Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) may be one of the hottest buzzwords in digital marketing, but it’s hardly a passing trend. According to research from Econsultancy only 22% of businesses are satisfied with their online conversion rates. Combine this with the fact that traffic is only getting harder and more expensive to attract and you can see why the need to focus on improving your website’s conversion rate is so important.

We are very proud to be New Plymouth’s only locally owned Google AdWords Partner. Our Digital Marketing team have worked, and continue to work, very hard to achieve this partner status by meeting strict criteria set by Google. So what exactly is the Google Partners Program? It is a globally recognised certification program for AdWords, operated by Google. Partner status has been awarded to our company via the efforts of our Digital Marketing team and their adherence to the following criteria:...

Time and time again we hear of poor experiences and money being thrown away by potential and current clients who have opted to run their own Google AdWords campaign. Don't be another statistic.

Recently it’s come to our attention that Google has rolled out internationally changes to the now defunct 7-Pack. What Google has now done is reduced the 7-Pack to a 3-Pack. This is great news for those 3 businesses within the pack, as they now have less competition (visually) than previous.

A review of the roll out and impact of the algorithm update of April 21, 2015 - Mobilegeddon. Discussed is the impact of this update to mobile search results and the recommendation to ensure that your website is mobile-friendly and its increasing importance if you want to be found on the net.

When people refer to Digital Marketing it seems like an enigma – mysterious, puzzling or just plain difficult to understand. In some respects it probably is! Over my next few articles that I’ll put together, it is my intention to explain the fog around digital marketing and provide a little more explanation around what it is that we do (and are so passionate about).

We at Apex are huge proponents of responsive website design and never develop a website without making sure it is mobile friendly.We always considered the user in our design process and with the huge uptake in the use of mobile devices over the past couple of years we know we need to future proof our client’s sites and ensure that they are giving their site visitors the best possible experience regardless of the device they are viewing the website from.

Part 3 of the Hard Truths series takes a look at the role business owners need to play in achieving SEO success and explains why business owners need to stop obsessing over 'Google rankings'. I finish up the series talking about why the websites designed and developed 3 years ago are most likely now out of date.

Part 2 of the Hard Truths series takes a look at digital vs offline advertising and explains why Digital Marketing isn't a knight in shining armour for businesses that are struggling to get their act together in other areas. We finish up with a look at why businesses that dabble in setting up and managing their own AdWords campaigns are wasting money and leaving opportunity on the table.

When it comes to promoting a business online there are a number things NZ business owners need to know in order to make smart decisions - ones that will drive results and enhance brand perception and visibility. There's a lot of bad information and poor advice and poor execution circulating the NZ online marketing industry (particularly within the SEO and paid search niche) and it's time it was addressed head on.