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What is Keyword Cannibalisation and How Do You Avoid It?

Like many other industries, SEO and digital marketing has its own jargon. Of all the jargon used in digital marketing, however, the most unattractive and disconcerting is probably keyword cannibalisation.

Despite this, if SEO is a priority for your business and you want to get as much traffic from Google as possible, it is a concept you need to be aware of.

The Use of Keywords on Your Website

A good starting point for understanding keyword cannibalisation is to go back to the importance of keywords to your website. More specifically, the importance of keywords to individual pages on your website.

Keywords are the phrases that you want Google to associate with a page on your website. You also want Google to show that page in its search results when people search for those keywords. In addition, you want Google to show the page in as high a position as possible.

Each page on your website will have multiple keywords. This happens naturally as you write content, but you can also use an SEO company in Auckland to make sure the right number and variation of keywords are used.

These multiple keywords on a page are often referred to as keyword clusters. There is usually a main or primary keyword in the cluster – the one that is most important – as well as others that are all closely related.

There are lots of benefits to taking this approach to keyword optimising a website page. The main benefits are it gives Google a better understanding of the content on the page and it increases the number of keywords the page can rank for. Both of these benefits, but particularly the latter, will bring more traffic to your website.

Enter the Problem of Keyword Cannibalisation

Keyword cannibalisation occurs when you have multiple pages on your website targeting the same keyword. This could be multiple pages on the website targeting the same primary keyword or the same (or similar) keyword cluster.

Why is this a problem? Keyword cannibalisation dilutes the effectiveness of your SEO strategy. Instead of all the effort going into a single page, Google has to either work with them both or go with one rather than the other. Both options are bad for you as you are likely to see a drop in rankings and/or traffic.

How Does Keyword Cannibalisation Occur?

Keyword cannibalisation can occur by accident or on purpose:

• By accident – adding content and pages to your website without a clear and well-defined keyword strategy.
• On purpose – one of the most common is where websites use keyword stuffing. A good example is adding a list of geographical areas you cover on each page of your website.

How Do You Know If Keyword Cannibalisation is a Problem on Your Website?

There are some symptoms that might give you an indication that keyword cannibalisation could be a problem on your website. They include:

• A page stops getting traffic from its primary keyword
• Google displays the wrong page when you search for a particular keyword
• A page on your website drifts in and out of Google

You will probably need the help of an SEO company in Auckland to properly determine if keyword cannibalisation is a problem on your website and, if it is, put in place corrective measures. It’s a process that is worth doing, however, to ensure you maximise the traffic you get from Google.

8 Benefits of Professional Website Design

You have several options available if you want to develop a new website. You can get professional website design in New Zealand by a Kiwi business – more on this option in a moment.

Other options include outsourcing the development overseas or getting your website done by an individual who has some experience but is not a professional. You can even do it yourself by using one of the commonly used website drag-and-drop design tools regularly advertised online and elsewhere.

The undoubted best option is to get a professional website design by New Zealand-based developer. Here are eight reasons why:

1. You’ll Have a More Attractive Website

A local website developer will have a better understanding of designs that will appeal to your customers. The design produced will also be modern and future-proof. Providing you use a website developer with a good reputation, you will also get a customised design.

2. The Website Will be Better Structurally

The underlying structure of your website will also be better when you use a local developer. The website will run faster, for example. This is important for a range of different reasons including for SEO.

A good website structure also means more efficient and effective code, improved security, and enhanced features.

3. The User Experience Will Be Better

One of the key skills you get when you use a professional website developer is known in the industry as UX optimisation. UX refers to user experience and involves using design, layout, and features that make your website appealing and easy to use.

4. The SEO Foundation Will Be Better

SEO is the process of maximising your website’s ranking in Google. While SEO is typically an additional service offered by professional website developers, they will include SEO features in their design to give your site a good foundation to build on.

5. You’ll Have More Flexibility and Options

There are almost no limits to what can be done when you go to a professional website developer. If you have seen a feature or tool on the internet before, a professional team will have the skills to create a version that suits your business. The same applies to design.

6. The Development Process Will Take Up Less of Your Time

Some of the options you have for developing a new website will take up a considerable amount of your time. This particularly applies when you use an individual or a drag-and-drop builder. You will be heavily involved in both rather than spending your time running your business.

You will have some involvement if you use a professional developer, but they will lead the process and will only need your input to find out your tastes and requirements and to get approvals as the design work progresses.

7. You Will Have Fewer Problems in the Future

As your website will be more structurally sound when it is professionally developed, you will face fewer problems in the future. This reduces downtime and prevents features from breaking.

8. Better Return on Investment in the Medium and Long-Term

Many businesses choose an alternative option to professional website design for cost reasons. This is a false economy, however, as the costs can often end up being much higher.

Even this isn’t the most important factor, though. The most important factor is return on investment. In other words, you shouldn’t look at website development as being a cost. Instead, it is an investment that you should expect a return from.

Put simply, you will get a better return from a website that is professionally developed than one that is put together on the cheap. This is why professional website development is the best option for your business.

What Are Breadcrumbs and How Do They Benefit SEO?

You probably use the term breadcrumbs in relation to the crumbs left on your counter after making a sandwich, but it is also a term used to describe an optional feature in website design. Not only that, but breadcrumbs can help with your SEO efforts.

They are not the most important part of SEO by any stretch of the imagination. However, they can help, they are easy to implement (your website design company in Auckland can help), and they occupy very little space on your website. Therefore, it usually makes sense to use them.

Origins in a Medieval Fairy Tale

The name of this website design feature comes from the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. As with many famous fairy tales, the story is quite horrible looking at it from a modern perspective.

It is set in medieval Germany during a famine. A woodcutter and his wife are struggling to survive, so they decide to walk their children into the middle of the woods, leaving them there to fend for themselves. The kids try to foil the plan by taking bread with them, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that they intend to follow in order to get back home.

However, things don’t work out well for Hansel and Gretel as birds eat the breadcrumbs, leaving the children stranded in the woods.

Luckily, the breadcrumbs we refer to in relation to website design are much more useful and reliable. The principle is the same, however, i.e. leaving a trail so website users can see where they are on your site as well as how to get back to where they started.

Enhancing the User Experience

Breadcrumbs are text-based, and they show visitors at a glance where they are in your website’s sitemap. Here’s an example:

Home > Blog > Category > Blog Title

So, in this example, the visitor is on the page Blog Title. The path to that page is via Home, Blog, and Category. If a visitor wanted to find more on the topic, they can easily click on the Category link in the breadcrumb. In other words, breadcrumbs facilitate easy navigation.

They also make it easy for visitors to quickly see and understand where they are on your website.

The Types of Breadcrumbs Most Commonly Used

1. Hierarchy or Location-Based Breadcrumbs. These breadcrumbs are based on-site structure as in the example above.
2. Attribute Breadcrumbs. Attribute breadcrumbs are mainly used on e-commerce websites for product listings. An example could be:Home > Product Category > Brand > Product

SEO Benefits of Breadcrumbs

• Beneficial to users – as already mentioned, breadcrumbs improve the user experience of your website. Specifically, breadcrumbs help prevent your website users from losing their way or becoming confused. Plus, users are familiar with them. As with most things in relation to SEO, if it’s good for visitors to your website, it’s good for Google.
• Can enhance search listings – Google can include breadcrumbs in search results for your website, enhancing your listings. Your website needs to be properly coded for this to be possible using what is known as structured data. Your website designer can help with this.
• Helps reduce bounce rates – breadcrumbs provide you with another tool on your website to reduce bounce rates. A website bounce is when a user lands on a page on your website and then leaves without looking at any other pages. Breadcrumbs encourage users to explore further as they can see at a glance the structure of the part of your website they are interested in.

Compared to other aspects of SEO, breadcrumbs are a fairly simple feature to activate. It makes sense to use them.

Valuable Security Certifications for 2019

This year, we witnessed the scariest cybersecurity threats with major breaches suffered by global entities like Facebook (breached 87 million records). The immense scale of these breaches of information security is equated not only with greater damage and media coverage but also with more IT and programming professionals employment opportunities.

Yes, you hear me right! Over the past few years, the demand for cybersecurity experts has continued to rise. Gaining training in this region is, therefore, an ideal way to build up your career potential. You will achieve your career goals easily and rapidly with the right certification. And as an IT professional seeking the next step in your career, you should start caring about how to make your professional life more satisfying. One possible way you can grow an outstanding career is by continuing to invest your time and money to validate your skills set, knowledge and experience, and there’s no better method to do this than to earn an IT certificate.

So what are the most valuable cybersecurity certifications? Well, It depends on who you are asking, and how you look at it. While some training courses or certifications pay more than others, the only differences among all of them are negligible and all of them are valuable. Want to know why? Continue reading to grasp and learn more about it.

So here is the list of the Valuable Security Certifications for IT Professionals:

CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional

CISSP is a specialized-level IT certification. It is tailored for people who are serious about seeking an information security career. ISC2 or the International Security Certification Consortium for Information Systems offers this certification. It is a vendor-neutral certification and is known internationally for its high standards. CISSP practitioners are in their organizations’ decision-makers. They possess the technical knowledge and expert skills needed within their companies to develop, manage and guide security standards, procedures and policies. There’s no doubt that this credential remains one of IT professionals highly sought after.

Accelerate your CISSP qualification cybersecurity work. Earning the CISSP shows that you have what it takes to plan, execute and maintain a best-in-class cybersecurity system effectively. To obtain CISSP, applicants must have at least five years of experience working in at least two of eight common knowledge fields. Another option is having 4-year work experience with a college degree or other relevant credential in at least two of the Common Body of Knowledge domains.

CBK domains of the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium are as follows:

• Security and Risk Management
• Security Architecture and Engineering
• Asset Security
• Identity and Access Management
• Security Operations
• Security Assessment and Testing
• Software Development Security
• Communications and Network Security are the CBK domains of the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium.

CompTIA Security+

CompTIA Security+ is the first and highly recommended certification an IT practitioners should have. It defines the key knowledge necessary for any position in cybersecurity and offers a springboard to cybersecurity positions at the intermediate level.

Although Security+ is an entry-level training course, potential participants should have at least 2 years of network security training and consider gaining Network+ certification first. IT professionals who receive this certification have expertise in areas such as threat management, identity management, cryptography, security systems, identification and mitigation of security risks, security infrastructure, and control of network access.

The certificate of CompTIA Security+ is also recognized by the United States. Defense Department to conform with requirements of Directive 8140/8570.01-M. The Security+ credential also complies with ISO 17024 standards.

The Security+ certification includes a one-off test, currently at a cost of $339, with discounts on CompTIA employees and full-time students. Training is not mandatory but is available.

IT specialists who have been granted the Security+ certification before the 1st of January 2011 will remain Security+ life-certified. Those who enroll after that date have to renew the certificate every 3 years in order to stay up to date. Applicants must successfully complete 50 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or finish the online course of CertMaster CE before the 3-year period expires to renew.

CISM Certified Information Security Manager

The CISM or Certified Information Security Manager is a prestigious certification for IT specialists who are responsible for running, designing and coordinating information security programs for projects at the business level and developing best practices in organizational management. Credential holders have advanced and proven capabilities in managing and responding to security risks, governance, program development and management, and incident management.

In order to get this credential, you must follow the following listed below:

• You must be prepared to agree to the ISACA Code of Professional Ethics
• You need to have at least 5-years of Security Experience
• Continue to comply with ISACA’s continuing Education Policy
• You have to pass the CISM Exam and apply for CISM certification. The certification must be acquired within five years of the successful completion of the examination.

For three years, the credential is valid. You’ll be required to renew your certification after that.

CEH Certified Ethical Hacker

A Certified Ethical Hacker is a trained specialist who acknowledges and knows how to find flaws and vulnerabilities in target networks and uses the same tools and knowledge as a malicious hacker, but in a legal and legitimate manner to determine a target system’s security posture.

Hackers are certified innovators and will certainly find creative ways of attacking information systems and taking advantage of system vulnerabilities constantly. Organizations with experience in keeping their pc and online credential safe and secure and have resources who know how to combat hackers at their own games, they often hired a professional or expert classified as White Hat Hackers who proactively secure their information systems. These experts use the same skills and knowledge hackers use to detect device flaws or access points and prevent unwanted network or information systems exposure through hackers.

The Ethical Hacker Certification is a mid-level certification from the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants for IT practitioners who have a background in ethical hacking and it is absolutely essential to have it.

Candidates must complete one examination to receive a CEH certificate. A 5-day intensive CEH training program with an examination at the conclusion of the course is recommended. Applicants can self-study for the examination but have to have documents with at least 2 years of work experience with employer confirmation of information security.

Due to the almost daily changes in hacking technology, CEH credentials are required for every 3-year cycle to obtain 120 continuous training credits.

Bottomline

The world is expected to pay $6 trillion per year by 2021, compared with $3 trillion in 2015 for cybercrime damages. Cybersecurity Ventures estimates a growing market for skilled cybersecurity specialists or to individuals who want to get started with their cyber-security professional career in the next decade, which makes a valuable investment for Security Certifications.

Many other certifications are available to pursue or keep an eye on. The early you pursue on any given certifications given above, the soonest your career is expected to benefit from. If you are currently aiming to level up your career, these certificates highlighted above are perfect options for you to consider.

 

Author Bio:
John is an Opera Singer by profession, and a member of The Philippine Tenors. Ever since, Digital Marketing has always been his forte. He is the CEO of MegaMedia Internet Advertising Inc., and the Managing Director of Tech-Hacker. John is also the current SEO Manager of Softivire New Zealand and Softvire Australia – the leading software ecommerce company in Australia.