With major search engines Google, Bing and Yahoo frequently revising their algorithms, the techniques to maximizing your websites search engine optimization (SEO) may seem complex and expensive. So, here are some simple tips to consider in 2016 that will positively impact your websites organic search ranking in 2017.
 
Keywords count
Identify keywords/phrases your target audience may use when searching and then use these keywords/phrases through your landing page, linked webpages or blog posts.
 
As 75% of search engine “search phrases” are three and five words in length, it makes good sense to use a similar pattern when creating page headings and sub-headings. Through the body of your copy it is important to also use related “keyword” words/phrases. This will ensure that your content is viewed as authentic and valuable by search engines. An interesting point here is that the number of voice searches continues to grow and is already impacting on search trends on mobile devices. In 2017 and beyond voice search will greatly impact future SEO techniques.
 
Remember, in order to catch and keep the attention of search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo you must be regularly updating your website content. Scheduled content audits and adding a latest news or product updates page will play an important role in your websites organic ranking over the long-term.
 
Visuals engage
As speeds increase and mobile device usage grows people are wanting more than just words. Research shows images and videos perform much better than just words on a screen as they are more appealing to people.
 
Make sure that images and videos on your website also use keywords/phrases in the heading/caption and in the alt tag. Alt tag is basically an abbreviation of “alternative attributes of an image tag”. Alt tags play a vital role for search engines as they provide a descriptive explanation of images for the search-bots that crawl and rank your website.
 
It may take time to search for or create the right image/video, but your audience will like you for it and may even share it on social media. Remember, if you do use images or videos make sure they add value to your content and are always of a highest quality.
 
Mobile-friendly matters
Today, more people are reading/watching news on mobile devices, so it is essential that your website content is mobile-friendly-searchable to further improve your online visibility.
 
Mobile site users want to find information quickly and easily, so make the user experience stress-free with clear buttons, headings and icons that guide and inform users. The less people have to wait, pinch and swipe the better.
 
Google started mobile-first indexing in 2016, this basically and importantly means that Google are indexing mobile versions of websites before desktop versions. So, 2017 will be the year that mobility and speed matters, as it is no secret that a positive user experience correlates with fast mobile device page loading speeds. A simple step to increase your website loading speed, is to compress/reduce your images and videos to ensure you catch and hold the attention of visitors.
 
Stay relevant
Finally, as mentioned earlier, search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo) continually revise their algorithms, so as to provide a better search experience for users and improve SERPs (search engine results pages).
 
What may have worked a few years ago, no longer works as effectively today. In an increasingly changing, competitive and mobile marketplace, remember to make sure your content is fresh, fast and authentic.
 
Remember, to continually get the best SEO results you really need to follow the most relevant trends. Currently, the richer the mobile content, the higher the SERPs ranking – this is good for business.
 
Scopic works with you to create rich content to grow your organic search ranking, contact us to find out more.

Basically, Snapchat offers users multiple communication tools: snaps, chats and stories.​​

Today, users can use the platform to share time-limited photos (or snaps) and videos. Fast growing in popularity with users and marketers are Snapchat Stories (linked short videos or snaps) launched in 2013. Stories are viewable for 24 hours, vanishing after 1 to 10 seconds (depending on your settings and if screenshots are taken). In 2015 Snapchat launched Lenses which saw user numbers boom. The lenses feature allows users to add real-time special effects and sounds via creative filters to both photos and video. Users can personalize these selfie snaps and then share them with friends or upload them to other social media platforms.

​To further increase the platform's diversity and revenue streams Snapchat launched Geofilters in 2016. Geofilters are location-based graphic overlays that users add over their snaps. Users have the option of creating personal or business (sponsored) filters. Geofilter pricing (starts at approx. ¥500) is based on location, geofence size (the geographical size the geofilter will be active in - from approx. 20,000 square feet up to 5,000,000 square feet) and length of time the filter is viewable.

​Checkout these Geofilter tips: www.snapchat.com/geofilters/tips

​Snapchat's users watch over 10 billion videos per day - more than a 350% increase in the last year. Due to the attention, reach and interactive experience the platform offers, big brands in the United States are starting to embrace Snapchat Ads as a communication tool to connect with targeted audiences. Over the coming years, advertising will continue to grow on Snapchat as the platform's audience starts to age up (fastest growing Snapchat user being over the age of 25). With a growing global base of over 100 million active users, marketers and brands are starting to take Snapchat fun - seriously! 

Snapchat's active user numbers are predicted to double over the coming years to 85.5 million by 2020 in just the United States, it may be time for Japanese brands to consider getting their geofilters on and start storytelling.  

Need help identifying social media platforms to increase customer engagement?

Scopic works with Japanese businesses to identify the best social media platforms to increase global customer engagement, contact us to find out more.

ローカライズは、その地域・国のマーケットや文化と連携してビジネス・コミュニケーションを改変するプロセスです。ローカライズの主な目的は、ローカライズする地域や国のマーケットのオーディエンスとブランド・コミュニケーションを共鳴させることです。
 
日本ブランドのローカライズは今後、多くの (ターゲット層に基づいた) ビジネスにとって不可欠となるでしょう。日本は、世界で他のどの国よりも速く高齢化が進んでいます。人口の30%以上が65歳を超える高齢者であることを考えると、日本のマーケットでは、弱い個人消費が今後も続くと予想されます。

日本のビジネスは、なぜローカライズし、グローバル化すべきなのですか ?

• 55%を超える消費者が、価格よりも母国語で商品情報を取得することのほうが重要だと回答しました。
• 60%を超える多国籍企業が、ローカライズはさらなる企業収益を達成するために重要だと確信しています。
• 70%を超える多国籍企業が、ローカライズはグローバル業務の収益増加を達成するために重要だと信じています。

印刷広告、デジタル・キャンペーン、企業ウェブサイトで日本語から英語へ翻訳することは、数ある成功しているブランドのローカライズの中で、ごく小さな一部でしかありません。

商品を売り込もうとする国や地域のオーディエンスを取り込み、適切なものを供給するには、日本ブランドもまた、次のような重要なポイントを吟味しなければなりません :

• オーディエンスのビジュアル嗜好に的確に訴えるために、グラフィック・デザインの要素や画像を評価する
• 商品を売り込もうとする国や地域のオーディエンスの信条や期待をよく理解し、それに見合ったものを提供するために、キャッチフレーズやコピーを具体化する
• グラフィック・デザイン・フォーマットやレイアウト・インラインをその国や地域のマーケット基準に合わせ、工業的な要件を満たす。

忘れてはならないのは、ローカライズのプロセスで、ビジネスブランドのアイデンティティをあまりにも多く削り取ってしまわないことです。グローバル的にブランドに一貫性を持たせ、国際パートナーとクライアントがあなたのビジネスと深い関係を築けるようにしなければなりません。日本の商品やサービスは総じて、国際的に高品質を保っています。そうしたプラス面を利用し、商業界で現地のブランドと差別化を図ってください。

十分な時間をとって調査し、また、計画して、日本ブランドのローカライズをうまく実行すれば、将来のビジネスの成長に有益な影響を与えるでしょう。
 
Scopic (スコピック) は、日本の企業と共にグローバル・マーケットでローカライズを支援します。

事業に関する問い合わせください。
スコピック・クリエーティブ「Scopic Creative」
Email：hello@scopiccommunication.com

出典 :
​World Economic Forum - Japan's population is shrinking: What does it mean for the economy?
Globalization and Localization Association - Industry Facts and Data
The Economist - The incredible shrinking country