How Restoration Companies Get to the Top of Google Search Results

If you’re reading this, you already know that getting your restoration company’s website on the first page of Google search results can make a big impact on your business. Digital marketing for restoration companies is one of the most efficient ways to increase leads and sales, so congrats! You’ve taken the first step towards growing your business.

Follow us below as our restoration marketing experts dive deep into four ways to get your website to the top of Google, including:

• Google Local Services ads – Occupy the top of mobile and desktop search results…the most valuable real estate on Google.
• Pay Per Click (PPC) – Supplement Local Services ads with affordable (and scalable) paid search campaigns.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Build equity on Google using SEO for long-term lead generation.
• Local SEO – Connect with more local customers using local SEO strategies.

Why Is Getting On the First Page of Google Important?

Global warming has led to stronger thunderstorms, more wildfires, and frequent flooding across the United States. However, homeowners don’t have a local restoration company on retainer “just in case.”

Instead, when disaster strikes, consumers turn to search engines like Google to find a restoration company near them. Google is the most heavily used search engine in the U.S., owning 86% of the desktop market share and 95% of the mobile market share.

Not only that:

• Nearly 93% of all web traffic comes through search engines
• 97% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else
• Almost one-third of online consumers in the U.S. use the internet to search for local businesses on a daily basis
• “Near me tonight/today” type searches grew by more than 900% over two years
• 92% of searchers will pick businesses on the first page of local search results

Consumers rely on Google to find a restoration company to hire, and if your business isn’t found at the top of page one of Google, or worse, not found on the first page at all, you’re losing leads and sales to your competitors.

Local Services Ads Put Restoration Companies At the Top of Google Search Results

Wouldn’t it be great if you only had to pay for advertising that brought in real customers who were genuinely interested in what you have to offer?

Google’s Local Services ads are as close as you can get to connect with guaranteed, qualified leads.

For as little as $30 per verified lead in some markets (up to $139 in other markets), residential restoration industries like those providing mold remediation, and water, fire, and/or smoke damage restoration services can reach customers who are looking for exactly what their company offers at the exact moment they need it. Your business only hears from leads who are likely to book your services.

Put more succinctly: Local Services ads are the most desirable Google real estate you can buy.

Need a little more incentive to make the investment in Local Services ads? Here you go:

• Four out of five consumers use Google or another search engine to find a local business. If you want your home restoration company to be the first one they find—and you do—Local Services ads automatically put your restoration company on the first page of Google search results. That’s crucial, because not only do over 90 percent of searchers pick a business on the first page, a third of them click on the business in the #1 position.
• It costs nothing to sign up and you can pause your ad at any time.
• You receive the Google Guaranteed badge, which helps build trust and lets customers know Google will cover any claims up to a lifetime cap of $2,000 if a customer isn’t satisfied.

Finally, Local Services ads are also featured in response to relevant voice search queries like “fire damage restoration company near me.”

As part of an overall restoration marketing strategy, Local Services ads are a terrific way to connect with people in your area who need your services.

Pay Per Click (PPC) Ads Put Your Restoration Company on Page One

Google tells us that, on average, ads that appear on the first page of Google search results get substantially more clicks than ads that appear on other search engine results pages (SERPs).

As a restoration company in search of new business, you need to be where customers are looking when they’re ready to hire someone.

Not too long ago, we gave you 50+ reasons why PPC ads are a great investment for your brand. Three of those reasons are worth repeating:

1. Businesses make an average of $2 in income for every $1 they spend on Google Ads.
2. Paid ads have an excellent 11.38% click-through-rate (CTR) on Google.
3. For high intent searches, paid ads get 65% of all clicks.

This last reason is a crucial one because many people searching for restoration services are doing so because they have an emergency or want the work want done as soon as possible. The easier it is for people to find your business, the more likely you are to land these customers who are ready to spend.

Search ads, better known as “pay per click marketing,” is one of the most popular forms of PPC advertising for restoration companies. PPC ads appear when people look for something online using a search engine like Google. When they’re looking for something to buy, the search terms they use to locate a product or service either locally or remotely trigger PPC ads:

The basics of PPC ads are simple, but creating a successful PPC campaign can be anything but. Google and other search engines are continually developing new rules and algorithms which make it difficult for most businesses to keep up. You also need to understand how to interpret actionable data, including:

• Top-performing search terms/keywords
• Negative keywords to control waste and prevent ads from appearing in irrelevant searches
• Conversions
• Ad performance information
• Bid optimization suggestions

Done right, PPC complements your Local Services ads and search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Affordable, scalable, and efficient, they’re also one of the quickest ways to draw more potential and qualified leads to your website.

Search Engine Optimization: First Page Results for Home Restoration Companies

Now that your paid listings are in order, it’s time to move on to getting your home restoration business listed at the top of organic search results. Organic results appear below Local Services and PPC ads on SERPs.

Ranking higher on in Google’s organic results requires you to invest in SEO for restoration companies.

Here’s a few tips to get you started:

• Site Code & Structure – Your website must be coded so search engines can find and crawl it. Your website also needs to be fast, secure, and mobile-friendly.
• Onsite Content – You need web page after web page of unique, remarkable, and optimized content.
• Offsite Factors & Reviews – You must earn backlinks from other relevant and authoritative websites pointing to your website and generate five-star reviews on Google My Business and other places around the web.

Combine SEO Tactics with Local SEO Strategies for Maximum Visibility on Page One of Google

An optimized restoration website helps your business attract new customers and highlight the superior benefits of your services compared to your competitors.

If you aren’t using local SEO to drive more customers to your website, you’re missing out. Big time. Today, an incredible 97 percent of people search for local businesses online.

How Does Local SEo for restoration companies work?

When someone Googles something like “fire damage restoration” or “mold remediation services,” Google uses their location data to display nearby (local) businesses.

The top three results in the local service area are displayed in what’s known as Google’s “local pack:”

The mecca of local SEO, the Local 3-Pack presents three local businesses best related to a search query. Google considers relevance, a searcher’s location, and content quality when deciding which businesses win the coveted positions.

If you want to consistently land in that local pack, local SEO is your ticket to ride. Local SEO is similar to regular SEO but with the added element of geographic location. Algorithms are constantly being tweaked, but some of the most important local ranking signals Google is known to use include:

• Google My Business (GMB) listings. Relevance, proximity, and prominence are the top three factors Google uses for ranking. When the information in your listing is accurate and complete, your business is more likely to show up in local search results.
• Links and citations. Google also relies on information about your business that appears across the web. Backlinks are still one of the top ranking factors in local search and the more quality links you have to associated websites, the higher your listing tends to rank.
• Behavioral signals like click-through rate (CTR) and check-ins. Google wants to reflect people’s offline reality as accurately as possible. When it knows a searcher’s location or how popular a site is, it uses that data to “reward” businesses people like with higher search engine rankings.
• Social signals such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google engagement. When a business is interesting and/or resourceful enough to generate social shares and interaction, Google takes that into consideration as a ranking factor.
• Review signals including quantity and diversity. User-generated content from customer reviews, particularly positive ones, is key to higher search rankings. You want a range of reviews that are gained organically and that appear on multiple review sites.

There are many ways to implement local SEO for your restoration business. The top ones include:

• Conducting on-page optimization. This involves things like boosting site speed, making sure your site is mobile-friendly, and having accurate contact information, including a clickable phone number.
• Optimizing your Google My Business listing by claiming your listing, verifying your business, entering complete information, adding photos, and answering questions left on your profile.
• Getting more reviews. Reviews are essential to the success of your restoration marketing campaigns.

A whopping 85% of customers say they trust online reviews as much as they do word-of-mouth recommendations from family and friends. Your goal is to get as many positive reviews as possible because nearly 75% of consumers trust local businesses with positive reviews. If your customers are constantly telling you how much you amaze and delight them, don’t be shy about asking them to review you online—if they love you, they want you to stay in business!

Respond to Your Online Reviews

Another way to make a great impression on potential customers is to interact with the reviews that already exist. Responding to both positive and negative reviews in a friendly, grateful way shows you care, know how to treat people with respect, and are committed to fixing issues.

Finally, creating local content builds trust and lets people see you can provide them with the expertise they’re looking for.

General content about tools, techniques, and technologies is good for gaining backlinks that build authority. Local content, on the other hand, is focused on your region, city, or neighborhood. Local news, community events, and coverage of sponsorships or charitable works your employees are involved in are all good topics. Keep mentions of your services minimal or non-existent. As harsh as it sounds, it’s also basic human nature: people don’t care about how your services work, they care about themselves and what you can do to make them feel better!

Blue Corona Gets Restoration Companies On Page One of Google

Getting on the first page of Google won’t happen overnight. But with the right partner and strategy in place, you can get your restoration company on the first page of Google using paid and organic strategies.

If you’re looking for a digital marketing company with the resources and expertise to take your digital marketing to the next level, give us a call or contact us online. We’d love to help!

Hide dark under-eye circles and cover blemishes with our favourite concealers, designed to combat all manner of imperfections. If you’re looking for the best way to get rid of dark circles under your eyes, or need something that can camouflage blemishes and redness, you need to invest in the best concealer you can get your hands on. The right formula will cover spots, disguise under-eye bags and work with your skin type, whatever your budget.

Think that single concealer will work for every part of your face? think again. Different areas on your skin have different undertones, meaning that for most people a single concealer just won’t cut it. It is important to have a concealer that matches the skin tone to cover sun spots and blemishes. However, heavily vascular areas and dark circles may need a little more TLC with colour correcting concealers. Green tones will cancel out redness caused by vascular lesions and rosacea, and orange tones will cancel out dark under-eye circles, we find.

To figure out the best type of concealer for you, think about your needs and what you are looking to achieve by using the concealer. If your main concerns are skin discolourations like redness from blemishes, dark spots, or dark under-eye circles, the best concealer for you would be one specifically designed to colour correct. Colour correcting concealers typically come in a variety of shades that work to neutralize the skin discolouration. The standard shades of colour correcting concealers are green which neutralizes redness from blemishes or other skin conditions like rosacea, lavender which works to diminish yellowness in the skin, orange which is great on those with darker skin tones or to neutralize blue or purple-toned discolouration, pink which is a great way to brighten very light complexions, and yellow which also helps to balance purple tones and can work as a highlighter on some complexions as well.

Best Concealers For Mature Skin

The best concealer will have to get close to perfectly blending into the foundation, brightening any dark circles under eyes for a more ‘awake’ look a well as providing cover for all those imperfections. That’s the nitty-gritty reality about picking a concealer for mature skin, let’s get into the specifics. Keep reading for the absolute best concealers for mature skin. Trust me, your “under eyes are” will thank you!

The Best Concealers of 2020

The best concealers for 2020 will need to be water-resistant and provide a smooth, perfect finish for airbrushed skin in our opinion. Customers say: “I have dark circles and wrinkles under my eyes. I’ve tried so many concealers that claimed ‘no crease’ and bought expensive day creams and night creams with no luck! I took a chance when I bought this, thinking it would be like all the others. Completely amazed! no creases throughout the day! full coverage! it’s perfect! I have seen other reviews on this where others disagree, but everyone’s skin is different. That’s the sort of review to look for in 2020 because there are now some much better products available than there were even a few years ago.

We aim to make shopping easier with our recommendations and information-packed shopping guides. If you’re ready to purchase a concealer, check out our five favourites in the product list below:

• Two Faced – Born This Way Super Coverage Concealer
• Maybelline Cover Stick Concealer
• Urban Decay Naked Skin
• Clinique’s Acne Concealer
• Neutrogena’s SkinClearing Blemish Concealer

For everything you need to know before you buy one of these beauty lifesavers, just keep reading. Liquid concealers have a thin, liquid consistency and usually come in a tube with a doe-foot applicator or in a clickable pen. They are often the best choice for oily skin because they are lightweight and the least likely to clog pores.

Best Full-Coverage Cosmetics

If you’ve got dark circles, you’re likely slapping loads of concealer on in the morning. But it might be time to trade your go-to for a better model. Your best bet would be a richly-pigmented cream formula. “creams have a stronger hold than liquids and won’t creep into fine lines,” says New York City makeup artist Shaun Thomas Gibson. Your concealer should be a shade lighter than your skin tone to counterbalance darkness. Try the Beauty Lab test winners Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer, which rated highly for its ability to minimize the appearance of dark circles, or IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye full coverage anti-ageing waterproof concealer, which earned a perfect score for coverage in testing, even of severe under-eye discolouration so “Bye Bye Under Eye”!

Dior Dior Forever Skin Correct Concealer

Description. Dior creates forever skin correct, all-in-one 24h wear extreme skincare and concealer. In a single sweep, this multi-use concealer hides undereye circles, localized redness, blemishes and imperfections without settling into facial lines, for a flawless acne free complexion from morning to night. This concealer is non-comedogenic and dermatologically tested. * instrumental test on 20 subjects. Benefits. Coverage is buildable: from light – applied locally – to full – all over the face. Signs of fatigue fade away.

Matte Velvet Skin Concealer

And while Fenty garnered the spotlight for offering 40 shades of foundation, Makeup For Ever took to social media to point out that they, too, offered 40 shades and had been doing so since 2015, long before Fenty showed up to the party. Today, Make Up For ever’s Ultra HD invisible cover foundation comes in 50 shades and the brand offers dozens of choices of other popular complexion products, such as the matte velvet skin full coverage foundation and the ultra-HD self-setting concealer.

The Best Concealing Eyeshadow

It’s not just how you apply makeup that can affect dark circles, but how you remove it. “that constant tugging and pulling at the delicate skin around the eye increases sagging and, as a result, can look darker than the skin around it,” said Begoun. “Pulling as little as possible around the eyes can make a big difference over time “. Consider using a cleansing oil like Simple Hydrating Cleansing oil or balm like Clinique “Take the Day Off” cleansing balm to remove mascara and eyeshadow with minimal tugging.

Because skin sensitivity is an equal concern, you likely need to keep your eyes just as protected from redness, irritation, allergies, et cetera as the rest of your face. Jane Iredale eyeshadow is straight-up gorgeous, non-irritating formula notwithstanding. Concealers are best that don’t crease and are mineral-based, so they’re super gentle and comfortable to wear. These pretty little singles are available in 18 colours, ranging from neutrals (like bone white and pinky nude) to brights (purple, aqua), and they come in either matte or shimmery finishes.

If you’re an eyeshadow fiend like me, consider trying my go-to palette for the past year from beauty influencer Christen Dominique. These 12 eyeshadows are a mix of warm and cool tones, along with matte and shimmer options including honey dipped, a gold foil, chocolate mousse, a deep brown, and warm pie, a non-intimidating matte red-brown with delicate flecks of gold glitter. The shadows all have high colour payoff, minimal fall out, are long-lasting even without a primer and work both wet and dry.

The Best Eyeliner for Cover

Satin finish lipsticks don’t accentuate lip wrinkles. For a softer, more flattering finish, apply lipstick straight from the tube instead of with a brush. And always line your lips to avoid “bleeding. “. If black eyeliner and mascara seem too harsh, create a more diffused look with brown or dark grey. Switch liquid and gel eyeliner for kohl. Use only powder eye shadow.

It’s not the most intense or long-lasting eyeliner pencil in existence, but it is one of the few that’s genuinely hypoallergenic. Free from: fragrance, oil. Beyond being beautiful and creamy and radiant, Han Skincare’s cheek and lip tint is one of the few cosmetics that can honestly claim to be all-natural. Everything in here is plant or mineral derived, from the shea butter, coconut cream, and argan oil, which give this tint its smooth, creamy consistency, to the beetroot and cherry powders that replace synthetic dyes.

Thinking laterally, why not accentuate rather than conceal? Use a dark-coloured eye pencil. Dark eyeliner will detract from the dark circles by making your eyes look more sparkling and vivid. Line your upper and lower lids with a dark brown eye pencil. Add a layer of dark blue eyeliner on the outer third of the upper lid. Use waterproof mascara. Using waterproof mascara will ensure that you don’t get smudges of mascara below your eyes, which could contribute to having darker circles.

Top Concealers for Men

Men’s concealers are making waves in the world of makeup. Although for some men, the word “make up” often gives off the wrong impression; the truth is, it’s not really that big a deal. Makeup on men is very common and requires virtually no skills (though some minor exercise). In fact, it’s as easy as applying beard oil. Men can successfully master the art of using a concealer while still looking one hundred per cent natural. So, if you are in the market for the best concealers for men, our well-curated guide below will help.

Men with sensitive skin will be able to use most types of concealers, especially if a given concealer has some soothing compounds like chamomile as a part of their formula. Evolution Man’s concealer is in a harder stick form, which makes it easy to bring with you on trips or throw in a bag. Just make sure to tap in the product with your finger, so you can’t see any obvious lines.

Tom Ford is somewhat of an OG when it comes to men’s make-up. The American designer, who more recently has been kept busy dressing James Bond, launched the brand’s first male beauty line back in 2013, and his concealer remains a best-seller to this day. Though it’s only available in three shades (light, medium and deep), the travel-friendly size and sleek metal tube make it ideal for throwing in your gym bag.

Glo Skin Beauty Mineral Makeup & Skincare Products

Glo Skin Beauty is a full-spectrum skincare and makeup line that creates innovative formulas for healthier, more beautiful complexions. Inspired by the belief that makeup is an extension of skincare, their proprietary formulas include safe, skin-friendly ingredients that nourish and protect even the most sensitive skin types. A combination of Glominerals and Glo Therapeutics, Glo skin beauty offers an array of award-winning mineral makeup formulas and gentle, reparative anti-ageing treatments.

We believe that healthy skin is the starting point to creating a flawless look. As a result, we wanted our name to reflect this ideological foundation that has been embedded in Glo from the beginning. Our skincare and mineral makeup products still provide transformative results for both skincare professionals and home care regimens. We are cruelty-free!. We do not test our products on animals. We do not use ingredients tested on animals. We do not sell into markets that require animal testing.

More Skin Less Makeup

Improving your nightly routine may also help you avoid bags under your eyes. In particular, it’s important to wash your face before bed each night. There are several reasons why you shouldn’t sleep in makeup. First, if you sleep with mascara or other eye makeup on your eyes, you may irritate them. Experience an allergic reaction. Develop an infection that creates redness, puffiness, or other symptoms. Some say forgetting to wash your face may cause wrinkles or damage the skin in other ways.

For years, my makeup routine was all about the challenge of seeing how much makeup I could pile on top of my pimples and my brown skin underneath. This usually meant I would begin my day with a combination of brightly hued primers, concealers, and foundation caked on though they would inevitably melt off halfway through the day. Post-acne I never really stopped, I had my scarring to cover up, and over the years, I added caking my genetically dark under-eyes with makeup to the list.

The ideal environment for base makeup is even skin, free of any dry patches. But whose under-eyes match that description? Nobodies! Laying down moisturiser or eye cream for any areas you’re concealing is the best start, ensuring “a smooth application, allowing the concealer to blend evenly. We love Cerave’s Eye Repair Cream. But, before picking a shade, decide where you’re actually using your concealer. Finally, it’s important to note that the positive effects of hydroquinone are reversed when the skin is exposed to sunlight, so you should only apply at night.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge but it is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

The post The Best Concealers to Disguise Blemishes, Under-Eye Circles, and Dark Spots appeared first on GQ Central.

Posted by AnnSmarty

The golden rule of marketing has always been: Don’t leave your customer wondering, or you’ll lose them. This rule also applies very well to SEO: Unless Google can find an answer — and quickly — they’ll pick and feature your competitor.

One way to make sure that doesn’t happen is having a well set-up, well-optimized FAQ page. Your FAQ is the key to providing your customers and search engines with all the answers they might need about your brand.

Why create an FAQ page?

• Decrease your customer support team’s workload. If you do it right, your FAQ page will be the first point of contact for your potential customers — before they need to contact you directly.
• Shorten your customers’ buying journeys. If your site users can find all the answers without having to hear back from your team, they’ll buy right away.
• Build trust signals. Covering your return policies, shipping processes, and being transparent with your site users will encourage them to put more trust into your brand. As always, if your site users trust your brand, so will Google.
• Create a more effective sales funnel by including your business’s competitive advantages: What makes you better than your competitors?
• Improve your site internal linking (meaningfully).
• Capture more search visibility opportunities.

Feeling convinced? Then let’s move on from whys to hows.

Where to find questions to answer

I did a very detailed article on question research for Moz. It lists all kinds of tools — including SEO-driven (based on which question people type in Google’s search box) and People-Also-Ask-based (questions showing up in Google’s People Also Ask boxes) — that collect questions from online discussion boards, as well as tools that monitor Twitter and Reddit questions.

In addition, your customer support team is your most important resource. You need to know exactly what your customers are asking when they contact your company, and then use all the other sources to optimize those questions for organic rankings and expand your list where necessary.

Answers should be CCF (clear, concise, and factual)

(I have just made up this abbreviation, but it does a good job getting my point across.)

A good rule of thumb is to write short answers to each question — two to three paragraphs would make a good answer. If you go longer, the page will be too long and cluttered.

If you have more to say:

• Write a standalone article explaining the process
• Add a video

Creating a video to answer most of those questions is almost always a good idea. Videos make good promotional assets allowing your brand to be discovered on Youtube, as well as through Google’s video carousels.

And if video marketing seems too intimidating to you, there are quite a few tools that allow you to create videos on a budget without investing in expensive software (and training) or external services. I list some of those tools here.

Another video creation tool I discovered recently is called Renderforest. It offers some powerful explainer video templates that are perfect for answering questions.

Other ways to make answers shorter are:

• Add intructural GIFs (I listed a few GIF creation tools here).
• Create downloadable flowcharts and checklists (there are lots of online tools to put those together).

Overall, visuals have long been proven to improve engagement and make things easier to understand and remember, so why not use them on your FAQ page?

FAQ schema — use it!

Google loves featuring clear answers (which is also why creating a solid FAQ page is such a good idea). In fact, Google loves answers so much that there’s a separate schema type specifically for this content format: FAQPage schema.

By all means, use it. For WordPress users, there’s a WordPress plugin that helps markup content with FAQ schema.

It makes your FAQ page easier to understand for Google, and it helps your page stand out in search:

Quick tip: If you include an internal link inside your answer, it will populate in search results, too. More links in organic SERPs!

Internal linking: Use your FAQ as a sitemap

More links from your organic listing in search isn’t the only reason to link from your FAQ page. Your FAQ page is part of the customer journey, where each answer is an important step down the sales funnel. This is why adding internal links is key to ensuring that customer journey is continued.

But don’t think about these links from an SEO standpoint only. It’s not as important to create keyword-optimized link text here (although it’s still not a terrible idea — when it makes sense). The more important factor to think about here is user intent.

What is your site user likely to do next when they’re searching for a particular question?

If they have a question about your shipping costs, they’re probably close to buying, but need to know more about the final price. This is where you can brag about your awesome shipping partners and link straight to the product page (or list), as well as to the cart for them to complete the payment.

If they are asking how long shipping usually takes, they’re likely to be your current customer, so linking to your shipping info page would be more helpful.

Monitoring your FAQ page and user paths through it will give you more ideas on how to set up each answer better. More on this below.

If you need some inspiration on proper in-FAQ linking, check out Shopify, which does a pretty awesome job on matching various user intents via internal linking:

Structure is everything

There are web users who search and then there are those who browse.

Your FAQ page should accommodate both.

This means:

• There should be search field suggestions to guide the user through the site effectively.
• There should be clear categories (as subheads) for the page visitors to browse through and get a good idea of what your site does at a glance. This will help people who are still at the research phase make a buying decision faster.

PayPal accomplishes both of these in a very nice way:

To determine the best structure for the FAQ page, try Text Optimizer, which uses semantic analysis to come up with related questions. It makes catching some common keyword and question patterns easier:

When you have your FAQ content structure set up, create anchor links to allow users to quickly jump to the section they feel like browsing more. To see this on-page navigation in action, head to the Adobe FAQ page:

Here’s a quick tutorial on how to set up this kind of navigation.

Making your FAQ page work: integrate, analyze, monitor

A well set-up FAQ page addresses multiple types of user intent and helps at various steps in a sales funnel. This makes monitoring the page closely a very essential task.

Here are a few ways to accomplish it:

1. Monitor in-FAQ search

If your site runs on WordPress, there’s a variety of FAQ plugins (including this one) that come with advanced search functionality. The feature reports on:

• Most popular searches, showing which product features or site sections cause the most confusion (these may signal some usability issues).
• Empty searches, showing which users’ questions triggered no answers in your FAQ (these should go straight to your content team).

If you’re going with a no-plugin, custom solution, make sure to use Google Analytics to set up your in-FAQ search, which will allow you to monitor your site users’ searching patterns.

2. Track user paths through your FAQ page

Which pages (or off-site channels) tend to bring people to your FAQ page, and where do they usually go from there? These paths are important in understanding the role of the FAQ page in your sales funnel.

To track any page effectiveness in sending conversions, I tend to use Finteza, which allows you to create an unlimited number (unless I haven’t hit the limit yet) of sales funnels to monitor and compare different user paths through your site:

3. Monitor “People Also Ask” rankings

You’re most likely going to monitor this page traffic and its rankings anyway, but there’s one more thing to add here: “People Also Ask” positions.

As this page focuses on covering customers’ questions, Google’s “People Also Ask” positions are pretty indicative as to whether or not you’re doing a good job. SE Ranking is the only tool I’m aware of that can help you with that. It keeps track of most of Google’s search elements and reports your progress:

If you do things right, you’re likely to see your PPA positions growing.

4. Monitor customer feedback

Finally, collecting user feedback on every answer in your FAQ will help you create more helpful answers. Again, most pre-build FAQ solutions come with this option, but there are standalone plugins for it as well (like this one).

FAQ FAQs

There are a few common questions about building an FAQ page that keep floating the web (as well as Moz’s community forums). Let’s quickly address them here:

Is an FAQ section still a good idea?

Yes, by all means, but only if you take it seriously.

Should I employ “collapsible” answers to save space?

I don’t have any issues with this set-up (many brands choose to go this way), but SEOs believe that content hidden behind tabs or clicks holds less value than immediately-visible content.

Can I re-use select answers on other pages where these questions-and-answers make sense? Is this duplicate content?

It isn’t a “problematic” duplicate content issue (meaning Google will not penalize for that), but the best way to avoid duplicate content is to write new (original) answers for each page.

Should it be one page, or is it better to set up a multi-page knowledge base?

Depending on how much you have to say, either way is good.

Takeaways

• Your FAQ page is an important step in the buying journey and a good organic search asset that can both bring and convert traffic.
• To find answers to cover on your FAQ page, read our niche question research guide.
• Create concise, factual answers that will provide immediate help or guidelines. Videos and animated GIFs always make the FAQ section more helpful.
• Link from your FAQ page to accommodate different user intents and help your site users continue their journey through the site.
• Structure your FAQ page in a meaningful way to give site users some clues as to what is covered.
• Monitor your site user journeys through your FAQ page closely to improve and expand it.

Have more tips for optimizing your FAQ? Let me know in the comments section.

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It’s a common experience on a cold night to discover your furnace burners not lighting. Not to worry! Try troubleshooting and applying these cures and you’ll soon get your warm home back!

Reasons Why Your Furnace is Not Igniting?

This is a fairly common problem homeowner’s face and the first reason is usually that the pilot light is not lit. When this happens, your furnace will not be able to ignite its burners again until the pilot light is relit. The furnace not igniting can happen because of several reasons, so whenever I have an issue like this, I follow a few steps. First, I check the supply of gas, for me, that means checking if I have any propane left. If not, I refill the tank/ cylinder as soon as I can.

However, if that’s not the problem, I take a look at the pilot light thermocouple. In case it’s broken or damaged. If it is obviously damaged buy a new one and replace it. Is the pilot flame very low or prone to going out quite often? A weak flame will not heat the thermocouple sufficiently, in which case no gas will flow to the main burners.

Newer furnaces have electronic ignitions, which don’t encounter the same problem. However, these newer ignitions can still sometimes develop problems of their own that prevent your system from igniting properly. Start troubleshooting these by checking whether the gas line is turned off. There are a few different reasons that someone might shut off the gas supply to your furnace. One might be that unknown to you the furnace has been found to be unsafe. Only open up a closed power line if you know the furnace has not been isolated from the supply for that reason.

How to Tell if an Ignitor on a Gas Furnace Is Working

When the power to the main control panel and gas is “on”, if the furnace start-up sequence is giving problems at the step where the hot surface ignitor visibly “glows” to light the burners nothing happens, you can assume that there is a problem with the ignitor system/ gas valve not opening. That’s how to tell if an ignitor on a modern electronic ignition boiler is faulty. Don’t try to put this right yourself, such matters must only be repaired by trained technicians due to the high safety risk from explosion, fire, or asphyxiation if not done correctly.

Furnace Burners Not Lighting: Check the Furnace Power

On some furnace systems, if one led flash that stays on continuously it can mean that your furnace has no signal coming from the thermostat and will not operate. Turn the power off and check the thermostat for improper settings or connections. On the other hand, one led flash that blinks on and off may mean that your furnace has locked out because it could not ignite after three tries, and must be reset. If you think this may be the problem, switch off the power to your furnace for 20 seconds, or lower the thermostat so your furnace does not try to heat, then reset the thermostat to the previous setting.

If by doing this or similar actions for your furnace model fails to cure the problem. Your furnace itself may be the cause of the problem. It can occur that the switch inside the furnace could have accidentally been switched to off, so always make sure that the power is turned on. Don’t forget that even if you have a gas system, it uses electricity and must be turned on. There will be a power disconnect switch by the furnace. You can also check the breaker to make sure power to the furnace has not been tripped. If it has been tripped, be sure to turn it back on.

Some other troubleshooting actions, to cure furnace burners not lighting, which may apply to some HVAC systems are to:

• Make sure that your thermostat is set to heat and not cool, and ensure that the fan is set to auto
• Check to be sure that the thermostat is set to a temperature high enough to trigger the furnace to emit heat.
• If your thermostat is properly set, ensure that it is getting power—check controller batteries, or if fitted, the fuses and circuit breakers.
• Ensure that the interior components of the thermostat are clean and not visibly damaged. Dust and debris inside the thermostat can cause it to malfunction.

Furnace Burners Not Lighting: Check the Standing Pilot

If you have an old gas furnace and the main burners won’t light, but the pilot flame is visible and the gas supply is on. Check that the thermostat is set to call for heat because sometimes this is all that is needed to get your furnace to fire up! One tip here is that if you hear the click in the thermostat after setting the temp to heat to above the room temp, you know you have turned it up high enough to be demanding heat from the furnace.

Combi-boilers: The system is pressurised from the mains water pressure for combi-boilers which heat hot water on-demand. These are systems which don’t have a hot water tank. With this furnace type, the water pressure may drop gradually. If it drops below a safe level the furnace will not ignite, on-purpose as a safety feature. Troubleshoot this possible reason for your furnace burners not lighting. Look for a dial showing pressure which is marked with a green safe pressure range at the top, and below that, a range of water pressure marked as below the required pressure. If the pressure is clearly below the required pressure the pressure needs raising. When you find such a dial read the furnace instructions on how to to-up the water pressure within the furnace pipes. The cure is usually to connect the boiler to the mains water supply pipe, using the flexible hose provided. Gently open the water valve and let water flow into the combi-boiler until the pressure rises into the green range. Close the water valve and disconnect it. Reset the furnace start sequence. If the main burners still won’t come on, it is time to stop. In most instances, you have done as much troubleshooting as can be done by a non-professional. It’s time to call a trustworthy local plumber and ask them to carry out a diagnosis and repair of the system.

At a more advanced level of knowledge, there is another problem which you might need to troubleshoot on rare occasions when all else works but the system is unable to turn the main gs-valve mechanism to open the gas-valve. When this occurs the thermocouple (or thermopile), which provides more power to power the ignitor and the led lights on the gas control valve, can sometimes allow the pilot gas to flow to light the pilot correctly, but not put out enough power to turn on the main gas part of the valve. Check for any blinking or pattern of led lights (if yours has lights) indicating a fault. A fault is usually indicated by a pattern of blinks in a row, or blinking at alternate short and long intervals, as opposed to the normal healthy indicator blinking sequence of just one or two blinks every 10-30 seconds, depending on the brand.

Why Are the Furnace Burners Not Igniting?

If your furnace burners are not igniting, the first thing we will do is ensure that gas is flowing to your furnace by inspecting the gas valves. We will also check all the electrical connections as well as the thermostat sensors and mechanisms. If your standing pilot light is out, you may need to send for an oil or gas furnace repair technician to re-light it for you. It is important to have a professional handle this task because they will ensure that the flame is properly adjusted, neither too strong nor too weak.

How to Repair an Electronic Ignition Gas Furnace

If your electronic ignition mechanism is not working, we may need to replace it. Another possibility is that your thermocouple may need to be replaced. This would be the case if your ignition system is working properly but the main burners never come on. For expert diagnosis and repair of your gas furnace, regardless of its age or ignition type, you will need to contact a general heating and air conditioning installation fixes and repair company/ plumber.

Is the pilot not lighting when it should? Furnace main burners should light shortly after you set the thermostat. The gas electronic ignition furnace is the most common type of new furnace today but requires a special understanding of its components for repair of hot surface ignition. A small gas flame needs to be always burning, and is known in the jargon of American homeowners as a “pilot light“.

Types of Electronic Ignition Furnaces

If your furnace doesn’t have a standing pilot light, then it has electronic ignition. Furnaces have two types of electronic ignition. These are “glow plugs” or by an electronic spark. In some cases, this type of ignition may create a spark to light a pilot and then behave like a standing pilot furnace as talked about above. But for the most part, they behave as discussed in this section. If the burners won’t light, try our earlier troubleshooting steps.

Newer, more efficient furnaces utilize electronic ignition to eliminate the waste and unreliability of a standing pilot light. There are two types of electronic ignition, intermittent pilot and hot surface ignition. An intermittent pilot system generates a high voltage electrical spark whenever the thermostat calls for heat. This spark ignites a gas pilot, which then works just like the standing pilot light did. A hot surface ignition system uses a resistance heating element similar to a light bulb filament, rather than a spark, to trigger the ignition of the main burners.

Check Your Air Filter if Your Furnace Won’t Turn On

Some furnace types use an air filter. If it is clogged your furnace will not turn on. If clogged, it has not been replaced as frequently as it should have. Get a professional furnace service done on it by a suitably qualified and licensed technician.  An air filter which is dirty can cause your furnace to turn off as a safety feature (to prevent overheating). The troubleshooting step for this is to check your air filter. If it is extremely dirty, then wash it if it is a re-useable type, or replace it immediately.

If Your Furnace Won’t Turn On, Do a Rapid Check On Your Pilot Light

If your furnace has a pilot light, look for the flame. Check your owner’s manual or the instructions posted inside the furnace cabinet for step-by-step lighting instructions. Usually, this involves first turning the gas valve to Off and waiting a couple of minutes.

Furnace Runs Constant Short Heating Cycles

If your furnace runs fine but constantly runs many short heating cycles instead of an occasionally long (normal) one, then you need to make an adjustment inside the thermostat on the wall. To make the adjustment, lift off the cover from the thermostat and locate the anticipator. If your furnace is running short cycles, the anticipator is probably set on. 2 or lower. Check your furnace manual and move the lever or dial to the setting they recommend.

Furnace Comes On But Makes a Loud Rushing and Banging Sound and Cuts-out

An older furnace may give a problem whereby the blower comes on, it runs great for 8-10 minute, but then makes a loud rumbling/banging sound and stops working. Changed the oil feed nozzle, cleaning the filter, and cleaning the chimney would not solve this problem. Your oil tank can be full, but every time when push the reset button, the burner will fire but makes a rushing noise, and all activity stops after a while, and a reset is necessary to get the furnace to start again. The problem when this occurs is most likely a blockage in the condensate drain. Find the blockage and allow the water the has built-up in the furnace gas tubes to drain away and all should run again successfully. If an initial inspection shows the condensate drain pipe to be blocked within the boiler do not touch it, and call a qualified plumber straight away. If draining the pipe yourself take precaution to wear gloves and catch all the drained water in a bucket, as the drain-water (condensate) can be acidic and makes your hands feel quite unpleasantly dry.

How Furnace Ignition Systems work

The hot surface ignitor (HSI) is the most commonly used electronic ignition system. It works like a light bulb filament, heating up when electricity is passed through it. Most are made from silicon nitride or silicon carbide. The igniter is located in the flow of gas entering the burners. When the thermostat calls for heat, 24 volts are sent to the electronic ignition control module, which energizes the furnace blower and other systems and sends 120 volts to the HSI.

Conclusion to Solving Furnace Burners not Lighting

Are your furnace burners not lighting, or the furnace pilot light keeps going out, and it’s so cold! If you want to troubleshoot the problem, you need first to understand the workings of your furnace ignition system. Then, when you troubleshoot your furnace problem you may be able to find where the problem is. If the problem is simple you may be able to find a quick cure, flick a switch, and return your home to the comfort of warmth. Furnace ignition systems may be failing due to a simple lack of gas or electrical power. There are many kinds of furnaces that have slightly different ignition systems. However, if you follow the troubleshooting steps and cures we have described in this article and the furnace ignites you can be lucky. If you perform the recommended checks and fail, at least you know that when the plumber does arrive, you won’t be likely to be wasting his time. Finally, don’t ever be tempted to open up your furnace and tamper with the equipment inside. That can be very dangerous unless you are properly trained and know precisely what you are doing.

The post Furnace Burners Not Lighting? – Troubleshoot These Cures and Get Warm! appeared first on GQ Central.

Many busy people find that dieting is hard, so how about applying these tips to stop eating sugar to make it easier? After all, for many of us, we would very likely lose weight if we could just stave off our hunger and sweet cravings! Read on if you want to stop eating so much sugar!

Why Do We Crave Sugar?

When you are stressed out, your body is flooded with cortisol, a stress hormone, which makes you crave carbohydrates, sugar and fatty foods. Food is soothing due to the chemical changes it creates in your body. Chocolate is an excellent example. Chocolate boosts the “feel good” neurotransmitters and chemicals in your body that make you more alert and excited. So, we live busy stressful lives, is it any wonder that we crave sugar?

If you crave sugar, carbs, processed foods, or struggle with emotional eating, binge eating, or food addiction this post has all of our top tips that can truly help you to stop cravings quickly. Long before I knew anything about nutrition, fitness, or how to improve my health, I struggled with sugar cravings. It is reasonable to say that I was a full-blown food addict!

However, should you really take on-board our tips to stop eating sugar, we would like to issue a warning. One of the most important things to remember when changing your diet is to do so gradually. Going from a diet full of sugar to one without any should be a slow process. It may help to start by eliminating the most obvious sources of sugar but do it gradually. Don’t name a day and make that the day you change. No. Remember what we say here and remove one sugar source at a time. I started by removing sugar from my cup of tea I made at home for example. Once I had done that and found I actually preferred it without sugar, I moved on to another sugary food or sugar addition. You can easily avoid one of the baked goods you regularly enjoy such as cakes, muffins, and brownies, but the most important of all tips to stop eating sugar is do it gently and don’t go without it entirely.

How to Stop Sugar Cravings

Start by replacing a whole muffin, for example, with just one chocolate biscuit and after some weeks replace that chocolate biscuit with a wholemeal only version. Alternatively, removing candy and sugary beverages is also an excellent place to start. A person can also try reducing the amount of sugar and cream they add to their coffee or tea, working up to using none at all. Building up to a no-sugar diet can help a person retrain the palate, meaning that they are less likely to crave the missing sugar.

Are you always craving sweet food, even if you’ve just recently eaten?  If so, you are in the company of most people! When 3 pm rolls around, are you reaching for a snack because you’re hungry again?  Or perhaps you find yourself heading for the fridge in search of something sweet not long after dinner. Cravings can be annoying and hard to ignore, but our tip to gradually reduce sugar use is a great way to actually slowly and gently change your sugar habit. That way, with perseverance, anyone can stop craving sugar naturally without depriving yourself or going on a restrictive diet. You just need to follow the above simple tip and gradually you will reduce your consumption of the foods that create sugar cravings, and believe us when we say that you will regain your feeling of “being in control”. Just the self-belief of “being in control”, once regained, is hugely important and for many people is enough to keep them on the path of weight reduction, plus improved energy and good health, through applying this simple “Tips to Stop Eating Sugar” method.

The keto diet is currently very popular and many people are experiencing success with it. However, after a lifetime of eating high-carb foods, you will be quite likely to experience some sugar craving on keto, at least initially. This is normal, but it’s no reason to quit. With the one tip we have already provided, you can stop sugar cravings on keto in their tracks, produce ketones, and enjoy the many weight, health, metabolism, and brain benefits of keto eating.

But do consider avoiding artificial sweeteners whenever you can. When you stop eating sugar, your brain will more than likely crave something sweet initially, and many people say that consuming artificial sweeteners can increase the cravings.

Seeds and Fibre You Should Be Eating

Eating high fibre foods may help you stave off hunger and cravings. They take longer to digest, causing you to feel fuller for longer. High fibre foods also contribute to healthy blood sugar regulation. Keeping your blood sugar levels stable may help prevent cravings. Aim for high fibre vegetables, beans, and legumes. Pairing high protein and high fibre foods is best for healthy blood sugar control. Examples include mixing high fibre veggies like broccoli into your eggs or spooning some pumpkin seeds over your oatmeal.

Plenty of people say to eat fruit. But, in my opinion, fruit has been given such a high health score generally, that we end up eating too much of it. In fact, there’s nothing inherently great about the fructose in fruit. Sure, fructose is better than glucose because it comes accompanied by fibre and vitamins. But in and of itself, it is not better, and should, in my opinion, be accompanied by seeds or nuts. The effect of that would be to slow down the insulin spike that the fruit brought to the bloodstream. Overall, fruit should be, not limited, but not seen as something you can eat all the time in any quantity. Generally, the higher the water content, the less the sugar hit, so oranges are better than bananas. Oranges are also better than mangoes.

A problem for those who don’t stop eating junk food is that they never feel full for long. These foods are created so they increase your blood sugar level rapidly, but soon after the effect is gone. By preparing meals with products high in fibre (certain fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts, grains, etc. ) you will get an energy boost that will last for hours, keeping you full and working for longer.

Tips to Stop Eating Sugar – Foods You Can’t Stop Eating But Should

Another factor that can make your body need extra glucose is if you’ve had a meal with too much salt or animal protein. Since both options can produce small drops in blood sugar, this makes the body feel that it needs glucose to recover. Therefore, you’ll feel like eating a sweet dessert or piece of chocolate after a meal “to compensate”. Avoiding too many fatty, salty or fried foods and foods high in animal protein should be enough to stop this from occurring. Failing this, introduce whole-grain cereals – such as rice – or vegetables to your recipes, which will balance them out. Thus, after eating you won’t feel the need to eat something sweet and you’ll be able to resist the temptation of chocolate.

Remove the large amounts of sugar from your diet and don’t worry about the little bits that make low-fat, high-fibre, foods palatable such as a sprinkle of brown sugar on porridge, a scrape of jam on grainy bread or a drizzle of honey on your unsweetened breakfast cereal. And don’t stop eating fresh fruit – just don’t eat too much of it.

Easy Ways to Stop Eating So Much Sugar

Have you been agonizing and wondering how to stop eating so much sugar? Sugar cravings can sometimes feel impossible to curb and it’s a habit that can super hard to break. As addicting as sugar can be it’s possible to stop your cravings in its track and work your way to healthier habits. “Eat less sugar”, it’s a common phrase you’ll hear (and read) almost everywhere you look when talking about bettering your health and losing weight. If only it were that easy right? If it were, you wouldn’t be reading this post on how to stop eating sugar or searching for ways to help curb the cravings. Here are two tips:

• Wholemeal toast can be a good breakfast choice, as long as you are sensible with your toppings. Toast is so fast and easy to make, yet so effective.
• Peanut butter is perfect. A good source of “healthy fats”, as well as protein and vitamin e among other nutrients, a liberal spreading of peanut butter can set you up for the day.

So we’ve told you why exactly you should quit sugar. No excuse! Now it’s time for you to start your sugar cleanse!

What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Sugar

Stress can lead to the impulse to eat junk food, especially sweets filled with added sugar. Research shows that sugar alters some physiological responses normally produced in the brain and body during stressful situations, creating a feedback loop that encourages stress eating. Managing stress better can help you avoid the habit of grabbing unhealthy food during stressful moments.

The fab four (protein, fat, fibre, and greens) is a lighthearted expression we coined to help you remember what nourishing foods you should eat to elongate your blood-sugar curve. As explained earlier this is the first step to giving you the energy and fuel to easily move toward ditching snacks. This in turn supports balanced hormone production, microbiome proliferation, and healthy body composition. Eating the fab four calms various hunger-related hormones. Protein, fat, and fibre induce cholecystokinin which is known as a “satiety hormone”). Protein and leafy green vegetables increase glucagon-like peptide-1 (glp-1, the “full hormone”), which to you and me means better hormone balance. And finally, a fibre-and-protein-based meal increases concentrations of peptide yy (pyy – “control hormone”), which altogether reduces an excessive appetite.

People do ask though, why it is that your blood sugar levels will rise overnight. This seems to be counter-intuitive. You don’t eat anything, so how can you possibly add any glucose to your system? in fact, it is those who suffer from type ii diabetes who find this is most problematic. You may not be eating but he body still creates glucose throughout the night. It needs to, whether you’ve eaten something or not. This natural process is called gluconeogenesis, and there is nothing you can do to stop it – nor would you want to. In a healthy person, this process doesn’t cause a major problem.

Tips to Stop Eating Sugar – Low-Sugar Alternatives

You probably already know that eating a lot of sugar is not great for your body and that you should seek out and eat alternatives. The problem is that sugar comes in a natural form and in an added form, so often you have no idea that you are consuming it. Also, it is in many foods that you don’t even think to consider. Foods that you think are healthy, such as tomato sauce and protein bars, are packed full of sugar. Many people rely on diet sodas as a “free” sugar substitute, especially when they’re craving something sweet. But in my experience, aspartame, NutraSweet, Splenda, and even low carb sugar products (protein bars that are “low sugar”) don’t quell sugar cravings but increase them. For many people, they also bring unpleasant side effects like headaches and stomach aches. A study at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio found that a person’s risk of obesity went up a whopping 41% for each daily can of diet soda. If you are sugar sensitive, you may consider including “fake sugars” in the sugar category. You can see this list of hidden sources of sugar for more information.

Don’t confuse me! What are you saying? Well! The message is that everything is good but only in moderation, and some do say that this rings true when it comes to eating sugar with diabetes too.

Foods with More Than Average Sugar Content

Low-fat options of your favourite foods — peanut butter, yoghurt, salad dressing — are everywhere. If you’ve been told that fat is bad, it may feel natural to reach for these alternatives, rather than the full-fat versions, when you’re trying to lose weight. However, the unsettling truth is that they usually contain more sugar and sometimes more calories than their full-fat counterparts. A 4-ounce (113-gram) serving of low-fat vanilla yoghurt contains 4 teaspoons (16 grams) of sugar and 96 calories. The same amount of full-fat plain yoghurt contains just over a teaspoon (5 grams) of naturally occurring milk sugar and only 69 calories ( 16, 17).

When you need to get your blood sugar back up quickly, try one of these items, a small apple, banana, or orange; 15 grapes; half a bagel; half a cup of granola; each of these foods has about 15 grams of carbohydrates — the ideal amount to rebalance blood sugar levels.

How to Stop Eating Sugar

“Eat less sugar. ” it may be a short and sweet suggestion (pun intended) but when it comes to finding low-calorie foods to select is the process of stopping eating added sugar, the choice isn’t simple. The USDA’s most recent dietary guidelines issued added sugar limits, recommending that we cut out sugar and keep our consumption of the stuff to no more than 10 per cent of overall calories. That’s equal to 200 calories or 50 grams of added sugar per day for those following a 2,000-calorie diet. To put things into perspective, the average American eats between 73 grams and 77 grams of added sugar a day! The average American should therefore be thinking very seriously about applying our tips to stop eating sugar.

Ready to learn how to stop eating sugar once and for all? While some people prefer to cut it out cold turkey, making changes step by step and slowly reducing your intake of sugar can also be effective. Here is the makings of a plan that can help you significantly cut down on your added sugar intake in only one month: week 1: start using stevia or other natural sweeteners in your morning cup of coffee along with wherever else you normally use refined sugar. Its the plan that I used to break my sugar addiction and stop eating cookies and sweets and drinking caramel lattes every day. I had so much of the sweet stuff when I was a kid that I’ve developed hypoglycemia. In other words, if I don’t eat at regular hours I  tend to turn into a gremlin. Conversely, if I wait a bit longer I become as pale as a vampire and sluggish like a zombie. That’s not exactly the lively, exciting person that I want to be!

Advantages of Keeping Your Blood Sugar Levels in Check

Since having fewer sweets helps you keep off excess pounds, you’ll also be more protected against type 2 diabetes. But eating less sugar also lowers your risk of the disease in another way: “a diet with lots of fast-digesting carbohydrates, like sugar, requires the pancreas to release lots of insulin, meal after meal, day after day,” is an explanation given by Dr Ludwig. He also notes that excessive demand may overtax insulin-producing cells, causing them to malfunction, eventually leading to diabetes.

Bitter taste receptors aren’t only on your tongue; they’re found throughout your digestive system and on other organs. They largely go unused if you eat a traditional western diet, but stimulating those receptors with bitter foods and herbs positively affects hormones involved in controlling hunger and appetite, which could help keep cravings in check. Bitter herbs and aromatic bitters (bitter herb extracts in an alcohol base) are also commonly used in traditional medicine to help stabilize and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. The pancreas, which makes insulin, actually contains bitter taste receptors.

Sleep deficiency reduces insulin sensitivity and increases stress hormones, which both contribute to imbalanced blood sugar and subsequent sugar cravings. Aim for 8-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night. If you are having trouble getting quality sleep, check out my helpful sleep hacks.

Stop Drinking Sugar in Alcoholic Drinks

Ever wonder why a former alcohol drinker’s drug of choice is usually sugar after kicking the booze? If they don’t go for sugar they may become suddenly great drinkers of coffee, or be attracted to marijuana, or nicotine. That’s apparently not a coincidence. The result when they go for sugar-added drinks is a weight problem. But, for many people, it is not even easy to stop drinking alcohol. Many of us have wondered why one friend can stop after one glass of wine when you’ve had four and still want more. It is now becoming clear that there are biochemical deficiencies that may predispose a person to addiction and binge behaviour. Most commonly the cause is imbalances in feel-good brain chemicals (known as neurotransmitters), blood sugar fluctuations, nutrient deficiencies that contribute to anxiety/depression, or a combination of these factors. These physiological imbalances drive a person to seek outside substances to help themselves feel normal. Alcohol particularly can temporarily boost levels of serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for good moods, restful sleep, and prevention of cravings. Findings indicate a single drinking session increases serotonin, making those low in this neurotransmitter particularly sensitive to alcohol’s mood-boosting effects. These folks will have more of a tendency to binge drink and/or use drugs to feel good because their brain isn’t providing them with the proper levels of neurotransmitters they need for a balanced mood.

Tips to Stop Eating Sugar – A Conclusion

You might feel on top of the world once the sugar high hits you, but coming down off that high only causes the cycle to repeat itself. Eat sugar, feel energized, crash, and do it all over again when another craving strikes. In other words, the happiness you feel from the sugar only sticks around for a short while before disappearing and leaving you wanting more. A Columbia University study found that women who eat a lot of added sugars have a higher likelihood of experiencing mood swings, anxiety, depression, and irritability. If you want more stable emotions without the awful withdrawal symptoms, taking sugar out of your diet will help you tremendously.

By now, you know that sugar is bad for you and that it’s generally smart to eat less sugar if you can. Case in point: eating too much of it ups your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. The problem is that the standard American diet is chock-full of the sweet stuff, so cutting back is a pretty big feat. While avoiding sugar completely is impossible and not a good health move. Fruits are healthy for so many reasons but happen to also contain sugar. The fact remains though that cutting back on added sugars (that is, sugar content that isn’t naturally occurring in your food) is always a good idea. But, we don’t mean replace them with fake sugars either, because they are not totally risk-free. It’s hard to eat less sugar but as we have described in our tips to stop eating sugar, in this article, there is a way and it can be done, and when you succeed, as many do, it is incredibly worthwhile.

The post Tips to Stop Eating Sugar – How to Stave Off Hunger and Sweet Cravings appeared first on GQ Central.

 

As marketers, we’re often tasked with designing, producing, and creating a variety of content to use across social channels, blog posts, and email.

This often includes the use of a wide variety of design tools — including Adobe Photoshop, Canva, and even Getty Images.

And yet, we often don’t pause to consider: Can I actually use this software for business purposes?

More than likely, your team has already ensured you have a commercial license to use the products you design for business purposes.

But, despite it being a legal term, it’s still critical your familiar with the concept of “commercial use” as a marketer, so you can ensure you’re following the law when it comes to creating and distributing content.

Here, let’s dive into the differences between commercial use and non-commercial use.

Simply put, any activity you conduct at your company would be considered for “commercial use”, since the ultimate goal of that activity is to increase sales.

As such, you’ll need to purchase the appropriate commercial licensing agreement with any design software or third-party tools you use to complete your project.

Commercial use extends to offline activities, as well. For instance, let’s say you use Adobe to design a billboard sign, and FontCreator to edit the font you’ll use for that billboard. In this case, you’re using the billboard for business purposes with the desire to earn financial gain as a result of your ad — which means it’s for commercial use.

Before creating your billboard, you’ll want to ensure you have a commercial licensing agreement with both Adobe and FontCreator. Otherwise, these companies could take legal action against you.

You can figure out whether you’re allowed to use software for commercial purposes in the “Terms of Use” section on the software’s website. If it’s stated that the software is unintended for commercial use, you’ll need to either upgrade to the business-version of the software, or find another solution entirely.

For instance, in Adobe’s General Terms of Use, they’ve stated the following regarding their NFR (non-functional requirement) licenses: “You may install and use the NFR Version only for the period and purposes stated when we provide the NFR Version. You must not use any materials you produce with the NFR Version for any commercial purposes.”

This means, if you’ve purchased the NFR version of Adobe, you can only use the software for non-commercial purposes. But what does non-commercial use mean, anyway? Let’s explore that, next. 

Non-commercial use involves any activity you’ll conduct that you don’t plan on marketing or selling for-profit. Common examples of non-commercial use are often related to education. For instance, let’s say you use the same Adobe and FontCreator design software, listed above — except this time, it’s used to create a presentation for your college history class.

Since you won’t make money off your presentation, it falls under non-commercial use, and is fair game.

Additionally, people often use certain software or even brand logos when designing gifts for loved ones. If your little brother is obsessed with Disney, you might make him a homemade Disney-themed blanket, and use the Disney logo. Since you aren’t selling that blanket for-profit, this is allowed.

However, you wouldn’t be allowed to sell that same blanket on Etsy, since you don’t have a commercial license to use Disney’s logo, and you’d be expecting money in exchange for your design.

The final definition we should cover is “limited commercial use”, which falls into a gray area in-between commercial and non-commercial use.

Simply put, limited commercial use means you can use the software, design, logo, or tool on products you intend to sell — but only for a limited amount. For instance, let’s say you have a Getty Image agreement which states you can use an image for limited commercial use up to 5,000 times.

This means you won’t want to use that image if you intend to distribute the design to an audience bigger than 5,000. However, if you’re planning on designing materials that will only be sent to 100 of your top customers, it’s acceptable to use that image on those materials.

Of course, when in doubt, you’ll want to confer with your legal team to ensure you’re following legal requirements when it comes to creating any marketing materials you’re hoping to use at your company.

Anxiety Treatment – A Look At Agoraphobia

It is common for people suffering from the fear of public speaking, to go to a therapist who can help them cope with their condition. The therapist will teach them techniques for addressing their problem, as well as providing a way to make contact with other sufferers.

Some therapists are experts in teaching people how to control their fear of speaking in front of others, and some specialize in helping patients overcome agoraphobia. These treatments often take place in the same place, so that both clients and therapists can attend counselling sessions together. In fact, therapy may occur before or after therapy for those who have more complex problems.

Agoraphobia is a condition where a person becomes terrified of public speaking. People who suffer from this problem often feel like they are drowning in a pool of fear, and are unable to leave their homes. They will avoid interacting with people, often staying in the house or staying in a hotel. This anxiety can be crippling, as it can limit the activities that a person might otherwise have enjoyed.

Sometimes, the fear of public speaking prevents a person’s social life from progressing to its full potential. When people are afraid of the unknown, their social life and their career prospects suffer as a result. If you suffer from this problem, it is important that you seek therapy for it.

Agoraphobia Therapy

Agoraphobia as many other mental illnesses can be difficult to treat because most people don’t understand what causes it and how to treat it. The therapist can explain to the client the symptoms, the causes, and the ways that they can handle the fear.

The therapist will also help the client learn to deal with their agoraphobia and how to work through their fears in a more logical, realistic way. This may take some time for a person to get used to, but it will be well worth it. Once a person has gotten used to thinking about their fears in a new way, the fear will slowly dissipate.

 

Agoraphobia Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Another method of helping people overcome agoraphobia is cognitive behaviour therapy. This therapy involves talking to the client about the triggers and thought patterns that cause their fear.

The therapist will use hypnosis or relaxation exercises to help the client calm down after each session so that they can better focus on the conversation. and address their fears more fully. The therapist may even show the client techniques for communicating effectively with others in their daily life to help them cope with their agoraphobia, such as how to relax and manage their temper when they’re around others.

CBT focuses on the negative thinking patterns and behaviours that contribute to your fear of having a panic attack and lead to avoidance. With the help of your therapist, you will slowly be exposed to real-life situations that cause your fear of a panic attack. While this may sound scary, it will be safe and will eventually help you overcome your fears. You will learn how to control your anxiety and to look at your fears in a more realistic light. As you progress through the treatment, the thought or experience of panic will become less petrifying.

Cognitive behaviour agoraphobia online therapy is not for everyone, and it will take some time for a person to completely overcome their agoraphobia. However, the results can be remarkable for some. In some cases, a person may not need to undergo therapy at all, and only use natural methods of treating their agoraphobia. However, many people find that this method of treatment is effective for them.

Some people choose to avoid seeking help for their agoraphobia because they think that the disorder is incurable. This is probably not true, and there are ways for people to control their agoraphobia if it does become too severe.

Agoraphobia Treatment at Home

There are many herbal treatments available for treating agoraphobia. A good herbal treatment is to drink tea tree oil several times a day and to rub the oil on the affected area. It can also be helpful to rub it into the face, using cotton balls soaked in it.

Another herbal agoraphobia treatment is lavender oil. This plant contains a substance that can reduce the production of cortisol, a hormone that causes the body to be anxious and worried. Using lavender oil will reduce the effects of the stress hormone in the body, which can make a person’s fearless severe.

Other herbs that can help control anxiety levels include clover and Rosemary. These herbs should be consumed as a tea in the morning and a relaxing bath in the evening.

The post Agoraphobia Online Therapy appeared first on GQ Central.

How to Get to the Top of Google Search Results

Homeowners don’t move very often. In fact, only 10% of Americans are moving each year, according to a study performed by Moving.com, a trend that has steadily declined since 1998. Fewer people moving, combined with the fact that the majority of Google users don’t scroll past the 5th result, presents an inherent marketing challenge for moving companies: How do you keep your lead pipeline full? 

Without leads and booked moves on the schedule, your trucks and teammates won’t be moving—they’ll be stagnant. More importantly, you won’t be collecting revenue from completed jobs.

So, how do you fill your pipeline with qualified prospects?

Get your moving company on the first page of Google.

How do you get your moving company to the top of Google search results?

Our moving company digital marketing experts explore the answer to this question below.

Let’s get started.

Local Services Ads Put Your Moving Company At the Top of Google Search Results

Imagine a world where you connect with a customer at the precise moment they’re looking for the moving services you offer. Pretty appealing, right?

Luckily, you don’t need to imagine this mythical universe because it already exists—enter Google Local Services.

Local Services ads occupy the most prized real estate on Google search results…the very top of the page!

google users rely on local services ads to contact local businesses

Over the years, Google has evolved its search results to connect its users directly with local businesses. No other Google updates have impacted local service businesses to the extent Local Services has.

Local Services ads by Google receive 13.8% of local search result clicks. Meaning, if you’re not investing in Local Services ads for movers, you’re missing out on nearly 14% of all potential customers. That’s real revenue left on the table.

The presence of Local Services ads also affects the number of clicks driven by your moving company’s pay per click strategy (PPC) and search engine optimization strategy (SEO). Meaning, by choosing to not invest in Local Services ads for movers, you’re not only neglecting those 14% of homeowners who use Local Services ads to book a moving consultation, but you will also see a decrease in overall lead click and lead volume from your other digital marketing campaigns.

How Does Google Local Services Work?

Local Services is a pay per lead platform, not pay per click (PPC). You only pay Google when someone calls your business and is a verified lead, not whenever someone clicks your ad. Utilizing Local Services is the surest available way to connect with guaranteed, qualified leads who want what you offer at the exact time they’re looking for it.

How Much Do Leads from Local Services Ads Cost?

For as little $15 per verified lead in some markets (and up to $50 in other markets), your moving company can own a piece of Google’s most valuable real estate. And for that relatively small investment, you only hear from leads who are likely to hire your moving company services.

Other Benefits of Local Services Ads for Movers

Not convinced Local Services is worth your time and money? Here’s some further incentives to hopefully change your mind:

• You get a Google Guaranteed badge – Homeowners have added trust knowing your company is backed by Google. This also comes with a $2,000 lifetime cap of coverage to reimburse customers with should they not be satisfied with your services.
• You pay nothing to sign up and can pause your ad at any time – Control your advertising budget with ease and pause ads when your schedule is fully booked to conserve money.
• You can get your money back from Google for unqualified leads – Did a homeowner call you that is outside of your service area? Was the homeowner looking for services your moving company does offer (like packing services or piano moving)? When unqualified leads call you from Local Services ads, you can refute the lead with Google and they will give you your money back.
• 97% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else – Your customers are using Google as their primary method to find moving companies. Meet your customers where they are.

Local Services ads are also used to power search results from voice search queries like “moving company near me” or “moving company in [City, State].”

Including Local Services ads as part of your overall moving company digital marketing strategy is a fantastic way to instantly connect with people in your area who want and need your services, and get your moving company on page one of Google.

Supplement Local Services with Pay Per Click Ads to Get Your Moving Company On the First Page of Google

Similar to Local Services, Google Ads is a paid advertising platform owned by Google that will help get your moving company to the top of search results.

Google Ads operates on a pay per click (PPC) model where your company bids on keywords and pays Google each time someone clicks on your ad. PPC marketing is simply purchasing ads on search engines to gain more website traffic.

Paid search ads appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) on both desktop and mobile and feature the word “Ad” in them. Google says that, on average, paid ads that appear on the first page of Google get far more clicks than ones that appear on other results pages.

For moving companies who often face strong local and national competition, it literally pays to pay to be where customers are looking for your services.

For good measure, here are three more good reasons for investing in PPC ads:

1. For every $1 they spend on PPC ads, businesses make an average of $2 in income.
2. The average organic (SEO) click-through rate is around two percent. Paid Google ads have an astounding 11.38% click-through rate.
3. High intent search ads get 65% of all clicks (aka those where the searcher is highly motivated – like homeowners who need a moving company).

Pay close attention to that last statistic because it’s highly relevant to moving companies. While people occasionally do informational searches for moving companies, say when they’re thinking about taking a job in another city, for the most part people are looking for a moving company because, well, they’re getting ready to move!

The quicker and easier it is for someone to find your moving company on at the top of Google, the more likely they are to do business with you.

Done right, PPC campaigns are affordable, scalable, and nicely complement your Local Services ads and search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Let’s talk about SEO for moving companies next.

Search Engine Optimization: First Page Google Results for Moving Companies

Paid ads (like Local Services and Google Ads) are like renting a home. Search engine optimization (SEO) is like owning your home. SEO services build equity on the first page of Google results for your business.

1. Local Services ads come first
2. PPC ads are below Local Services
3. Organic (SEO) results come third

To get your moving company listed at the top of organic search results requires implementing an SEO strategy for your moving company’s website. The rewards for investing your time and money to become an SEO powerhouse can be significant.

Search engines can be picky about how they rank companies and for good reason. They want to know that their users are getting the best possible results for their search efforts. To do that, they rank web pages based on more than 200 unique ranking factors that all work together to determine how high you rank on Google.

200 ranking factors is a lot! Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Add content to your site that’s been optimized with moving related keywords and phrases that are relevant to what customers search for. Blog posts, articles, handy moving guides, and landing pages properly optimized will all help increase your website’s ranking. A nice bonus for doing so: when you offer great content, you’re more likely to have others link back to it (backlinks). Search engines see that as a plus for your business and reward you with a higher ranking.
• Link out to credible sites that have a high domain authority (DA). Search engines, including Google, like that you recognize quality content and will reward your site for it.
• Use available reporting and analytics tools to monitor your site and evaluate the sites of your competitors. Then use that data to create SEO campaigns that boost your ranking and drive relevant traffic to your moving company website.

SEO generally takes more time to show results, but once it does, you’re well on your way to regularly driving more traffic to your site and increasing your customer base.

Combine Local SEO Strategies with Your Greater SEO Campaign to Get On the First Page of Google

There’s SEO and then there’s local SEO. In both cases, the goal is to make it easy for people to find your moving company. Local SEO for moving companies is specifically designed to answer the needs of people who are in your geographic region.

Why should you do both? A handy statistic explains it all:

97 percent of people search for local businesses online. Better yet, 80 percent of those local searches result in conversions. You do not want your moving company to miss out on these opportunities.

Here’s how local SEO works:

• A potential customer Googles something like “moving company” or “local movers.” Google then uses their location data to display nearby businesses.
• The top three relevant results appear in what’s known as the “local pack.” You might call these the “maps listings” or “3-pack.”
• To decide if your moving company is “relevant,” Google considers the searcher’s location and your site’s content quality.

To win a coveted local pack ranking, you need to understand the local ranking signals Google uses. They’re consistently tweaked and changed, but tend to include:

• Google My Business (GMB) listings
• Behavioral signals, like click-through rates and check-ins
• Links and citations
• Review signals, including quantity and diversity
• Social signals such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google engagement

There are plenty of more signals that contribute to your local SEO results, but optimizing for these five factors above can help boost your moving company’s local ranking, increase your chances of landing in the local pack, and help more customers find you.

Some proven ways to implement local SEO for your moving company include:

• On-page optimization, like making sure your site is mobile-friendly, has accurate contact information, including a clickable phone number, and pages that load lightning fast.
• Google My Business optimization, including verifying your business, entering complete data for your listing, keeping your hours accurate, adding photos, managing and responding to customer reviews, and optimizing your primary and secondary business categories.
• A strategy for getting more local reviews, including other places around the web beyond Google My Business. We recommend a healthy balance of reviews across Google My Business, Facebook, Yelp, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

What should you do if you get some of those unpleasant negative reviews? Use them to your advantage by responding to them in a friendly, empathetic way. You may not salvage the relationship with the unhappy customer (or you just might!), but you will show the people reading the reviews that you treat everyone with the respect they deserve.

Your moving company needs multiple, reliable strategies to attract new customers and secure long-term growth. Investing in local SEO lets your business improve its ranking and move out in front of the competition on the first page of Google.

Maximize Your Online Visibility with Blue Corona

At Blue Corona, we help moving companies across the United States generate more leads and sales from the internet. If you need help getting your moving company on the first page of Google, give us a call or contact us online.

Our team of mover marketers will build a custom marketing strategy designed to maximize your online visibility—starting with Google.