5 Things Your Credit Union Needs to Know About Google Hummingbird

 

You may have heard by now that Google is changing how its search engine works. With all of the online flux between search engine sites and social media platforms, you may not have realized this change, known as Google Hummingbird, could have a major impact on your credit union’s website search engine optimization (SEO). We know you want your website to get all of the attention it deserves. We want that for you too – that’s why we’re going to share the top five things your credit union needs to know about Google Hummingbird. 

1. It’s more than keywords – Google has changed its search algorithm to include not just keywords but the context of the words as well. Believe it or not, this is kind of a big deal. Google itself is saying that this is the largest change to the algorithm in 12 years. Not sure what a “search algorithm” is? Think of it as a set of filters that Google uses to sort through results.
   
2. It’s already up and running – That’s right, Google Hummingbird has been up and running since August. Changes are you haven’t even noticed it when you search on Google. But you might notice the change when it comes to your websites analytics.
   
3. It’s gotten better at conversation – Google Hummingbird is paying more attention to how a question or search phrase is worded to put it in more of a context. If a member searches for “ABC Credit Union online banking” it’ll put a link to the credit unions online banking login page at the top of its results instead of just the credit union’s home page.
   
4. It’s more mobile-friendly – More and more people are using tools like Siri on their iPhones to perform searches. Google Hummingbird knows it needs to use your smartphone’s GPS when you ask to find a “credit union near me” and will pull up credit unions closest to your location.
   
5. It’s made it easier to write Web copy – No more stuffing your website pages with keywords. Google Hummingbird looks to answer the “who, what, where, when, why and how” of a search term or phrase. It lets you write your content in a more contextual way instead of trying to find creative ways to insert those impossible-to-incorporate keywords! 

So, what does all this mean for your credit union? Nothing, if you have well written and carefully thought-out content on your credit union’s website. You should be relatively unscathed by Google Hummingbird. But, if it’s been a while since you’ve taken a good strong look at your content and update it, this might be the perfect opportunity to do so.

If your credit union needs help with SEO, analytics or updating its Web content, contact CU Solutions Group at 800.262.6285 or info@cusolutionsgroup.com, or visit our website.

Product Spotlight: Website Analytics

by Amy Neale

It’s not enough to deliver a fantastic website that gets people clicking– your credit union is expected to deliver measurable results that meet its marketing objectives. That’s where Marketing Solutions comes in.

We can assist you in getting the tools in place to measure the effectiveness of your website by:

• Creating targeted landing pages or microsites
• Setting goals, funnels and reporting in Google Analytics
• Measuring conversion optimization
• Determining website usability
• Improving search engine optimization (SEO)
• Implementing QR codes
• Developing banner ads with event tracking codes
• Applying a URL redirection

Boosting Website ROI

While it’s great to have a dynamic website, if you can’t tie it to solid ROI factors it’s impossible to tell if it’s worth your credit union’s while. Research from digital marketing experts at Econsultancy and Adobe found that only 12 percent of companies could track bottom-line effects on revenues.

Marketing Solutions has the expertise to not only help your credit union uncover its true website ROI with analytics, it can offer recommendations on how to get the most out of your site.

To discover the difference comprehensive reporting can make to your credit union’s ROI, contact your CU Solutions Group business consultant at 800.262.6285 or info@cusolutionsgroup.com, or contact us.

Getting the Most Out of Google AdWords for Credit Unions

Google AdWords. We’ve all heard of them. They’re those “sponsored links” you find on the top or side of your Google search results page. They just happen to correspond with whatever term you were searching. If you’re like most surfers you’ve probably even clicked on one of those links once in a while. That’s just what Google and the company advertising were hoping.

If you’ve ever been on the other end of Google AdWords, then you’ve discovered how much science is actually behind the process – and math. Results are broken up into impressions, clicks, clickthrough rates, cost-per-clicks and many more.

Trial and Error
When managed properly, Google AdWords can be a very powerful marketing tool to help your credit union grow its membership. But it does take the perfect mix of keywords and phrases to get beneficial results. Working with Google Analytics and through trial and error, you can juggle key terms to uncover which are most effective for your credit union.

According to Google, the more specific you can be in your keywords, the better off you will be. Plus, it never hurts to think like your potential members instead of a credit union. What terms would they be using when they’re searching for mortgages? Tailor the keywords to what your credit union specifically offers or is promoting when it comes to mortgages. Instead of just using the term “mortgage,” you’re better off using “low rate mortgage.” Google AdWords gives you the ability to tweak your keywords to find what works best for you.

Another great tip to remember is to stay away from plurals if at all possible. Using the word “mortgage” versus “mortgages” will enable you to capture people searching for both terms, while using the plural would exclude anyone searching using the singular term.

The Google AdWords Advantage
So, we’ve covered the nuts and bolts of Google AdWords – which might be leaving you wondering why use Google AdWords at all? If your credit union has some marketing dollars to spend, Google AdWords will give you the most targeted and affordable campaign results out there. You can advertise nationally or locally, depending on your needs. Going with Google AdWords enables your credit union to target online customers within a 20 mile radius if you’d like, or by a specific city, region or country. Basically, you’re reaching new customers at the precise moment they’re searching for products and services like those at your credit union.

Another strong selling point to Google AdWords is the cost. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad. And you can control how much you spend per click, your daily budget and where your ads appear. To get the most bang for your AdWords buck, just make sure you understand the overall ROI and then bid on the appropriate keywords accordingly.

Results
A major perk of Google AdWords is the backend data you receive on your campaign. You get graphs, statistics and performance data to help you track how your ads did – which makes it easier to make informed decisions on any editing that might be necessary.

Case Study: Facebook Advertising

Google isn’t the only online entity that offers pay-per-click advertising – Facebook is also making some impressive headway in their online advertising options.

Bellwether Community Credit Union had been experiencing a slow but steady growth of "likes" on its Facebook page and had reached just over 200 in a six-month time period. Impressive growth, but the credit union was looking to boost those numbers even more.

Once it started using Facebook ads, with a dedicated tab on the page itself, Bellwether’s "likes” have grown to over 500 in just three months. Madeline Anderson, marketing manager for the credit union explains, “We were running promotions and contests to get members to post on our Facebook page, but that didn't seem to have as much impact as the ads themselves.”

Getting Started
To get the best results from Google AdWords, it may be worthwhile to work with someone with AdWords expertise. Someone who is trained on the latest AdWords tools and best practice techniques to help you effectively manage your credit unions’ campaigns. If you’re interested in working with an expert, CU Solutions Group has trained staff to help.

Related Services:  Custom Website Content, Website Design and Development

Calling All Members! How to Get People to Your Website (Hint: It’s about more than looks!)

Beauty, while definitely in the eye of the beholder, only touches the surface of the qualities your website should possess. By “beauty” we mean a creative design, a well thought out site architecture and a flow that makes navigating your site a breeze. 

But—just as there’s more to your credit union than shares, drafts, and loans—there’s more to your site than beautiful functionality. There are the functions at work below the surface of the site—the search engine optimization (SEO) tools that help draw members to your site and help increase your site’s effectiveness in attracting and retaining members. Think of all the potential members who are searching Google to find a financial institution. You want them to find you first among the hundreds of available options. Here’s how to help make that happen.

Begin with Keywords and Metadata
Start with the basics. When writing your content, be sure to include keywords on every page. Keywords are best placed in the first 50-100 words of the page’s content, but adding them sooner is even better. Next, be sure to add metadata (data about content) and search terms to each page of your site, and then add alt/title tags to all photos. It’s a really good start, but you need to take it even further.

Incorporate Google AdWords
By incorporating the most searched words from Google AdWords into your website (not to mention your social media and online marketing content) you can improve your searchability and help increase your chances of being at the top of Google’s search list. For example, “online banking” is a popular phrase for searchers. In your website content, use the phrase multiple times without sounding redundant, usually three to four times per page.

Top Google AdWords and phrases can be purchased from Google, enhancing your site’s searchability. AdWords allows you to set your daily budget and will even estimate your daily clicks, based on what you’re able to spend.

Review the Stats
Along with keywords and AdWords, you have to take a look at the stats. Google Analytics presents a variety of statistics (which we can always help you analyze). At first glance, the information might appear overwhelming, but take some time to delve in and really learn what the numbers are telling you.

A recent Ragan.com blog suggested four steps to help users get more out of Google Analytics: “make goals; it’s more than just page views and clicks; set up weekly or monthly custom reports; and use the advanced segments feature.” Let’s look at each of these:

1. Set goals – Without goals, you won’t know exactly what you are measuring—or if there’s been any improvement. After you write your goals, use the goals feature on Google Analytics to track your progress.
    
2. Look beyond page views and clicks – Instead of reviewing only page views (which simply reflect how many times viewers opened a Web page), review other statistics, such as the number of unique visitors, the amount of time spent on the page and where visitors are coming from.
    
3. Set up weekly or monthly custom reports – Standard reports are helpful, but custom reports give you the data you choose. In Google Analytics, you have the ability to create and automate custom reports with your key measurables and objectives.
    
4. Use the advanced segments feature – If you want to track the traffic to your site that comes from a certain source (such as your Facebook page), use the advanced segments tool. In his tutorial, How to Use Advanced Segments in Google Analytics to Isolate SEO Problems, Glenn Gabe states, “Advanced Segments are relatively easy to set up, they are retroactive (letting you run reporting on past traffic), and can help you isolate any type of visitor you are trying to analyze.”

Remember your goal is getting members and potential members to visit your site and use your products and services. And that’s the most beautiful result of all!
 

Related Services: Website Design and Development, Online Services