Connect with us

SEO

25 Creative Examples of About Us Pages

Published

on

25 Best About Us Page Examples On The Web

The About Us page of your website is an essential source of information for all who want to know more about your business.

About Us pages are where you showcase your history, what is unique about your work, your company’s values, and who you serve.

The design, written content, and visual or video elements together tell an important story about who you are and why you do it.

How can you make the most of this integral part of your marketing strategy?

In this article, you’ll learn what makes an exceptional About Us page.

You’ll find 25 examples of the best ones out there, too, to inspire your own About Us page design and content.

The Components Of A Great About Us Page

There isn’t a winning template to create a great About Us page. However, there are key components to make a convincing pitch with your brand story.

Your Mission

You don’t need to outright say, “our mission is ____,” but you should convey the mission of your business in your About Us copy. This is key for attracting talent, as well as leads that have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals.

Your Story (History)

Every business has an origin story worth telling, and usually, one that justifies why you even do business and have clients.

Some centennial enterprises have pages of content that can fit in this section, while startups can tell the story of how the company was born, its challenges, and its vision for the future.

Your Services (And Benefits)

Of course, you have a homepage and dedicated pages for your products, but summarizing your offerings on the About Us page is crucial to tie them in with brand values in your messaging.

Highlight the benefits and showcase what you do (and why it is unique).

Your Social Proof

Reviews, client logos, case studies, and results bring consistency to your About Us page. It’s what really proves what you are saying is real and the impact you can bring to future clients.

With these components in mind, you will have a framework from which to build an engaging and unique About Us page.

However, if you are looking for some inspiration, the 25 examples below will guide your creative process.

Screenshot from ToyFight, January 2022

ToyFight is an award-winning creative design agency.

You’ll find the About Page at the top of the menu under the Who section.

This page has a unique feel, thanks to the deconstructed action figures representing the founders, Leigh Whipday and Jonny Lander.

The great attention to detail and interactivity also reflect the company’s 16 years of experience.

To sum up, this page stands out by providing the perfect mix of fun and information.

Band About Us PageScreenshot from Band, January 2022

Band is a multidisciplinary creative studio based in the Pacific Northwest.

Their About Us page stands out by showcasing some of their unique and creative projects.

No number of words could hope to tell one of their potential clients nearly as much as these pictures can.

In this case, the 25 pictures featured on Band’s About Us page are worth much more than the 170 actual words you’ll read on the page.

The magical visuals and overall simple look and feel make this About Us page one of our top picks.

Anton & Irene About Us pageScreenshot from Anton & Irene, January 2022

This might be the most distinctive website we’ve come across.

Anton & Irene is a design agency based in Manhattan.

Why are they a distinctive web presence?

Because their page takes parallax scrolling to the next level.

The snowy effects, bold colors, and quirky visuals create a truly captivating experience.

Pierro Caron About Us pageScreenshot from Pierro Caron, January 2022

Pierro Caron is a French artisan sculptor.

Want to know our favorite part about his page?

The honesty.

Here is a man with great respect for wood and handcrafted sculptures that “tell a story and testify to the richness of one of our most precious resources.”

His website is light, easy to read, and filled with inspiring quotes and photos of his labors of love.

Blake Fili Suárez About Us pageScreenshot from Blake Fili Suárez, January 2022

Who doesn’t love a good bio?

Especially one that starts with “I was born in good ol’ Madison, Wisconsin. The son of a Librarian and a Researcher.”

It also goes on to tell you how he and his family survived Hurricane Andrew and how his sister was born that night.

Who is this guy?

Blake Fili Suárez is an illustrator and designer with a fantastic sense of humor.

His quirkiness comes through thanks to his humorous tone and goofy picture.

The page, while minimalist in design, offers a glimpse into Suárez’s colorful personality and his impressive block of work.

LessFilms About Us pageScreenshot from LessFIlms, January 2022

If you were a “super awesome” video business, what medium would you choose to show people what you do?

Video, of course.

LessFilms is a video production company based in Florida with clients and team members all over the world.

On their about page, you’ll find a humorous 50-second video along with a short list of facts summarizing their love for tacos, travel, and karate – a theme that certainly permeates most of the content on the website.

Doomtree About Us pageScreenshot from DoomTree, January 2022

DoomTree’s page starts off as a coming-of-age story about how “a mess of friends” built the record label that made them a household name in Minneapolis.

However, it’s really the audio and the visuals that got us hooked.

Why tell, when you can show, right?

Explore their About Us page to meet the crew, listen to their songs, and get the latest news.

Cupcakes and Cashmere About Us pageScreenshot from Cupcakes and Cashmere, January 2022

On this website’s main page you will find everything lifestyle-related – fashion, food, beauty, home decor, and more.

But it’s the About section that introduces you to the team that makes this website an endless source of inspiration.

The page introduces founder Emily Schuman, as well as her blog, books, and fashion collection.

Want to stay in touch?

No problem – the page also features useful links to her social media pages, as well as her online shop.

NOWNESS About Us pageScreenshot from NOWNESS, January 2022

NOWNESS is a video channel providing the best in global arts and culture.

Therefore, it’s only natural that their About Us page features a compilation of various videos they host.

The content’s diversity and the team’s curatorial expertise are another reason to keep you browsing.

To stay in line with their video-centric aesthetic, the text on their page is short and concise.

However, it still provides enough guidance for browsing the website and even contributing.

Access the awards section and see why NOWNESS is currently a powerhouse in online film and video.

MailChimp About Us pageScreenshot from Mailchimp, January 2022

Millions of people use Mailchimp every day to create, send, and track email newsletters.

That’s the clever part behind Mailchimp’s About Page.

It’s a great example of how to use such a page as a sort of pre-sales platform.

It’s simple, fun and effective, quite colorful, and displays a welcoming mix of diverseness.

Tate About Us pageScreenshot from Tate, January 2022

Tate’s About Us states that their mission is to “increase the public’s enjoyment of British art […] and international modern and contemporary art.”

So said, so done.

How come?

Because this page eases the journey for any reader seeking to take them up on their mission.

Scroll down to find out who they are, how to stay in touch, and everything in between.

Yellow Leaf Hammocks About Us pageScreenshot from Yellow Leaf Hammocks, January 2022

Yellow Leaf Hammocks is trying to save the world one hammock at a time.

Their goal is to break the cycle of extreme poverty by empowering local artisans in Thailand to earn a stable income.

The brand’s About Page is filled with uplifting stories of impeccable craftsmanship and tight-knit communities.

As a result, it’s just as inspiring as their devotion to sustainable change.

Eight Hour Day About Us pageScreenshot from Eight Hour Day, January 2022

You had me at “Well hello there.”

Well, that’s exactly how the About Us section of Eight Hour Day starts – a welcoming greeting.

For that reason, it also made us browse for more.

Why?

Because as much as you love good design and inspiring illustrations, you also want to meet the people that curate all the content for you.

Furthermore, it’s equally rewarding when you realize that they are just as eager to start a visual dialogue with you.

Nathan Strandberg and Katie Kirk are doing what makes them happy, and this is obvious throughout their page.

Lonely Planet About Us pageScreenshot from Lonely Planet, January 2022

You know you’re about to hop on a journey when a website’s About Us page tells you to “Just go.”

This is a website for travelers, so the layout is perfect for those eager to explore.

As you scroll down, you discover what Lonely Planet stands for, and their visual aid offers a preview of their services.

The perks?

You see everything in one go and decide for yourself what you take on your journey.

Will it be their apps, their printed guides, or their website?

In any case, every resource becomes an inexhaustible well of travel inspiration.

So, are you ready to go?

Gummisig About Us pageScreenshot from Gummisig, January 2022

Gummisig is a freelance web designer who likes to talk about himself in the third person.

He also makes great use of oversized text to bring attention to his work in a humorous manner.

Perhaps what’s striking about this page is that it introduces Gummisig’s portfolio, but also reflects his free spirit and commitment.

And while he mentions the household names he worked for in the past, he remains approachable and open to new collaborations.

Scroll down to discover his preferred action items.

Hint: He wants to know your secrets!

Perhaps the most striking feature behind this page is that it acts as a preface to the designer’s portfolio, mirroring his free spirit and a remarkable passion for design.

While he proudly states the companies he has worked for (IKEA is just one of the bigger names to pop up), he does so in a manner that is not boastful.

Amnesty International About Us pageScreenshot from Amnesty International, January 2022

Amnesty International is more than an NGO.

It is a global movement of more than 7 million people that are campaigning for a better world, where human rights are central.

It is no wonder that the pronoun we is prevalent throughout their page.

Filled with quotes, videos, and testimonials, their page makes you believe that you can hope for a better world. And they have the facts to prove it, too.

If you scroll down, you can access all their accomplishments on the road toward better social change.

After you understand their global footprint, you should also imagine – imagine the possibility of a world where human rights are at the center of discussion.

Good enough reason to stay in touch, no?

Chattanooga Renaissance Fund About Us pageScreenshot from Chattanooga Renaissance Fund, January 2022

The top part of the Chattanooga Renaissance Fund page aims to attract entrepreneurs into the Chattanooga area of Tennessee.

How?

By describing its history and the companies that already invested there, such as Amazon or Volkswagen, to name a few.

Which begs the question: What prompted these companies to move there?

Find out by reading more about the fund’s members and how they contributed to its growth.

This is especially reassuring because they are also here to help you.

Whether you’re a startup, investor, or third party, the page has a dedicated section for all its users.

All you have to do is prove that you want to turn ideas into existence.

DORÉ About Us pageScreenshot from DORÉ, January 2022

This website started off as a photography blog founded by Garance Doré.

Eventually, it became a place for inspiration with a growing team that’s eager to question everything.

Whether it is style, femininity, or modern dilemmas, no topic remains off limits.

Ready to contribute to the discussion? By all means, you are most welcome.

The team reads all your comments and is ready to turn your thoughts into their command.

Not sure where to start?

Scroll down to see their work in videos and use the pictures at the bottom to access their Instagram page.

Bulldog Skincare About Us pageScreenshot from Bulldog Skincare, January 2022

How can you convince men to delve into skincare?

You bring their best friend on their side – a dog.

Meet Bulldog Skincare, the company that aims to make skincare options dedicated to men readily available.

To have you sold, their About Us page greets you with the adorable mug of a bulldog.

This quickly becomes your guide to finding the products that will help you look and feel your best.

As you scroll down, you are growing familiar with the products and are slowly but surely befriending the brand itself and its values.

Their skincare is made from a mix of natural and carefully-selected man-made ingredients.

It’s also vegan and certified by Cruelty Free International.

Their page is so good, it’s no wonder they have a ‘Shop Now’ button every step of the way.

Don’t mind if I do.

Couro Azul About Us pageScreenshot from Couro Azul, January 2022

Navigating through Couro Azul’s About Us page is like a journey through the unknown.

The kind of journey that keeps you scrolling down for more.

The company makes leather upholstery for cars and trains, and its history and trajectory are equally fascinating.

In addition to the visual delight, the page is also interactive and engaging.

Why?

So that you can understand what the company values from a first browse: 100% in-house products.

Their certificate for ecologic distinction attests to their commitment to environmental best practices.

Girlboss About Us pageScreenshot from Girlboss, January 2022

The entire Girlboss website is simply inspiring.

The brand aims to redefine success for millennial women – by providing the tools and connections they need to own their futures.

Girlboss empowers them by providing the tools and connections they need to own their futures.

Furthermore, every bit of content you’ll find on this site oozes with passion, humor, and resourcefulness.

These key traits are sewn into the fabric of Girlboss’ global success.

Purple, Rock, Scissors About Us pageScreenshot from Purple, Rock, Scissors, January 2022

If you want people to understand your company’s values, then put them in bold black and white print – just like Purple, Rock, Scissors did.

Their entire website is a technological marvel.

With its quaint background animation, concise content, and creative visuals, this page is definitely an eye-catcher.

There’s also an openness about it that will unfailingly draw you in.

Mixd About Us pageScreenshot from Mixd, January 2022

It’s not often that you see an About page that puts so much emphasis on its “meet the team” section.

Each member is portrayed with a short description and an almost full-body shot, complete with their social media accounts.

Boasting big, bold elements and sharp colors, this page excels at making a great first impression.

6tematik About Us pageScreenshot from 6tematik, January 2022

There are many things we love about this website, but for brevity’s sake, we’ll narrow it down to two.

First, their main page is highly interactive.

The simple act of pushing a key or moving the mouse reveals a key piece of info about the brand. Because of that, it feels like watching a modern silent movie.

The second thing is the way 6tematik introduces us to its team.

Each member is portrayed by a minimalist caricature that is defined by one obvious trait. Some have long pink hair, others a bushy beard or big glasses.

These traits add a touch of personality to each member’s portrait, without giving too much away.

Big Cartel About Us pageScreenshot from Big Cartel, January 2022

Made by artists for artists, Big Cartel is an online platform that makes it easy to build and manage an online store.

The simple yet impactful mission statement and the candid employee photographs make this About page refreshingly different.

Each photo in the gallery is unique and personal.

As a result, you won’t find any staged or boring ID-badge-type photos – just a wonderful display of diversity.

Final Takeaways

After analyzing in detail the 25 examples of About Us pages in this article, these are the final takeaways to keep in mind when crafting yours:

Creativity makes your page stand out.

For many companies, the About Us page is just a formality to fill in the sitemap rather than convey a unique marketing message.

However, some brands go beyond, designing eye-catching imagery and writing humorous copy to stand out from the competition. You need to find your unique angle for your About Us page to actually be read.

Feature the people behind the brand.

Whether you are a solopreneur, a dynamic duo agency, or a full-blown global enterprise with hundreds of team members, letting people shine makes an engaging About Us page.

Some of the examples in this article (such as Big Cartel), feature headshots packed with personality, which convey brand values better than any words.

Tie in social proof with your social responsibility.

Showcase results, but also convey the difference your organization is bringing to the world.

Yellow Leaf Hammocks and Mailchimp are two examples from this article that feature on their About Us page how their products are changing their communities for the better.

More resources:


Featured Image: Naumova Marina/Shutterstock




Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address

SEO

4 Tactics for High-Quality Backlinks That Move the Needle [+ Examples]

Published

on

Many popular link building tactics produce low-quality links that don’t improve SEO performance.

Even if these techniques make an impact, it’s often for a short time, and Google can easily devalue them down the line. 

Here are four tactics for building high-quality links that help you stay ahead of your competition, expose your brand to new audiences, and are less likely to be devalued in future algorithm updates. 

Digital PR is the process of creating content that appeals to journalists and promoting it to them. 

If they like the content, they’ll write a feature about it or include it in a piece they’re writing. This can land you many high-quality backlinks from big sites and news publications for free.

Examples

In the months following ChatGPT’s release, Fery Kaszoni and his team at Search Intelligence compiled statistics about Open AI’s popularity since launching ChatGPT and compared it to other popular platforms like Instagram and TikTok. 

The result? 60+ free link placements, including mentions on Yahoo News (DR 92), The Wrap (DR 84), and Time magazine (DR 92). 

A few examples of backlinks earned by a piece of content about Open AI’s popularity since launching ChatGPT

In another campaign, Fery and his team calculated how much money beloved video characters would earn in real life. This campaign earned 20+ free links including a DR89 link from British newspaper, The Daily Express. 

Example of a high-DR like from Daily ExpressExample of a high-DR like from Daily Express

How to do it 

Successful Digital PR requires some creativity, but this is the process in a nutshell: 

  1. Find a trending topic 
  2. Create relevant newsworthy content around that topic 
  3. Tell journalists about it 

For example, AI has been a major topic of conversation in all industries since it launched. Any new data or insights about it would go well in news cycles while it remains a topic of interest. 

Once you have a topic, you need to come up with interesting content ideas that are relevant to your business.

The best topics for digital PRThe best topics for digital PR

This is the hard part. It’s really a case of brainstorming ideas until you land on something you think could be interesting. 

For example, here are a few random content ideas for a company that sells furniture online: 

  • Have AI refurnish rooms from popular TV shows in new styles. 
  • Have AI design a new item of furniture, create it, and sell it. 
  • Ask 100 interior designers if they’re worried about AI taking their jobs, share the data. 

After you find your winning idea, create the content, give it an attention-grabbing headline, and write a press release about the most interesting insights. 

Then, promote your content to journalists. You can try services like Roxhill or Muck Rack to find journalists who might be interested in your content. 

You can also use a tool like Ahrefs’ Content Explorer to find sites that have recently published content about your topic and reach out to them. 

Here’s how to do that: 

  1. Enter your topic into Content Explorer 
  2. Filter for pages published in the last 90 days 
  3. Filter for pages on DR70+ websites (big sites that you probably want links from) 

For example, if we do this for the topic of “chatgpt,” we see thousands of well-known websites that have recently published about ChatGPT including Business Insider, Tech Republic, and Wired. 

Finding websites that recently published about a topic with Content ExplorerFinding websites that recently published about a topic with Content Explorer

Data journalism is a way of enhancing or creating newsworthy content by analyzing unique data sets. It can fall under digital PR, though it typically requires more detailed research. 

This technique works because reporters love a good statistic they can either quote or write an opinion piece about. Be the source of such data, and you can earn many high-quality links anytime your data becomes relevant to trending news topics. 

Examples

Data journalism can be quite simple. For example, in another case study from Search Intelligence, Fery’s team used Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer as a data source for a cybersecurity PR campaign. 

The study reveals the top UK banks where customers seek help with fraud, allowing journalists to report on which banks are more secure than others. 

The data fuelling these insights is keyword search volume. That’s it. 

Ahrefs' data that fuelled a cybersecurity PR campaignAhrefs' data that fuelled a cybersecurity PR campaign

This method doesn’t take very long, doesn’t need a data scientist and can very easily be replicated in other industries where search popularity can unearth interesting insights. 

In another example (and perhaps one of our all time favorites), marketing firm Yard created a data study comparing the CO2 emissions of various celebrities and ranking the worst offenders. 

Data study on the C02 emissions of celebritiesData study on the C02 emissions of celebrities

If you follow celebrity news, there’s no way you missed reports of Taylor Swift’s private jet emissions being among the highest compared to other celebrities. 

Just a few of the thousands of posts about Taylor Swift's jet emissions following a successful data journalism campaignJust a few of the thousands of posts about Taylor Swift's jet emissions following a successful data journalism campaign

Every single one of these news stories originated from the data study. 

When the study was first released, it went viral and earned links from almost 2,000 referring domains within the first month. 

But that’s not all. 

This topic trended in news cycles again when rumours spread that Taylor Swift attended a Jets game to bury the original negative publicity about her private jet usage, earning Yard a well-deserved second round of links. 

Google Trends data for "taylor swift jet" Google Trends data for "taylor swift jet"

Today, this post has 1,861 links from 1,155 referring domains, 77% of them are dofollow, and 38.4% are higher than DR 60. 

DR distribution of backlinks to the celebrity C02 emissions content pieceDR distribution of backlinks to the celebrity C02 emissions content piece

Talk about drool-worthy results! That’s high-quality link building done right. 

How to do it 

Successful data journalism is similar to digital PR but relies on the intriguing, data-backed insights you can unearth. 

In a nutshell, the process looks like this: 

  1. Find a data-driven content angle that gets links and media attention 
  2. Gather data to provide new or updated insights on the topic 
  3. Tell journalists about your findings 

Start by considering “your money or your life” content angles that everyday folk care about. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking too narrow or pitching ideas only a small demographic may understand. 

For instance, cybersecurity is not a sexy topic journalists or their readers will likely care about. There’s also not a high degree of literacy about the topic among the general population. 

But everyone cares about whether their bank is secure and how safe their money is. 

This concept needs no explanation and that’s exactly why data that helps answer the question “how safe is your bank?” worked exceptionally well as a link building tactic in the example above. 

You can also use Content Explorer to gather more ideas like: 

  • Evergreen yet stale topics that you can update with more recent data 
  • Data you can visualize better or repurpose into a different content format 
  • Trending angles in other industries you can apply to your industry 

For example, on the topic of ChatGPT, we found Rand Fishkin’s post claiming usage has declined 29% between May and August 2023 and that 30% of its usage is by programmers. 

Finding content ideas in Content ExplorerFinding content ideas in Content Explorer

You don’t need original ideas to succeed. If you’ve got the data to back it up, you can easily take the angles of a “useage patterns” or “most popular audience segments” and apply them to popular tools in your industry. 

Some decent data sources you can start with include: 

  • Search data: Like Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer for uncovering interesting search patterns. 
  • Historical data: Like Google Trends for highlighting growth or decline patterns over time. 
  • Scientific research: Like on Google Scholar or in specific research journals. 
  • Public niche data: For instance, Yard’s study used the CelebrityJets Twitter page. 
  • Proprietary data: From within your (or your client’s) organization. 

When you find an interesting insight or pattern worth sharing, write a press release about it and share it with journalists who frequently report on the topic. 

Statistics pages are curated lists of facts and figures in a particular industry. These pages attract evergreen links for as long as the statistics remain relevant. 

It’s one of our favorite link building tactics. Here’s how we’ve used it quite successfully over the years. 

Example

We first launched a detailed list of SEO statistics in 2020 and it has been naturally earning high-quality links ever since. 

Backlinks over time to our SEO statistics pageBacklinks over time to our SEO statistics page

Currently, the page has: 

  • 5,787 backlinks
  • 2,282 referring domains 
  • 82% “dofollow” links 
  • 37.7% from DR 60+ websites

While we used some outreach techniques in the early days, most of the success has come from the page’s ability to maintain top position rankings for competitive keywords.

Rankings for our SEO statistics pageRankings for our SEO statistics page

Do it right, and this tactic remains wildly effective for earning links naturally for many years. 

How to do it 

Start by entering a few broad topics related to your website into Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer. For example, we might enter the following for Ahrefs: 

  • SEO
  • Content marketing
  • Link building

Then navigate to the Matching Terms report and apply the inclusion filter for things like stats, statistics, facts, or figures. Make sure your filter is set to include any of these phrases. 

Then it’s just a matter of checking out the results to find a relevant topic you want to write about. 

We went for “SEO statistics”: 

Finding statistics keywords in Ahrefs' Keywords ExplorerFinding statistics keywords in Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer

Once you pick your topic, it’s a just matter of curating linkworthy stats and publishing them on a page. 

While you can earn some seed links with early outreach efforts, long term success comes down to keeping your content updated with the latest data. That’s the best way to compound performance year on year, earning many high-quality links with no ongoing outreach needed. 

Relationship-based link building prioritizes long-term relationships with journalists, writers, and editors. 

It is an effective addition to digital PR campaigns as you can shortcut the time it takes to find the right people to distribute your content. 

Better yet, you can be a journalist’s first point of call when they write a story on topics you or your clients are experts in. 

Example

Imagine having journalists contact you asking to feature your clients in upcoming stories. That’s exactly what growth marketing firm, EngineRoom, has achieved.

A journalist from Mamamia (DR 78) made a call out on Sourcebottle, the Australian equivalent of HARO, seeking expert advice on immigration law. EngineRoom’s link building expert, Don Milne, responded and won the story along with a high-quality link. 

Example of a backlink built with relationship-based link buildingExample of a backlink built with relationship-based link building

Then, the real magic started. 

Instead of ending things there, Don also shared a client list with the journalist in case they ever wanted to collaborate on future stories again. 

Sure enough, a few weeks later, the journalist reached out, asking to connect with another client in the drug rehab space to develop a story on heroin addiction. The client is featured in about 30% of the completed article with detailed quotes from the founder and (of course) a link back to their website. 

Example of a backlink built with relationship-based link buildingExample of a backlink built with relationship-based link building

No pitching. No outreach. Just a genuine partnership and collaboration now earning multiple high-quality links for their clients. 

How to do it 

This technique is all about the follow-up after you collaborate on your first story with a journalist. 

If getting the first foot in the door is where you’re stuck, you can check out our detailed guide on relationship-based link building by Irina Maltseva, the former Head of Marketing at Hunter. 

Once you get that first story, make sure you keep the relationship going. 

If you have a list of websites or clients you represent, create a professional document with a mini bio about each client. Make sure it’s also easily searchable for writers in a hurry and makes your contact details clear and easy to access. 

Then, share it with journalists, writers, and editors you collaborate with so they can refer to it in the future if they need an expert on a specific topic for their content. 

Final thoughts

Earning high-quality backlinks can be much easier than many people realize and cheaper too! All the examples shared in this post earned free link placements on high-authority websites and with minimal outreach. 

These techniques have more staying power. They are also far less likely to be seen as “link manipulation” or devalued in future Google updates. 

And, if you get your content angle just right, they also have the potential to be earning links many months, if not years, down the track! 

Got questions? Ping me on LinkedIn.

Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

SEO

Google To Curb Microtargeting In Consumer Finance Ads

Published

on

By

Google To Curb Microtargeting In Consumer Finance Ads

Google is updating its policy limiting personalized advertising to include more restrictions on ads related to consumer financial products and services.

Google’s personalized ads policy prohibits targeting users based on sensitive categories like race, religion, or sexual orientation.

Over the years, Google has continued updating the policy to introduce new limitations. The latest update to restrict consumer finance ads is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to refine its ad targeting practices.

What’s Changing?

Google will update its personalized ads policy in February 2024 to prevent advertisers from targeting audiences for credit and banking ads based on sensitive factors like gender, age, parental status, marital status, or zip code.

Google’s current policy prohibiting “Credit in personalized ads” will be renamed “Consumer finance in personalized ads” under the changes.

Google’s new policy will state:

“In the United States and Canada, the following sensitive interest categories cannot be targeted to audiences based on gender, age, parental status, marital status, or ZIP code.

Offers relating to credit or products or services related to credit lending, banking products and services, or certain financial planning and management services.”

Google provided examples, including “credit cards and loans including home loans, car loans, appliance loans, short-term loans,” as well as “banking and checking accounts” and “debt management products.”

When Does The New Policy Take Effect?

The updated limitations on personalized advertising will take effect on February 28, 2024, with full enforcement expected within six weeks.

Google said advertisers in violation will receive a warning at least seven days before any account suspension.

According to Google, the policy change aims to protect users’ privacy better and prevent discrimination in financial services advertising.

However, the company will still allow generalized ads for credit and banking products that do not use sensitive personal data for targeting.

What Do Advertisers Need To Do?

Google will begin enforcing the updated restrictions in late February 2024 but advises advertisers to review their campaigns for compliance issues sooner.

Advertisers should carefully check their ad targeting settings, remove improper personalization based on sensitive categories, and adhere to the revised policy requirements.

Failure to follow the rules could lead to account suspension after an initial warning. Google will work with advertisers to ensure a smooth transition during the ramp-up period over the next six months.


Featured Image: SurfsUp/Shutterstock

Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

SEO

Google Discusses Fixing 404 Errors From Inbound Links

Published

on

By

Google Discusses Fixing 404 Errors From Inbound Links

Google’s John Mueller responded to a thread in Reddit about finding and fixing inbound broken links, offering a nuanced insight that some broken links are worth finding and fixing and others are not.

Reddit Question About Inbound Broken Links

Someone asked on Reddit if there’s a way to find broken links for free.

This is the question:

“Is it possible to locate broken links in a similar manner to identifying expired domain names?”

The person asking the question clarified if this was a question about an inbound broken link from an external site.

John Mueller Explains How To Find 404 Errors To Fix

John Mueller responded:

“If you want to see which links to your website are broken & “relevant”, you can look at the analytics of your 404 page and check the referrers there, filtering out your domain.

This brings up those which actually get traffic, which is probably a good proxy.

If you have access to your server logs, you could get it in a bit more detail + see which ones search engine bots crawl.

It’s a bit of technical work, but no external tools needed, and likely a better estimation of what’s useful to fix/redirect.”

In his response, John Mueller answers the question on how to find 404 responses caused by broken inbound links and identify what’s “useful to fix” or to “redirect.”

Mueller Advises On When Not To “Fix” 404 Pages

John Mueller next offered advice on when it doesn’t make sense to not fix a 404 page.

Mueller explained:

“Keep in mind that you don’t have to fix 404 pages, having things go away is normal & fine.

The SEO ‘value’ of bringing a 404 back is probably less than the work you put into it.”

Some 404s Should Be Fixed And Some Don’t Need Fixing

John Mueller said that there are situations where a 404 error generated from an inbound link is easy to fix and suggested ways to find those errors and fix them.

Mueller also said that there are some cases where it’s basically a waste of time.

What wasn’t mentioned was what the difference was between the two and this may have caused some confusion.

Inbound Broken Links To Existing Webpages

There are times when another sites links into your site but uses the wrong URL. Traffic from the broken link on the outside site will generate a 404 response code on your site.

These kinds of links are easy to find and useful to fix.

There are other situations when an outside site will link to the correct webpage but the webpage URL changed and the 301 redirect is missing.

Those kinds of inbound broken links are also easy to find and useful to fix. If in doubt, read our guide on when to redirect URLs.

In both of those cases the inbound broken links to the existing webpages will generate a 404 response and this will show up in server logs, Google Search Console and in plugins like the Redirection WordPress plugin.

If the site is on WordPress and it’s using the Redirection plugin, identifying the problem is easy because the Redirection plugin offers a report of all 404 responses with all the necessary information for diagnosing and fixing the problem.

In the case where the Redirection plugin isn’t used one can also hand code an .htaccess rule for handling the redirect.

Lastly, one can contact the other website that’s generating the broken link and ask them to fix it. There’s always a small chance that the other site might decide to remove the link altogether. So it might be easier and faster to just fix it on your side.

Whichever approach is taken to fix the external inbound broken link, finding and fixing these issues is relatively simple.

Inbound Broken Links To Removed Pages

There are other situations where an old webpage was removed for a legitimate reason, like an event passed or a service is no longer offered.

In that case it makes sense to just show a 404 response code because that’s one of the reasons why a 404 response should be shown. It’s not a bad thing to show a 404 response.

Some people might want to get some value from the inbound link and create a new webpage to stand in for the missing page.

But that might not be useful because the link is for something that is irrelevant and of no use because the reason for the page no longer exists.

Even if you create a new reason, it’s possible that some of that link equity might flow to the page but it’s useless because the topic of that inbound link is totally irrelevant to anyting but the expired reason.

Redirecting the missing page to the home page is a strategy that some people use to benefit from the link to a page that no longer exists. But Google treats those links as Soft 404s, which then passes no benefit.

These are the cases that John Mueller was probably referring to when he said:

“…you don’t have to fix 404 pages, having things go away is normal & fine.

The SEO ‘value’ of bringing a 404 back is probably less than the work you put into it.”

Mueller is right, there are some pages that should be gone and totally removed from a website and the proper server response for those pages should be a 404 error response.

Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

Trending