display ads to appear on an entire network of websites instead of only Google search results. This will make your ads appear on sites relevant to your industry.

PPC shows results right away once you start funding your ads. It is also flexible since you can spend more to get more clicks.

Which is Better – SEO vs PPC?

While there is no right answer to which of these two types of web marketing is better, here are some steps to help you identify what might be best for your business.

Step 1: What is the goal of your campaign?

Identify what you want to achieve with your web marketing campaign. To do so, ask yourself –

  • What do I want from a marketing campaign? Make a list.
  • Which of these are needed before others? Shortlist the most important things.
  • Can the remaining things be grouped into categories, such as more visitors, more leads, increased conversion rate and so on?

Now, select your primary goals and specify the numbers or rates you wish to achieve, for example, the increase in percentage of conversions.

Step 2: What is the time frame?

Decide a time frame for your campaign goal. Are you looking for immediate results or over the next few months? Be specific.

Step 3: Compare SEO and PPC vis-à-vis your goal

While PPC brings faster results, it stops giving results the moment you stop paying for clicks. On the other hand, SEO starts giving results over a period of time but the benefits last with some upkeep.

Step 4: Design a strategy for your goals

The timing of your goal is an important factor in doing a PPC or SEO campaign. PPC can get you instant results but an SEO campaign may prove more cost effective in the long term.

For many businesses, running both PPC and SEO is a great idea. Kick-start your campaign with PPC and let SEO work as the invisible elf to increase your organic visits. PPC will drive clicks and leads allowing SEO time to take off. As your organic visits go on increasing, you can reduce your PPC spend.

It would be best to get some guidance from an expert before you make a decision between  SEO and PPC or how much to invest in each.

If you are looking for the best PPC, SEO and web marketing Services in Arkansas, get in touch with OgreLogic, the best digital marketing agency in Austin, Texas. Call OgreLogic at 512-808-5536 for digital marketing services that generate revenue in the most cost-effective manner possible.

Custom Website Design

Benefits of Custom Website Design for Your Business Website

Designing a custom website for your business should not be considered as an expense but must be seen as a long-term business investment. In today’s world, having your business’ online presence is crucial for its operation and performance. A custom website design allows you to showcase your brand through custom design elements. This allows you to stand out and feature things that your competitors may not be using on their website.

Here are top 5 benefits of designing a custom website design for your business website:

  • Custom website design makes your website look unique. Starting an online business is not very easy. One should not merely look at placing their business and brand in a template but aim at building a foundation that highlights your business and brand. Your website sells your brand and your brand sells your business. A custom website design can make your website match with your brand.
  • Custom design websites are search engine friendly as it is designed by web design experts. While designing a custom website, HTML experts can implement proven markup that helps in boosting your website’s exposure to search engines and increase page ranking.
  • With a custom website design, you are able to build an optimal structure for your customers and grant a better user experience.
  • A custom website design allows you to stand out from your competitors. You can see the things that your competitors are doing wrong with their website and avoid making the same mistakes on your website. This lets your website to promote your brand effectively and establish a better online presence.
  • A custom website design allows you to tweak or change your website’s design as many times as you want. Forging a better relationship with the experts who help design your website, allow you to reach out to them any time and implement the required changes to keep your website growing and relevant to your business.