Site Search vs. Google Search: Why In-Site Search Is the Only Choice

Site search vs. Google search – which is better?

Many website owners feel that these are the same. They may include Google’s on-site search solution, without realizing there are big differences between the two. Those differences can impact the user experience. And they can have a big impact on user engagement, user retention, and the bottom line.

In this article, we’ll explain the differences between in-site search solutions and Google’s on-site search box.

Site Search vs. Google Search

According to the marketing research firm Econsultancy, up to 30% of site visitors will use the site search box. That means that 30% of your visitors could be demonstrating purchase intent. As we’ll see below, this information has big implications for the user experience and the bottom line.

But is there a real difference when it comes to site search vs. Google search?

There is.

Google search operates just like the search engine does when adding the “sitename” operator to a query. Therefore, Google’s in-site search will use the same algorithm and dataset when delivering results.

There are several problems with this:

  • Website owners have no control over the search algorithm.
  • The search algorithm itself may change, which can impact the results that users receive.
  • Website owners can’t prioritize content, products, pages, and so forth.

Although Google’s on-site search tool works, it doesn’t offer the same benefits as an in-site search solution:

  • In-site search tools give you control over the search algorithm.
  • You can prioritize whatever content you wish in the results.
  • Since you can customize the search experience, analytics are even more powerful and can have an even bigger impact on your bottom line.

In-site search can even be monetized. Site search solutions such as SiteFuel and SearchFuel, both offered by CodeFuel, allow website owners to earn revenue with every search.

The first solution, SiteFuel, delivers results inside a visually appealing search grid. Revenue comes from recommended content and ads, which add more value to the user since they are tailored to search queries.

The in-site search solution SearchFuel works similarly, with a traditional search experience. Website owners can easily embed the box into their website, then earn a search revenue share with every query.

Why Site Search Is So Important

Today, in-site searches are becoming more common than ever. In fact, the larger the site, the bigger the role that site search plays in the user experience. Many times, in-site search is itself a go-to navigation tool.

In large websites, the search box is the first go-to navigation method people use to find what they’re looking for. On ecommerce sites, for instance, many customers would rather type in a specific product than delve through countless menus.

Other sites also make heavy use of search boxes:

  • Knowledge bases
  • Support websites
  • Wikis
  • Content-rich websites and blogs
  • Media outlets

The more content you have – whether it comes in the form of products or articles – the more you need an in-site search solution that works.

Here are the major benefits you get when you implement the right in-site search solution:

  • In-site searches indicate search intent. This allows ecommerce sites to find out what products are popular and which aren’t.
  • Searchers are buyers. A study from Econsultancy suggested that visitors who use search can be as much as 50% more likely to buy than those who don’t…all the more reason to have a custom on-site search tool.
  • Search data offers insight into customer needs. The right data will tell you what customers want from your business and your website. With this information in hand, you can turn around and offer it to them.
  • Searches tell you about site usability. Search is critical to your site. But if users are searching at the expense of other navigation tools, you may need to make some changes to your information architecture.
  • The search algorithm and search results can be optimized. When you can promote your own content, products, or services, you can influence customers. This is ideal for any website owner or business.
  • The right search solution increases engagement and retention. The right search tool improves the user experience – the wrong one can increase bounce rates. The longer that users stay on your site to view content, the more they are engaged and the greater the chance they have of becoming long-term customers.
  • A better user experience means a better profit margin. Ultimately, search solutions will have a direct impact on your bottom line. The better the search tool, the better the impact on the user experience and the profit margin.

Every search optimization tool is different. Some are geared towards analytics and some are designed to put money in your pocket.

Regardless of which search tool you choose, it’s important to recognize the benefits of site search vs. Google search. From increased user engagement to increased profit margins, site search offers many benefits that you just can’t get from Google’s tool.

Why You Need a Sales Engagement Model for Your Content-Based Website

A sales engagement model can help any content-based website improve its monetization.

Many businesses understand that they need content to make money. But they don’t always include best practices to help them increase profits.

A documented content marketing strategy, key performance indicators, and a sales engagement model are critical components for any effective content-based website or campaign.

What Is a Sales Engagement Model?

Many consider engagement to be a function of marketing.

Marketers bring in new customers by engaging them across social media, websites, and other channels, both online and off.

However, there is a good case for making engagement part of the sales department. In a survey by Salesforce’s Pardot, 64% of customers said that the “authenticity” and “helpfulness” of content were determiners when it came to staying with a service provider.

High quality content, therefore, should be used across the entire sales funnel. To make the most of your content program, you need to integrate your sales content and your marketing funnel via a single sales engagement model.

To do that, create appropriate content aimed at each stage of your marketing funnel.

Engagement Requires the Right Content at the Right Time

You’ve probably heard much of the advice designed to help you improve your content marketing and monetization:

  • Add value. In other words, discover what your customers want, then give it to them. People need problems solved, and content that doesn’t solve problems doesn’t keep them engaged.
  • Demonstrate credibility. Credibility comes from reputation, reviews, social proof, track record, original research, and so on. The more credible your content is, the more likely you are to be accepted and engaged with by users.
  • Distribute your content widely. Content doesn’t help if no one knows it exists. Great content must be spread far and wide to achieve the maximum impact.
  • Analyze content consumption. The more data you have at your fingertips, the more you can tailor content to your customers’ needs.

And so on.

Although this advice remains true, it doesn’t incorporate the sales funnel into its equation.

The sales funnel is mapped out to fit the AIDA formula:

  • Awareness – Customers need to learn about a product or service that can solve their problem.
  • Interest – Next, interest in a solution must be generated.
  • Desire – Third, marketers must ignite a desire for a particular solution.
  • Action – Finally, customers must be compelled to act, by making a purchase, opting in, etc.

Every website visitor, app downloader, or prospect that you come across will be at one of these four stages.

The problem with many marketing programs is that they don’t engage customers based on their stage in the marketing process. The wrong content can deter or confuse customers and decrease conversions.

When creating content for your funnel and your users, you should tailor it to each stage of the funnel.

For instance, prospects at the first stage of the funnel are simply looking for information. They aren’t ready to be sold to just yet. So hitting them with your brands’ products or a sales pitch will only turn them off.

These leads must be nurtured with informative content. This information should educate in a general way, without directly mentioning your products or services, or even your brand.

At the next stage, users should be warmed up even further with focused content, such as white papers, ebooks, and guides. Further down the funnel, you can present your solutions, drive traffic towards landing pages, and engage with sales staff.

Fitting Content into Your Sales Engagement Model

As mentioned above, content must add value, be tailored to meet customer needs, be data-driven, and so on.

But for content to be effective in terms of sales engagement, it must drive customers towards the next stage of the sales funnel.

Here’s what content should look like at each stage of your marketing funnel:

  • Awareness – At the top of the funnel, your content should be informative and engaging. Design information for people who are just “beginners” – those who have just learned they have a problem and are trying to make heads and tails of it.
  • Interest – The more interested users become in a solution, the more specific and directed you can be with your content. At this stage, you should elaborate on existing solutions, problems with those solutions, and what to look for in an ideal solution.
  • Desire – To ignite desire in your prospects, start talking about the benefits of your product over the competition’s. Return on investment and your product’s USP are good talking points.
  • Action – At this stage, buyers are choosing among vendors and you are attempting to elicit a response. Prospects should ideally be opted in to autoresponder sequences and they should be directed to landing pages that push for a sale.

Every content marketing and monetization campaign can be improved with the right sales engagement model. By mapping your content to your marketing funnel, you can improve engagement, retention, and your bottom line.

What Are Ad Blockers and Why Advertisers Pay the Price

The ad blocker landscape has become a contentious battleground in recent years, as more and more users put them into use.

According to Pagefair, 16% of all users in the United States block ads, which represents a potentially significant loss in revenue for advertisers…up to $22 billion. That number is expected to double next year.

Apple Backs Blockers

Until recently, in the iOS store ad blockers could even be found in the top 10 list of downloads, which is a testament to their popularity among users. Though they have been pushed aside by other apps, this could be an indication that ad blockers are beginning to reach their saturation point with certain iOS users.

Ad blockers are still downloaded quite frequently on iOS devices, however. And the situation may only get worse if users continue to use content blockers in iOS 9, which recently began to support ad blockers. These ad blockers and content blockers also block analytics, which prevent users from being tracked.

These blocking apps carry some serious consequences for advertisers and marketers, who rely on accurate analytics. In the United States, Safari holds nearly 50% of the mobile web browser share.

Crystal and Purify Blocker are two of the most popular ad blockers in iOS. Both of these ad blockers also block analytics. Other iOS ad blockers that are seeing increasing numbers of downloads are Adamant, BlockBear, and 1Blocker, which has countless options, allowing users to filter everything from cookies to widgets to images.

Peace, created by Tumblr’s former CEO, was one of the most popular ad blocking apps in iOS. It climbed to the top of the charts in hours, but the creator pulled it soon afterwards. He wrote in a blog post that it “just doesn’t feel good” and that such unilateral blocking “hurt some, including many who don’t deserve the hit.”

With Apple holding such a large market share, we are looking at a large swath of ads that will go undelivered, as well as a data vacuum that can disrupt marketing analysis.

Popular Ad Blockers

By far, the most popular ad blocker is Adblock Plus.

According to the company that runs it, Eyeo, 60 million people use the blocker on a monthly basis. This ad blocker stops most ads in their tracks, allowing only a small number through that the company deems acceptable. To be allowed through Adblock’s “acceptable ads program,” companies need to pay a fee and meet Eyeo’s criteria for acceptability.

Adblock Plus is available as extensions for every major browser, from Firefox to Safari to Microsoft Edge. The company has even released a browser for tablets and smartphones, which, of course, blocks trackers and ads. It is available for both Android and iOS.

While Adblock Plus dominates the ad-blocker landscape, more are springing up every day.

Other popular ad blockers include:

  • uBlock Origin, which has grown almost 900% between last November and this August.
  • Adguard AdBlocker comes in next place, growing over 230% in the same time frame.
  • Ghostery is one of the most popular anti-tracking tools. This browser extension integrates with Firefox and other popular browsers to block and regulate trackers.
  • Disconnect, which claims over 10 million users, claims that trackers leave users vulnerable to hacking. The makers of the app also developed an anonymous search service, similar to DuckDuckGo or StartPage, which sends search queries to major search engines via an anonymous proxy.

There are countless other ad blockers and anti-tracking tools, ranging from the most basic to the most complex. Some block cookies completely or destroy them after individual sessions, while others give you minute control over every aspect of the browsing experience.

Google, for its part, is less supportive of ad blockers. In 2013, Adblock Plus was banned from Google Play, though it is still available as extensions for Firefox.

What Ad Blockers Mean for Advertisers

In general, there is a consensus that ad blockers damage the advertising economy. Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo, claimed that ad blockers “hurt the web experience” and that she tells her friends and family to uninstall them.

Most people who take this perspective feel that ads are the very reason people can enjoy the web for free. Without ads, content publishers would lose a major source of revenue and people would be unable to get great content for free. Facebook, Google, Yahoo, and many other major content providers subsist on ads.

Others, however, feel that this view has a few flaws. According to a TechCrunch writer, “today’s advertising experience stinks.” But, for consumers, it’s more than that, “it’s about their online privacy.” He claims that the internet has always been free, and this perspective taken by advertisers and publishers denies what the consumers are saying: they aren’t happy with the experience of ads or the invasion of privacy.

So what’s the solution?

According to the same TechCrunch article, ad blockers themselves may bring that solution about: paid content. Google Contributor, for instance, is a micro-payment system that removes many ads from the browsing experience. The music industry eventually changed its tune, when it became clear that the digital world would require new monetization models.

 

Ad blockers have become a thorn in the side of many advertisers. And while the ad blocking landscape may bring about some changes in the way we pay for online content, it’s unlikely that advertising will every fade away. Ads have always been and always will be an integral part of the marketing economy.

Benefits and Disadvantages of Microsoft Edge: A 2023 Review

The new Microsoft Edge Browser is the Windows 10 answer to Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, and, of course, Internet Explorer.

This new internet browser promises to be sleeker, slimmer, faster, and better, but does it deliver?

Let’s find out.

What is Microsoft Edge?

Microsoft Edge is the new browser that replaces Internet Explorer. Is now the default web browser aplication for Windows 10 and 11, and mobile Windows, as well as Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S. 

Something that’s unique about Microsoft Edge, is that you can download it for other operating systems, including macOS, Linux and Linux distributions. There is a version of Microsoft Edge for Android and iOS too, making it a cross-platfrom browser.

How does Microsoft Edge work?

While Edge has been in the works for years, Microsoft rebuilt Edge in 2018, operating on the Chromium open source code. It works with the Blink web engine, developed by high profile companies, including Adobe, IBM, Intel and Meta, besides Microsoft itself. By basing the browser in the Chromium engine, they offer a faster browser and compatibility with extensions.

Microsoft Edge Review: What Edge Brings to the Table

Microsoft Edge began as Project Spartan, a code name for its successor to Internet Explorer. While Internet Explorer will still be available to existing corporate customers and those who don’t upgrade to Windows 10, Edge brings plenty of new features to the table.

Microsoft edge features:

Here are just a few

  • Lightweight design – Edge learned from the mistakes of Internet Explorer and the improvements of competitors, such as Chrome. Its lightweight design uses less memory, so it cuts down on initial load time.
  • Faster surfing – Likewise, Edge’s lower memory use makes for faster surfing, quicker page loading, and a much better user experience.
  • Super-smooth scrolling – The lightweight UI carries over to the browser. Like the latest version of Word and other Windows 10 products, Edge decided to cut out the jerky stop-motion scrolling that characterized past versions of Internet Explorer. This detail may seem small, but once you try it, you may be impressed.
  • Distraction-free reading – Edge has a distraction-free reading mode, which allows you to trim back on irrelevant content, download pages, and read them at your leisure. When you find articles you want to take with you, simply download them with the push of a button, then open up the Reading List at your convenience.
  • Instant answers – Like many of the other tech giants, Microsoft is beginning to offer immediate gratification, with services such as Cortana. Since Cortana is integrated with Cortana, Edge can offer instant answers to a number of common questions. When searching for weather, for instance, Edge displays it directly in the browser.
  • Note-taking – Ever want to write directly on a web page? Well, now you can. With touch-screen devices such as Surface, or even the mouse, you can write, doodle, and highlight directly on the web. Once you push the “Make a web note” button, you can add your notes, then share that annotated page with friends, family, or coworkers.
  • Enterprise-grade security – Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge tout their security features, acknowledging that cybersecurity is more important than ever. Windows itself has enhanced Smart Screen and Windows Defender, and all new Microsoft products have integrated Microsoft account functionality. While personalization and productivity are both the big benefits of such integration, security is another – Windows Hello, for instance, greets users with a friendly login screen that doesn’t store passwords on devices.

Disadvantages of Microsoft Edge?

Every browser has its fans, and some people can never get used to the feeling of one particular browser. While some users swear by Microsoft Edge’s multiple features, it is not all sunshine, and there are some disadvantages to using the browser. 

Here are some downsides for users: 

The user interface can be better

While Edge is designed to be similar to the Chrome browser in terms of design and appearance, this can have drawbacks. When starting the browser, users get served a feed of curated news and content related to their interests and location. This feature may annoy some users which prefer the clean sheet of other browsers. 

The similarity to the Chrome browser can play against Microsoft Edge if having performance issues. Some non-Windows users may see no reason to change browsers when they feel nothing unique or innovative. 

Unstable performance compared to other browsers 

Microsoft Edge claims to have faster loading times and better performance than Chrome and Firefox. However, this is not the case all the time. Because the browser’s performance is affected by hardware resources, Internet connection speed, and site characteristics, Edge doesn’t offer consistent performance. 

According to a test run by Avast, Edge runs faster than Chrome and the other browsers. But other tests give Chrome the advantage on Windows OS. 

Fewer extensions

Chrome is known for its myriad of extensions for everything. Edge doesn’t have as many extensions, and while you can use extensions from the Chrome store, you have to set them up manually.

Can’t sync often

Other browsers offer you seamless synchronization, so you can have the same experience on every product of the system and use extensions without having to remember each password. Edge is still in the early stages in regard to synchronization and is still more limited than other browsers.

What Are the Benefits of Microsoft Edge Browser?

Here are some benefits of using the Microsoft Edge Browser: 

Edge uses less memory than other browsers.

Compared to Google Chrome and other browsers, Microsoft Edge uses less memory; according to a test by Tom’s Guide, with 60 tabs open, Edge only used 2.9 GB RAM against 3.7 GB of Chrome. 

It is based on the Chromium Codebase. 

This is one of the top advantages of Microsoft Edge because it makes Edge feel familiar to Chrome and Opera users. The user interface and experience have a minimalist design and feel lightweight. 

More accessibility

Edge has unique features that improve the accessibility to the browser. For example, people with vision problems have a read-aloud function in a natural way. Another noteworthy feature is the “Immersive Reader,” which enables you to highlight the most important parts of an article while customizing the fonts. 

Better security 

Edge is improving users’ security and privacy by offering more possibilities to protect your data. With Microsoft Edge, you can block trackers from sites, choosing the level of tracking and adjusting how much personal information the sites can know about you. 

The “tracking prevention” feature allows you to choose between three levels of tracking. The basic option allows web tracking by most websites but blocks known malicious trackers. The second tier is the balanced option, which blocks all trackers from new websites and limits targeted ads.  The strict option only allows a minimum of targeted ads while blocking most trackers. 

You can save a group of pages at once

How many times did you wish you could group a set of tabs and label it? Well, with Edge, you can. Now you don’t need to guess which group of tabs you want to open on the preview. With Edge, you can name the group, opening the set of tabs simultaneously. It is very useful to people (like me) who often have more than 50 tabs open simultaneously. You can create a group of tabs for work, and another for personal use, for example. 

Customizable user profiles

You can create profiles for different users without the need to create different accounts. Each profile stores its own history, extensions, payment information, passwords, preferences and settings. You can also differentiate between local and cloud profiles. The first one stores the data in a set device. The cloud profile settings can make the information accessible through a cloud service.

Microsoft Edge vs. Chrome

While the two products are very similar, there are a few differences. Let’s compare the features of Google vs. Microsoft Edge one by one:

Feature
Performance
User Interface
Mobile Version
Backup and Syncing
Security and Privacy
Extensions
Integrations
Cross-device Accessibility
Chrome
Heavy consumption of RAM
Runs slower
  • Keeps tabs at the top
  • Can bookmark pages
  • Chrome is more popular on mobile, with 63% of the market share. Is the default on Android devices

    Sync your devices by default
  • Lets you send a “do not track” request
  • Built-in anti-malware features
  • More extensions
  • To add Edge add-ons to Chrome is a complex process
  • Chrome is part of the Google Ecosystem, and everything integrates seamlessly

    Runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and Chrome OS.
    Edge
    Avast says Edge runs faster than Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Vivaldi.
    Uses less RAM than Chrome
  • You can switch tabs to a row of vertical tabs on the left side.
  • You can organize tabs into groups called Collections
  • Immersive reader
  • Uses Bing as the default browser
  • Edge is just installed in 0.1% of mobile devices.

    You need to enable cross-device syncing to sync your devices.
  • Allows you to choose between three different tracking levels.
  • Protects users with Windows Defender SmartScreen
  • Shorter add-on list
  • You can use Chrome extensions with Edge
  • Integrates only with Microsoft Products

    Runs on the same platforms but Chrome OS.

    Which is better, Chrome or Edge?

    In reality, it is a matter of personal preference and your device. If you commonly use Microsoft products, using Edge to sync and integrate all your work seamlessly is better. If you currently work mostly with Google products, then staying in Chrome is the logical choice.

    Microsoft Edge for Developers

    While Edge is not problem-free, it offers so many advantages that some are willing to drop their previous browsers just to use it.

    One of the biggest issues with Edge is its lack of extension support. Those who want to install plugins will have to wait until corresponding add-ons have been developed.

    Developers need not worry, however, since Microsoft already has a developer portal, which has several features that developers can find useful.

    • There are virtual machines for testing and development purposes.
    • RemoteIE allows free testing with Azure Remote App.
    • A GitHub page contains open-sourced demo sites.
    • A screenshot generator lets developers see how their page would look across different generations of browsers.
    • A roadmap shows where Windows 10 and Edge are headed in the future.

    Clearly, Edge is ready for further development.

    There is already plenty of opportunity for developers who wish to expand their offerings to Edge.

    As for users who are hesitant to adopt Edge due to its lack of plugin support, they probably won’t have to wait too long before plugins start appearing.

    Microsoft Edge and Windows 10: Roadmap to the Future

    It’s obvious that Edge is more than just an upgraded Internet Explorer.

    Learning from its own customers and the state of the marketplace, Microsoft Edge and Windows 10 have taken big strides towards a more connected world.

    Tech giants are scrambling to offer streamlined, omnichannel experiences that bring personalized, immediate value to users, regardless of their device. While Microsoft has made some blunders in the past, its foothold in the tech industry gives it the ability to innovate right alongside companies such as Facebook and Google.

    Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge are perfect examples of this innovation. With this new release of Windows and its latest browser, Microsoft has been able to offer much – if not more – of the value that its competitors are offering.

    For instance:

    • Edge offers the same sleek minimalism and speed that Chrome does, and promises a future full of plugins, add-ons, and apps.
    • Cortana, Microsoft’s personal assistant program, competes with Siri, Google Now, and Facebook’s new assistant, M.
    • With Windows 10, Office 365, and Microsoft Edge, Microsoft has introduced a new era of easy online collaboration for the workplace, friends, and family.
    • The Microsoft operating system and software suite will help bring the web and multimedia to the HoloLens and similar AR and VR devices.

    With Edge and the latest wave of Microsoft products, the tech giant has proven that it can still innovate.

    6 Reasons to Use Microsoft Edge

    When I heard Microsoft replaced their web browser to build a new one in the same code that supports Chrome, I wondered why not use Chrome, then? However, after seeing the new features of the Edge in Windows 11, I can give you seven reasons why Microsoft Edge is a better option. 

    Among the useful features, you may list a customizable home page, the collections feature, stackable tabs, more speed, and even a built-in screenshot tool. Here is my list of the top six  reasons to consider using Microsoft Edge for your web browsing.

    • Customizable home page: You can have multiple home pages, each with a customized layout.
    • Money-saving online shopping: Automatically find coupon codes for the shopping site you visit, and will automatically try all applicable coupons and use a cashback program if available.
    • Features for tab hoarders: You can group and color code groups of tabs, choose where to show them (vertical or horizontally), and more features that make life easier for those who keep a large number of tabs open.
    • Immersive reading mode:  Other browsers have dark modes, but Edge highlights and auto scroll the text, even reading the text aloud for those with reading or visual difficulties.
    • Built-in full-page screenshots: Yes, you can use PrtSc, but Edge allows you to select which area of the page you want to screenshot. After screenshotting, you can mark it up and add to a collection.
    • Progressive Web Apps: Edge can launch websites as apps via a button in the browser’s toolbar.

    FAQs

    Is Microsoft Edge good?

    The new Edge offers the same smooth browsing experience and the familiar look of Chrome, with better features that enhance the user experience. Almost anything that works with Chrome can also be used on Edge, including extensions, bookmarks, and passwords. It has all the useful features of Google Chrome but improved, such as grouping tabs in color-coded collections. 

    Is Microsoft Edge better than Chrome?

    Edge has several advantages over Chrome. It is faster, uses fewer resources, and has better privacy protection features. It has built-in defenses against phishing and malware and more customization options. 

    Does Microsoft Edge cost money? 

    It is a free application included with the Windows 10 and up versions.  

    What does Microsoft Edge help you do?

    Edge includes an extensive set of built-in learning and accessibility features. It helps with reading comprehension with the Immersive Reader, accessibility through the Read Aloud feature, and even solves math problems. 

    Is Edge a web browser?

    Edge as a web browser is fast and secure, available for mobile, computer, and other connected devices. It also uses Microsoft’s web search engine, Bing.

    What You Should Do Instead of Facebook Business Page Verification

    Facebook business page verification just isn’t an option for most businesses.

    The social network claims that only certain pages and profiles are eligible for verification:

    • Celebrities and public figures
    • Global brands and businesses
    • Media

    In other words, most of us just can’t verify our Facebook business page.

    However, Facebook isn’t the only network around, and there are other ways to verify social accounts online.

    Why Verification Helps Businesses

    Verification, whether it’s by Twitter or Facebook or another social network, helps both businesses and people stand out online. In general, verified accounts are more likely to show up in search results and feeds than unverified accounts.

    This is clearly a marketing benefit, so it’s certainly understandable that a business would want to become verified.

    What to Do Instead of Facebook Business Page Verification

    If your goal is to create social accounts that stand out when your customers are looking for brands, products, and topics, then there are a few other steps you can take:

    Complete every last detail of your business pages and profiles across all of your social media accounts.

    Facebook states that this is another way to improve your rankings in Facebook searches. And it’s also a way to help yourself stay visible in Twitter, on Pinterest, Tumblr, and virtually every other social network.

    Like Google, social networks’ internal search engines rely on keywords. So when you fill out your profile descriptions, your about tabs, and even your business name, consider packing in as many relevant keywords as you can think of.

    Whenever and wherever possible, connect your accounts to telephone numbers, websites, and other pages or profiles. This will help the social networks know that you are authentic and serious about your accounts.

    Be active and authentic.

    This may sound basic, but many people mistakenly believe that they can put up a page and start getting clicks. The less active you are, the less likely you are to appear in front of other users.

    When you are active on the sites and interactive with other users, the social networks interpret this as real, human activity. They are therefore more likely to feature your content in feeds and search results.

    Get involved in the Facebook Place Tips program.

    Place Tips for business is a new program that’s still in testing, but it can certainly boost a brick-and-mortar business’s visibility on the social network. This feature allows businesses to feature user-generated content when people are close to a business’s location.

    The feature is still experimental, but it is opening up to businesses. To get Place Tips for your business, you’ll need to order a Facebook Bluetooth beacon, which tells the network when customers are close by. The beacon is free, so if your page is full of content, you might be able to request one from Facebook.

    Verify your Twitter profile.

    Though not everyone can be verified on Twitter, it’s possible to become verified, even if you aren’t a celebrity or a global brand. That’s not to say that it’s easy – it often involves having connections with someone at Twitter or getting noticed by Twitter’s @Verified account.

    Verify your Google+ Business Page.

    Fortunately, this process is much more straightforward. Verifying a local business on Google+ will allow your business to appear on maps, and it will most likely improve your search rankings. The process usually only involves a postcard or a phone call.

    Verify your YouTube account.

    This simply involves giving YouTube your cell phone number and typing a code into YouTube. Benefits include the ability to upload longer videos, appeal copyright claims, and use custom thumbnails.

    Verify your YouTube name.

    YouTube name verification is slightly different from YouTube account verification. Like Twitter account verification or Facebook Page verification, this credential places a small icon next to your account name, proving that you are who you say you are.

    To verify your YouTube name, connect your YouTube channel to your Google+ Page or Profile, which must be authorized by your brand, company, or product. As long as your Google+ page links to your company website and your YouTube channel has a large number of subscribers, you should be able to verify your YouTube name.

    Verify your Pinterest account.

    When you verify your website with Pinterest, it automatically adds your website to any picture or pin that is sourced from your site. The process for Pinterest verification is relatively straightforward: you can place a custom meta tag on your site or upload a custom HTML file.

     

    Social networks continue to search for ways to demonstrate authenticity on the part of their users. Whether it’s Google’s now-defunct authorship status, Facebook’s Page verification status, or Twitter’s verification badge, these status symbols can help you stand out in search results and prove to customers that your business is real. When these types of verification aren’t an option, it’s always a good practice to demonstrate authenticity through other means, such as cell phone connection, website connections, and completed profiles.