Search results

Search engine optimization (SEO) has long been a key topic in marketing research, but there are very few studies addressing SEO success and brand equity (BE). Thus, this study aims to investigate the interdependence of SEO success and BE, with a specific focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The study involved conducting interviews with SEO and digital marketing experts, followed by a comprehensive analysis of their responses to investigate the mutual association between BE and SEO. The analysis of the interview data was conducted using the grounded theory approach.

The placement of a brand on top of search engine results is perceived as an indication of its credibility by searchers. Well-established brands tend to have superior SEO performance due to the impact of search algorithms and their powerful brand recognition. Lesser-known brands should improve their SEO performance to enhance their BE.

This study makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the interdependence between SEO and BE. Specifically, this study provides SMEs with effective SEO strategies to enhance their BE in the future.

This study presents unprecedented findings on the reciprocal relationship between SEO success and BE. The study also highlights the potential risk for SMEs of falling into a negative spiral due to poor SEO performance and offers practical business solutions to address this issue.

This study aims to present a comparative study of university library websites (in the USA) from the standpoint of “Google SEO” and “Accessibility”. Furthermore, correlation analysis between these two done.

By opting for a webometric approach, the present study analyzed university library websites in the USA. The Lighthouse add-on for the Google Chrome browser has been used as a data collection tool, by writing and implementing a computer program in Bash language automatically (May 2020). Data analysis tools used were “Libre-Office-Calc”, “SPSS22” and “Excel”.

In all 81 university library websites in the USA, Google search engine optimization (SEO) scores have been observed the amount higher than 60 (Total Score = 100). The accessibility rank obtained lay between 0.56 and 1 (Total Score = 1). A weak correlation relationship between “SEO score” and “accessibility rank” (P-value = 0.02, Spearman Correlation Coefficient = 0.345) was observed. This weak relationship can be explained due to the impact of several components affecting Google’s SEO score, one of them being having a high “accessibility rank”.

Given the increasing automation of library processes, SEO tools can help libraries in achieving their digital marketing goals.

Accurate measurement of the Google SEO score and accessibility rank for the university library websites (in the USA) were obtained by Lighthouse add-on for Google Chrome browser. Moreover, data extraction by the implementation of one program computer without the direct observation of human resources is the innovation of this study.

Given that online search visibility is influenced by various determinants, and that influence may vary across industries, this study aims in investigating the major predictors of online search visibility in the context of blood banks.

To formalize the online visibility, the authors have found theoretical foundations in activity theory, while to quantify online visiblity the authors have used the search engine optimization (SEO) Index, ranking, and a number of visitors. The examined model includes ten hypotheses and was tested on data from 57 blood banks.

Results challenge shallow domain knowledge. The major predictors of online search visibility are Alternative Text Attribute (ALT) text, backlinks, robots, domain authority (DA) and bounce rate (BR). The issues are related to the number of backlinks, social score, and DA. Polarized utilization of SEO techniques is evident.

The methodology can be used to analyze the online search visibility of other industries or similar not-for-profit organizations. Findings in terms of individual predictors can be useful for marketers to better manage online search visibility.

The acute blood donation problems may be to a certain degree level as the information flow between donors and blood banks will be facilitated.

This is the first study to analyze the blood bank context. The results provide invaluable inputs to marketers, managers, and policymakers.

This paper constitutes the first academic study to be made of Google Discover as applied to online journalism.

This paper constitutes the first academic study to be made of Google Discover as applied to online journalism. The study involved conducting 61 semi-structured interviews with experts that are representative of a range of different professional profiles within the fields of journalism and search engine positioning (SEO) in Brazil, Spain and Greece. Based on the data collected, the authors created five semantic categories and compared the experts' perceptions in order to detect common response patterns.

This study results confirm the existence of different degrees of convergence and divergence in the opinions expressed in these three countries regarding the main dimensions of Google Discover, including specific strategies using the feed, its impact on web traffic, its impact on both quality and sensationalist content and on the degree of responsibility shown by the digital media in its use. The authors are also able to propose a set of best practices that journalists and digital media in-house web visibility teams should take into account to increase their probability of appearing in Google Discover. To this end, the authors consider strategies in the following areas of application: topics, different aspects of publication, elements of user experience, strategic analysis and diffusion and marketing.

Although research exists on the application of SEO to different areas, there have not, to date, been any studies examining Google Discover.

The peer-review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-10-2022-0574

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

The study establishes that search engine optimization and brand equity have a bidirectional relationship. The directionality and influence of this relationship however depends on extent to which the brand is well established.

The briefing saves busy executives, strategists, and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

The learning outcomes of this case study are as follows: Students will be able to comprehend and visualize the initial hiccups and operational hurdles faced by digital start-ups in an emerging market. Students will be able to evaluate the importance of digital marketing for promoting start-ups dealing with sustainable products in the service industry, thereby helping them to develop digital marketing strategies to organically promote a service. Students will be able to perform strategic positioning of a start-up based on perceptual mapping methodology. Students will be able to identify the various aspects for identifying and creating a viable business model. Students will be able to use Osterwalder’s business model canvas for identifying the important operational aspects of the start-up. Students will be able to visualize the entrepreneurial challenges in an emerging market.

This case study highlights the dilemma the protagonist, Prerna Prasad, faced in her travel start-up venture, Ecoplore. Ecoplore is an aggregator platform that onboards only eco-hotels. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, Ecoplore is India’s only platform that promotes and onboards only those hotels made up of mud, wood, bamboo, stone or any local architecture and that maintain at least 30% green space on their premises. Ecoplore has been recognized by the United Nations Environment Program for fulfilling Sustainable Development Goal 12 and has also been bestowed with the Gold Award by Indian Responsible Tourism Awards 2019. Prasad had already identified her target market. Prasad took conscious steps towards reaching her target audience, and her first step towards that was designing Ecoplore’s website. Being aware of the importance of content marketing, Ecoplore’s content was curated with fresh and quality write-ups, pictures, blog posts, etc. Ecoplore’s website was also optimized for mobile and desktop versions to deliver a great user experience. Features like easy navigation and the website's speed were also taken care of. Being active on social media platforms, Prasad made sure that the pages of Ecoplore across various social media platforms were well connected with her website. Despite doing so much, it was found that the number of visitors was few after a span of two years. Conversion on the website was low, which ultimately affected the return on investment. Prasad was befuddled as to why the conversions were low despite having a great website that was considered a window to the organization. She faced the challenge of reaching her target audience despite being present online. Upon detailed analysis, Prasad found that Ecoplore was showing up in the search engine research pages (SERP) in only a few keywords, meaning the keyword density was low. Also, the website lacked backlinks, which would eventually help them to rank high on search engine optimization (SEO). This means that Ecoplore will need to revisit its SEO strategy if Prasad wants to promote her organization organically. Now, to increase visibility and ranking on SERP, Prasad had two options before her; first, she could do it organically via SEO or through search engine marketing. She was keen to build the traffic organically, knowing its long-term benefits. As a marketer, what should be Prasad’s strategy? This case study can be used for class discussion purposes for the students pursuing the courses on digital marketing, SEO and digital marketing optimization.

This case study is suitable for students learning the fundamentals of digital marketing (basic and advanced) course, marketing management students and digital marketing workshops. The level of difficulty is medium. The knowledge pre-requirement is marketing management.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.

This research aims to investigate how emerging destinations cope with digitalization of information, where they are in the process and how digitalization of information takes place in destination marketing organizations (DMOs). As a case for emerging destinations that must deal with the negative consequences of the digital divide, the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) will be examined. A new framework, solutions in general, and potential innovative approaches will be presented.

A mixed methods approach was used. Firstly, a content analysis comprising 68 criteria to examine 10 destination websites was conducted to evaluate the performance of provincial destination websites of VMD. Secondly, the authors interviewed five managers from VMD DMOs to reveal the strategy, status quo and their challenges with digitalization.

Some digitalization is evident in VMD DMOs, with the digitization of tourist information provision developing from analog formats to digital modes. The content analysis of the websites shows that provincial destination websites of VMD perform well with regard to communication but need improvements for transaction, and especially relationship aspects. Emerging destinations like VMD DMOs are reaching the second or third level in the digitalization process. Yet they face challenges with human and financial resources.

This research provides recommendations concerning destination website performance, the process of digitalization and how to promote digitalization and apply more digital instruments to move to the next stages of destination digitalization. Also, suggestions on how to overcome existing challenges/barriers in similar areas of the world are provided.

A new, extended more granulated version of the digitalization framework by Karpova et al. (2019) has been developed. The new model acknowledges the continued importance of printed information, provides information about the sequence of steps how to implement website dimensions, and which instruments are realistic to implement in different levels of digitalization considering the challenges and barriers developing destinations face.

This paper aims to explore the impact of emerging technologies, such as virtual reality, voice search, artificial intelligence, robotics and the Metaverse on hotel sales, marketing and revenue optimization.

This paper uses a combination of articles published in Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology and industry case studies to examine the integration of innovative technologies in hotel sales, marketing and revenue optimization strategies, plus the role of fundamental practices in ensuring long-term success.

The analysis demonstrates that innovative technologies can significantly enhance customer engagement, streamline booking processes and unlock new revenue streams. However, this paper also highlights the importance of fundamental marketing practices, such as user-friendly websites, fast and reliable/mobile-friendly websites, search engine optimization, social media engagement, content marketing and data-driven revenue management, in maintaining a hotel’s competitive advantage in the dynamic world of hospitality.

The findings suggest that hoteliers need to strike a balance between embracing emerging technologies and maintaining traditional marketing fundamentals to remain competitive and drive revenue growth. This integrated approach ensures long-term success in the ever-evolving hospitality landscape.

This paper bridges the gap between academia and industry practitioners by providing practical insights and implications that can be applied directly to hotels’ marketing and operational practices. The paper highlights the importance of balancing innovation with fundamental marketing strategies, emphasizing the need for an integrated approach to ensure long-term success in the ever-evolving world of hotel sales, marketing and revenue optimization – as well as those same tools in a plethora of hospitality and tourism venues working alongside the accommodations sector.

探讨新兴技术（如虚拟现实、语音搜索、人工智能、机器人技术和元宇宙）对酒店销售、营销和收入优化的影响。

本文结合发表在《酒店旅游科技杂志》（JHTT）的文章和行业案例, 研究了创新技术在酒店销售、营销和收入优化策略中的整合, 以及基础实践在确保长期成功方面的作用。

分析表明, 创新技术可以显著增强客户参与度, 简化预订流程, 并开拓新的收入来源。此外, 文章强调了基本营销实践, 如用户友好的网站、快速可靠/移动友好的网站、搜索引擎优化、社交媒体参与、内容营销和数据驱动的收入管理, 在保证酒店在充满变化的行业竞争中维持优势的重要性。

研究结果表明, 酒店经营者需要在使用新兴技术和保持传统营销基本原则之间取得平衡, 以保持竞争力并推动收入增长。这种综合方法确保在不断发展的酒店销售、营销和收入优化领域取得长期成功。

本文通过提供可直接应用于酒店营销和运营实践的实际见解和影响, 弥合了学术界与行业从业者之间的鸿沟。文章强调了创新与基本营销策略的平衡的重要性, 强调了综合方法的必要性, 以确保在不断发展的酒店销售、营销和收入优化领域取得长期成功, 以及这些工具在众多酒店和旅游场所与住宿部门一起工作的多样性领域中的应用。

After reading and discussing the case, the participants would be able to:▪ articulate the challenges associated with retailing of organic products.▪ suggest paid, owned and earned digital marketing tools to Manav Chetna Vikas Kendra (MCVK);▪ suggest a digital marketing budget;▪ discuss essential elements of a good website design; and▪ discuss various website analytics metrics.

This case describes the challenges faced by the founder, Ajay Dayama, and members of MCVK, who believed in the concept of sustainable community living through the production and marketing of organic food products. They believed that they would be able to share their philosophy of sustainable living through their products reaching out to a larger population rather than just being consumed by community members. This paved the way for the creation of a brand by the name SATT offering products under the lifestyle, nutriment and wellness categories. Marketing and sales of SATT products came with a bundle of challenges, and it was not easy to convince customers about the authenticity, quality and pricing of these products. Many organic products sold by competitors were available on e-commerce platforms, while SATT relied on direct marketing. Low customer acceptance for SATT products would weaken the sustainability dream of the community. How MCVK could increase awareness and acceptance of SATT products was a big area of concern for Ajay.

This case is suitable for students enrolled for full credit course on Digital Marketing at postgraduate level. The case can be discussed towards the middle of the course.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.