Upperdog Blog

The two “keywords” of the most recent BrightonSEO: featured snippets. There were a few digital marketing speakers who professed to knowing the secrets to the elusive ‘position zero’ ranking, so our ears were pricked! We’ve compiled the best advice we gathered on how to get featured snippets, or how to get a Google answer box,…

Creating new assets can take up a considerable amount of your Facebook ad management time. Sometimes it can be difficult to test new ad copy, images, call to actions and evaluate the results. But Facebook has a new tool to help Facebook advertising agencies and companies creating their own adverts: Dynamic Creative ads.   What…

Remember in the old days of Google AdWords management? We only had 25 characters in our single headline to shout our offer to the world. How we celebrated when Google announced in 2016 they were expanding their text ads to two whole headlines, plus an 80 character description. Well, get out your party poppers because…

Google AdWords is now just ‘Google Ads’. The ‘Google Ads’ account layout has changed. And now our old, familiar Google Keyword Planner has also had a new makeover. It can be hard to keep up with this flurry of updates! But never fear, our PPC management specialists are here to explain the google keyword planner…

Animated banner ads via Google Ads have been online for some time now. The old JPEGs and animated GIFS are now fading away, but speak to any digital agency and they will explain how display ads have notoriously low click through rates, despite receiving lots of impressions. HTML5 ads are the latest improvement to Google…

You’ve probably done it without thinking, but it’s becoming more frequent that people search using Google Images. It’s even more popular for those seeking baking aspirations, a hairstyle or holiday inspiration! The only downside to this change of user-experience is that we can’t easily track if people got to a website by clicking on an…

Optimising your company’s Google My Business listing is an integral part of any SEO strategy. You may have claimed, verified and entered all the essential contact details. Now, what’s next? Here we list how to further optimise your Google My Business listing with some new updates. New Post Options Google My Business has had the…

You may have noticed that flashing orange icon in the top right corner of your Instagram app, or seen the Fletchers (unless you don’t follow them for family goals) posting about it lots, but what is Instagram TV? Find out how to do it, how you can use it and what IGTV means for businesses.…

Have you received an email from Google informing you that your Google+ page is going to be deleted in 30 days? You might be wondering ‘should I keep it active?’, ‘will deleting Google+ affect my business presence on Google?’ or ‘wait, I have a Google+ page?’?! We’ve had clients who utilise our SEO services ask…

VR is a hot topic in the digital marketing world. According to Google, global search interest in VR has quadrupled in the past year. You will have in no doubt seen brands such as Virgin, Honda and more showcasing their products on services in virtual reality. But is it worth the effort? Read on to…

  We all know the importance of quality link juice. You can add SEO value to your website by ensuring pages have a good number of external links to them, to raise your domain authority score. Moz Opensite Explorer has long been a trusty tool for many digital agencies. It clearly displays a website’s domain…

First there was the Facebook app, then they moved Messenger to a standalone app, and then in 2017 they introduced a third app for us to add to our collection: Facebook Events. This year, the app has been rebranded to “Facebook Local” and is now available in the UK. Structured as a go-to resource for…

I’m surprised Bournemouth council hasn’t given them a fine for ‘littering’, as another digital aficionado joins the Upperdog pack! I’m Jake, the new digital marketing intern at Upperdog. If you love football, beach days or BBQs, chances are we’d get along. I’m currently in my final year of University studying Marketing, so getting an internship…

The recent Facebook data scandal lifted the lid on some data concerns, which in turn led to Facebook not only looking at the way user’s data is stored and used, but the way the platform looks in 2018 compared to the model it was built on: “meaningful interactions”. In order to “get back to what…

It has been an ongoing debate amongst digital marketing agencies: Do you use Google smart bidding as part of your PPC management? Many of us are still reluctant to relinquish control over to the Google gods. But as more success stories arise, we look into the benefits of AdWords smart bidding. How does smart bidding…

Google have recently announced the shiny new Analytics 360 suite! At last. One of the new and improved features includes ‘Attribution 360’, formerly known as ‘Adometry’. With their rumoured decision to stop Last-click attribution soon to be implemented, Google Attribution 360 claims to give marketers detailed insights on their customer journeys to improve ROI. But…

No doubt you will have heard about the Facebook Data scandal. Images, videos and GIFs of a slightly embarrassed and nervous Mark Zuckerberg have been everywhere: But what does it all mean? Let our Facebook advertising agency experts give you the low down: What happened? After an in-depth investigation by the Guardian, it was revealed…

This month I joined the Upperdog team – and my tail hasn’t stop wagging since. I’m Ellie: keen writer, social media marketing advocate and big pick ‘n’ mix fan. I’ve worked in marketing for the last four years, gaining a varied range of both online and offline marketing experience. I’ve joined this digital marketing agency…

You want to start advertising your business on Pinterest? Great! Let our experts at our PPC agency give you a breakdown on where to start: Is Pinterest right for your business?  We understand you want your potential audience to find you wherever they can. But before you begin, is Pinterest used by your target demographic?…

What a year we had in 2017. Company development was in full swing and one thing was for sure; we were no longer a start-up getting our toes wet, we were fully jumping in the digital marketing deep end! From January 2017 to now, the pack has grown from 5 pups to 9 and our…

Do you do your weekly shop with Alexa? Or how about stocking up on essentials with Google Home? More and more people are using voice search to conveniently shop online. But how does this affect the way we buy online?   Why users will favour voice search It’s obvious why users would prefer to audibly…

As is the nature of trends, they come and they go. Sometimes they last years, sometimes only a few short days. But what do the most popular search trends in 2017 say about our culture? We take a look at some of the more popular searches from last year! Unicorns Forget the Chinese year of…

You know your website needs SEO. Not only is it a cost-effective way to drive leads but it is also essential to maintain your ranking position above your competitors.  But where do you start? Luckily, we have listed why investing in a SEO agency is fundamental for business success! SEO takes time When it comes…

The run up to Christmas is a competitive time for corporate giants like Amazon and Google. So it’s unsurprising that Google have just released some sexy new features on their mobile SERPs, just in time to help you find that perfect gift. These new updates will help consumers discover, research and compare new products. More…

Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ling-ring-ting-tingle-ing toooo! It’s time to dig out your best ugly Christmas jumpers! Christmas is our favourite time of year here at Upperdog, and as it’s the season of sharing, we spill the beans on the best things to do here in Bournemouth at Christmas time.   Holidays are coming! Get…

What is Influencer marketing? We are all familiar with the idea of celebrity endorsement; a brand will use a famous spokesperson to talk about their product or service. The aim is to gain a ‘halo effect’, where the credibility or glamour of the celebrity will rub off on the product. But, this method has evolved…

Change is constant - especially if you’re a digital marketing agency! At the Upperdog office, we have been getting to grips with the new AdWords Interface for Google pay per click advertising. We found that not only has the look of the AdWords UI changed dramatically, but that Google have also included some handy little…

Exciting times! You are expanding your business overseas! But, how do you optimise your website so search engines know which language to use or country to target? We offer our top technical SEO advice on how to optimise your website on an international level. Quick overview You have three main ways to structure an internationalised…

BrightonSEO is the ultimate conference held to keep digital wizards up to date with the latest updates, tools and tricks in the SEO sphere. Two of our digital marketing strategists attended in September and found plenty of key information to takeaway and feedback to the office. The fresh sea air opened our minds to the…

As a digital agency in Bournemouth, we’re always on the lookout for additions and changes in the digital world of online communication. On 5th September, massively popular free messaging service, WhatsApp released a statement on their blog announcing that they will target businesses with future services. The details aren’t all that clear yet, but let’s…

As a digital agency in Bournemouth, we recognise the importance of social media marketing. For some businesses, a growing social media following is integral for spreading awareness and reaching potential customers. To help, we’ve compiled 4 tips for growing your social media presence and following. Fill in your profile If there’s one thing to learn…

Facebook continue to prove they are a social media marketing force to be reckoned with! As Messenger now has 1.2 billion users per month, Facebook are giving advertisers the opportunity post adverts within the chat app. The news about this next level of paid social advertising has evoked mixed reactions. Some users feel displaying more…

At the latest Google I/O developer conference in May several new technologies were announced. From putting Google connectivity into cars and Google Assistant coming to iPhone (goodbye Siri), many updates were mind bogglingly cool, but the Google Lens made our jaws drop! What is Google Lens? Google Lens is the ultimate knowledge app that can…

As a digital agency in Bournemouth, we are always interested in what’s going on in the digital world, and recently some important events have occurred for Bitcoin. What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin, first introduced in 2009, is a cryptocurrency and digital payment system. It’s the first decentralised digital currency, due to its peer-to-peer system with transactions…

Google is releasing a new and dramatic change to its google.com home page. Instead of the famous, simple white screen with a search bar, Google is now displaying a news feed showing stories and information you may be interested in. The fresh news feed will use your past searches, interests and location to recommend news,…

All our hard work as a digital agency in Bournemouth makes us hungry, and when we’re hungry, nothing hits the spot quite like pizza. Here’s our top 5 pizza restaurants in Bournemouth and why they just can’t be topped! 1. Baffi Neapolitan Pizza – Westbourne Conveniently located just a stone’s throw from the Upperdog office,…

It’s easy to follow standard procedure when writing pay per click advertising copy. “This is who we are” and “this is what we do”. But is that really what a customer wants to know? And is it enough to make them buy? Here we delve into the depths of the human brain to explore how…

Content is one of the most important Google ranking factors. In recent years, there’s been a shift in the strategy of SEO copywriting, moving from keyword-focused content to natural and relevant content optimised for the reader. Most visitors will only spend 15 seconds or less reading your content, so it’s vital that it is concise…

As a digital agency in Bournemouth that focuses on web design and SEO services, we must be aware of the latest and greatest in marketing and advertising. However sometimes advertising campaigns become widely known for all the wrong reasons, and receive strong levels of complaints. The mistakes these businesses make can provide valuable lessons for…

Bournemouth Air Show 2017 runs from 31st August – 3rd September and is the UK’s biggest air festival. It has entertained millions of people since 2008 and will continue to do so this year, with plenty to enjoy on land, at sea, and of course in the air. To top it all off, Bournemouth Air…

Hello, I’m Beth and I am the new Digital Account Executive for Upperdog. I have been working here at Upperdog digital agency in Bournemouth for a whole month now. And what a busy month it has been! Having worked in and around Bournemouth for the past couple of years in various digital marketing roles, it…

If you’re a small local business, here’s how you can increase your visibility in Google with little-to-no SEO experience, using Google’s latest free marketing tools. The Best Online Marketing Tools for Small Businesses Google My Business is a free marketing tool that’s ideal for small businesses. Launched in 2014, it’s developed dramatically over the years…

As an SEO agency in Bournemouth, we take great interest in technology and the ways in which it has progressed. There is no debate that technology has changed massively over the years, but it can be good fun to take a step back and reflect on how far the digital world has come. Discover some…

There have been some exciting new announcements from Google in the past few weeks. Our AdWords specialists at Upperdog are here to give you the rundown on the most important updates to AdWords services. In-Market Audiences for Search Campaigns Similar to In-Market audiences for Display or Remarketing campaigns, Google will soon let advertisers reach users…

 Image sharing chat app Snapchat released its ‘Stories’ update in October 2013. It allows users to post images that are live for 24 hours and can be viewed by friends as often as they wish. The feature is very popular, leading to other apps ‘copying’ it. As a digital agency in Bournemouth, we understand it’s…

Hello! My name’s Scott and I’m the latest Junior Digital Marketing Executive to join the Upperdog crew. From the first day I set my paws in the Upperdog office it has been exciting. I’ve not been here for long yet, but I’ve already encountered challenges and successes, often with one leading to the other. Although…

Keeping your finger on the social media pulse can be tricky. With each week bringing new updates however, it’s important to stay ‘in the know’. As a social media agency in Bournemouth, we feel it’s time to share some of the latest scoops on all things social. Here are 4 brand new updates to explore!…

Meet Fred - the latest Google update bed-rocking* the world of SEO. Since its release, tons of websites have kissed goodbye to their organic rankings overnight, so it’s important you know what Fred is and how to use it to the advantage of your business. Here’s a quick overview of Fred and what your website…

It’s difficult to provide a successful SEO service in Bournemouth without my trusted sidekicks. SEO tools help me to produce SEO audits, analyse technical SEO and define the SEO strategy – I wouldn’t achieve the same results without them! I felt it was time to give them an official shout out – and let all…

Every year on 1st April, marketing teams across the world get another opportunity to play creative practical jokes and spread hoaxes. Here’s Upperdog’s favourite April Fools marketing pranks: Deliveroo - Telepathic Food Ordering           Don’t have time to push buttons or swipe your phone? Use Deliveroo’s TeleOrder Tech to order your…

Social proof, such as customer reviews, is a strong force for influencing customer behaviours. It’s an effective selling tool that eases the minds of worried customers and helps increase conversion rates. BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey 2016 found that 84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation and 74% of consumers…

Google Search Console, previously known as Google Webmaster Tools, is one of the many holy grails for webmasters. It is a free web service offered by Google, for Google, to check if the search engine can access your content, to update website settings and review your website’s status. Search Console set up and checks are…

As an SEO agency in Bournemouth, it’s our responsibility to ensure that your technical SEO is perfect. Implementing SEO yourself is a good start to get your digital marketing off the ground, but ultimately there are so many technical factors that could make your hard work meaningless. Here are 4 technical SEO factors you (or…

Google AdWords is one of the most popular and powerful PPC services by far – but it’s very easy to miss important features or make a mistake that can unnecessarily increase your costs, reduce your conversion rate and affect your overall pay per click advertising performance. Here’s 10 Google AdWords mistakes to avoid from the…

So, you’ve worked hard on web design and development and got a brand-new website. It even has that new website smell. Now it’s time to start driving the right traffic to it! It’s always important before choosing a web design agency to plan out how you’ll be marketing your new website. You should pick the…

Keyword match types are used in pay per click advertising to target search terms that your customers are using so that you can display your ad to them. They allow you to target a wide audience or a smaller, more specific audience. Keyword match types are essentially fishing nets – a different type of net…

Whether you’re diving into that big tub of Ben and Jerry’s or enjoying a candle-lit cuisine this Valentine’s Day, you can be sure the world of marketing is spreading the love. Here are Upperdog’s top 4 favourite Valentine’s Day campaigns that are certain to leave your heart well and truly warmed. 1. Lush are showing…

Are you a local business? Proud of your product but don’t have the budget to get your brand out there? Discover simple ways to rank higher in Google and increase footfall from the experts at local SEO agency Upperdog. Digital marketing is effective but it takes commitment. If you’re as passionate as we are about…

It’s not all about SEO you know. Companies often forget the value that pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can bring to them, and most importantly how immediate it is. SEO takes time. It is a gradual process with no guaranteed outcomes, and sometimes you need to see results instantly. Now, I am an advocate of SEO and…

Sometimes a customer might come to your business through pay per click advertising but not make a purchase through your website. A customer could call or email your office, or maybe the final stage of your sales process doesn’t involve your website at all. In that case how would you match up the sales outcome…

2016 was filled with huge changes to the PPC landscape, and 2017 looks set to keep up the pace! Here’s the top 5 PPC trends for 2017 as predicted by PPC Agency Upperdog: Conversion paths will become more complex Whether it’s a search platform or paid social advertising, there are dozens of ways in which…

Google voice search was first rolled out in 2002. 15 years later, intelligent voice activated personal assistants are dominating the market. Discover the 5 core ways it’s reshaping SEO: With the likes of Amazon Echo, Google Home and a ton of voice activated apps, it’s no wonder that voice is the fastest growing type of…

So here we are, welcome to the new Upperdog website. Real-life blood, sweat and tears went into producing this creation and I’m going to tell you why we chose Polymer - even though the odds were strongly against us! So - what's the big deal? Well my friends, our new site is finely crafted using…

Welcome to the brand new Upperdog website and blog - isn't it fancy! As you may know, this year's Christmas campaign is all about giving. Every day for 5 days we will be giving away some of our best kept digital marketing secrets, ranging from PPC and local SEO to development and social media. Each…

It’s an understatement that Upperdog had a busy year in 2016. With incredible highs and a few late nights, the team concurs that it’s been a defining year in Upperdog’s history – with hopefully many more to come! The start of the year began smoothly. Upperdog Marketing Executive Amy had fully settled in, and she…

After bounding into Upperdog five weeks ago under the name “Josh”, it seems about time I let my bark be heard. Hello! My name is Jack and I am Upperdog’s newest Junior Digital Marketing Executive. Joining the team as a second-year Advertising student at Bournemouth University, I am delighted to be given the chance to…

Earlier this year Google officially announced they were retiring their old style of AdWords text ads in favour of a newer generation of Expanded Text Ads (ETA’s). ETA’s are designed to give advertisers the opportunity to better describe their offerings, and optimise performance on mobile devices to better reach potential customers on the go. Starting…

As a digital marketing agency that adores dogs and food, we love it when we can combine both in one – and we don’t mean in a stir-fry. Enter the dog-friendly café and restaurants in Bournemouth. Here’s a selection of our favourites in the local area: Boscanova, Boscombe Dogs Allowed: Inside & Outside, Water Bowl.…

Dogs blogs are the source of a fantastic array of dogspiration where the team at Upperdog discover countless ways to spoil Milo the office pup. When we’re not busy working on our SEO and web development projects, Milo loves to curl up on our lap and scroll through our favourite dog blogs - when he’s…

Update 25/10/2017: Since this post was written, UberEATS has launched in Bournemouth, offering McDonalds delivery! We've found their offerings to be no different to Deliveroo (except McDo) and perhaps more expensive. Watch this space! Since its introduction in San Francisco in 2011, Uber has made quite the impression. With an estimated $1.5 billion in net…

Google is rolling out two new mobile friendly updates to make content easier to find for users. Find out how you may be affected: 1.     Removal of mobile label The mobile-friendly label came to our screens two years ago. Google wanted to easily specify which sites were readable on mobiles to users, and did so…

Google My Business and Google Maps are some of the best tools for local businesses. When users search for a keyword such as ‘restaurant Bournemouth’ or ‘restaurant near me’, Google generates a Google My Business listing that shows in search results and Google Maps, driving physical foot traffic to your business. Find out about some…

Just over a month ago Google removed the right hand side ads from their search result pages globally. Ads now show at the top and bottom of the page only. Reasons behind the change can be linked to: click through rates on right hand ads being poor, commercial reasons with the inflation in CPC being…

Developing amazing websites, increasing organic traffic and general digital marketing wizardry are some of our skills at Upperdog, but one can’t forget that ensuring Milo’s comfort is maintained is essential. Milo is our brand ambassador, our beloved friend, co-worker and office pup, and he must remain safe, comfortable and happy at all times! An unhappy…

Writing a good, unique blog post should not be the aim of your content marketing strategy. Good, unique content is no longer good enough to cut it in the content world, as competition grows and SEO algorithms change - as explained here by Rand, the SEO wiz at Moz. Every blog post should exceed the…

As the second most popular search engine (after YouTube) it’s a good thing to be affiliated or connected with Google. One way of improving your digital marketing strategy is to use Google My Business and Google+, Google’s own social network. A Google My Business page that is optimized properly can improved search visibility and verifying…

You might be surprised to learn that we absolutely love dogs…no dog is too big, small, fluffy or drooly to make us not coo in adoration and we’re fortunate enough to have the company of pup Milo every day in the office. However, we don’t stop there. The workday may consist of SEO, web development…

Facebook is a great social media platform for businesses to utilise when they want to get tails wagging for the people behind the business. It’s more informal than LinkedIn and Twitter, due to its 1.44 billion monthly active users sharing personal posts and pictures of their lives. It’s becoming increasingly common for consumers to want…

Google Autocomplete comes in to action when a user types in a search query and Google, using its Autocomplete algorithm, suggests other keywords that could be related to what the user is looking for (see picture below). This process enables users to find what they are searching for faster, helps those with search terms that are hard to spell,…

Well hello there! My name is Amy Stilwell (or Ames) and I’ve recently begun barking up Upperdog’s digital marketing tree! I’ve recently joined the team because I’m besotted with pups and have experience in Digital Marketing. Graduating from Lynn University in Florida, I’ve worked as a Project Manager and Social Media and Outreach Account Executive…

Take your company LinkedIn profile one step further by using it to generate leads and make yourself known in the online business sphere! Out of all social media channels, LinkedIn is the most effective to generate B2B leads and the reason for this is obvious. Ask yourself as a business, where would you search for…

Naturally at the Upperdog kennels we’re dotty for digital and 2015 so far hasn’t disappointed. Here’s a short rundown of the digital world’s biggest stories for the first quarter: The End of Internet Explorer Microsoft has announced the demise of Internet Explorer. Ridiculed by many online, this browser was a first for many of us…

The use of mobiles and tablets is on the rise. We’ve all seen the figures; 60% of users now access the internet via a mobile device which means that now more than ever, having a responsive website is no longer an online luxury – it’s a necessity. “But how, Upperdog?” we hear you cry. Well…

The internet is all aflutter with the latest news that tweets will start to appear in Google search in real time later this year. This means that when you search for something, any related tweets have the potential to show up in the search results. Twitter has agreed a deal with Google to make tweets…

If you’re a local business you want to be found online, however the internet is a big place and sometimes the little guys can get lost amongst a sea of bigger fish. Clever and targeted local SEO can help you stand out from the crowd where it really matters. So here are our top 3…

February 13th may be unlucky for some, but not for the Upperdog team! We are celebrating our second year of business! So many amazing things have happened over the last 12 months that have made us bigger and better as a digital marketing agency. Our global client list has grown and we’ve said hello to…

Tis the season to be jolly and in anticipation of those eager Christmas shoppers, here at Upperdog HQ we thought we’d share some tips dedicated to increasing your online seasonal sales! As the most prolific spending months, November and December pit retailer against retailer in a Crimbo showdown of massive proportions. So take note on…

Google and its algorithm doesn’t just stop at the content on your website. Although we don’t think of it in these terms, Youtube is another type of search engine, which means that SEO is just as important. Video SEO is as important for your content as regular SEO as it does that same job; it…

As a dog-loving digital marketing agency based in Bournemouth, we thought that we’d share our favourite dog-friendly areas and activities in the Dorset area. Our miniature Jack Russell mascot Milo has approved these dog friendly walks for your pleasure so here are some of his top picks! 1. Bournemouth Beach Between October and April, Bournemouth and…

Are you happy with what you achieve at the end of a working day? Fear not the Upperdog pack has come to the rescue! After nearly two years as a digital marketing agency we have managed to perfect our productivity strategy so we’re sharing it with the world! So here are a few ideas which…

Hello there! Milo Woods reporting for blogging duty. I have been advised that there are some of my canine compatriots who need some guidance on how to deal with the upcoming night-time celebrations, namely Howloween and Guy Barkes Bonfire Night. So listen up, get your paw-pad and pen out and take note: We’re not scaredy…

At Upperdog HQ we’re big fans of Halloween and all the spooky territory that comes with it. The time where the veil between the mortal and spiritual planes are at their thinnest is one fraught with danger and mystery. To celebrate this and all the things that go bump in the night we’ve compiled a…

Key points to take away: The update is global affecting 1% of English search queries If you were hit by Penguin in October 2013, any changes you’ve made will have been reviewed It’s being called a “refresh” so no official change to the algorithm Some are calling it Penguin 2.2 and some are calling it…

It’s Top Dog Zhara’s favourite time of year, full of terrifying things and ghoulish goings on! Which got us thinking, if you happened to find yourself in a haunted house what would be the things that you’d need most of all to help you survive? … who are we kidding! The moment you step through…

We all love the internet. Life would not be the same without it. And, some clever beings have created an entire life online to make a living by sharing their lives with the world. Clever, huh? So as big YouTube fans we thought we’d share some of our favourite YouTubers and their channels. I mean,…

All aboard the social media train! Tickets are available from the strategy box office. We accept innovation and individuality as payment. Shall we begin? Instagram is the latest in a line of channels that businesses are turning their eyes towards. You may be thinking how a photo-sharing stream could help your business and the answer…

Looking to be noticed on social media? Look no further; Twitter Cards are the answer to standing out from the crowd on a Twitter feed. Twitter Cards in a nutshell allow you to bring richer experiences to your followers with expanded tweets. Twitter has released eight Cards (seven free, one paid) to help you get…

Having completed my first official month at Upperdog, it seems appropriate to introduce myself. Hello! My name is Daphne Xenakis and I am Upperdog’s new Digital Marketing Pup. Like my predecessor, Dan, I am also a third year PR student from Bournemouth University. This industry placement is a great opportunity to get my feet wet and…

Google has introduced callout extensions for the AdWords Pay Per Click (PPC) platform, which offer advertisers more space to present additional information about their products and services. The tight character limit of current AdWords ads will be extended by a further 25 characters, meaning advertisers can promote their brand and USPs without filling their ads with additional…

We're all to familiar with the phrase "just Google it" but have you ever wondered what Google actually is? Granted, this might seem like a silly question but we've found recently that the term "algorithm" is thrown around quite a lot - and some people still aren't sure exactly what it is. So What Is…

Aaaaaaand it’s gone. It seems like just a few clicks ago that I was writing a quick blog post to introduce myself as the newest member of the pack. Hundreds of thousands of words, 25 UD blogs, just a handful of hung-over mornings and 40 weeks later, I’ve finished my internship at Upperdog. I’ve thoroughly…

Those who have been using Google+ since its release might have frequently become lost in its labyrinth of page options, variations and frankly confusing interface. A work in progress, Google+ has been constantly changing over the last few months, but it seems the business, brand and social network is finally finding its feet.   Google…

If you’ve been following Upperdog for a while, you’ll know we’re always scouting out the digital landscape for tech that will make life a little easier – especially for fellow fans of the canine kind. Several months ago we posted about Whistle – an activity monitor that could keep track of your dog’s fitness levels.…

As a digital marketing company, increasing online visibility & prominence is one of our key objectives, which is why a new feature from search giants Google has us intrigued. As of today (30th May), Google has launched a ‘right to be forgotten’ page that allows people to remove their online presence and take a step…

[Masterclasses no longer available] We know that online marketing can be a tough nut to crack, and in today’s marketplace it’s becoming more and more crucial to keep up with competition. That’s where we come in. The Upperdog Academy provides a variety of master classes designed to get you up to gear with all the…

We continue our guide to the basics of SEO for ecommerce websites with part 2. If you missed the first half, you’ll be missing out on some key aspects that could help your ecommerce website, so jump over to the other part of our guide. If not, then please proceed!  Site Trust and User Confidence…

So you want to get your e-commerce business to the front of Google’s search listings, where it’s a hotspot bustling with your competitors and the industry’s big guns. You want to see your brand’s name, bright and bold, sitting pretty at the top of the results. To get your online store climbing the ladder, Upperdog…

Bournemouth-based digital marketing agency Upperdog Ltd was a finalist in the NatWest Venus Awards Dorset. The pack attended a fantastic night at the Lighthouse Poole for an evening celebrating the successes of women in Dorset. Upperdog is proud to have been involved and to have been named a finalist in the category of New Business Award. The…

In the spring of 1889 there stood a small, wooden house perched on the end of a cobbled London street. The house was a dirty white, held together by aging wooden beams and the ambitions of a keen entrepreneur. Unlike his London home, Mr. Summacanes had promise. A 25 year old, lonely businessman with nothing…

A key tactic to drawing traffic to your website is with a great blog. Not only does a blog enlighten the digital world of your brand and its products or services, but they also have great SEO benefits. So pick up your pen, man your keyboards or sharpen your quill, because there’s plenty to be…

The 1st of April was a chance for marketing departments across the globe to showcase a little cruel creativity. Pranks, hoaxes, tricks and practical jokes – here’s Upperdog’s top 5 favourite April Fools marketing spoofs. 5. Samuel Adams - HeliYUM Beer Boston beer brewers Samuel Adams added a dash of helium to their beverage to…

Upperdog is now an official Google Partner! An acknowledgement of trust and high quality service, Upperdog has been given Google’s seal of approval with a verified Partner account! What does this mean? Google has reviewed our work – and they’re impressed. By earning ‘partner’ status it means Google trusts our company, our services and our…

As your blog posts grow in popularity something you should almost always encourage is for people to leave feedback and comments on your posts. This is a great way to get returning visitors and keep people engaged on your website or blog. You will sadly however, eventually come across the odd unconstructive commenter. The bigger…

Google likes change. Whether it’s the latest animal algorithm update or a shift in the way we surf the internet, Google’s always rolling out new ideas. This time it’s a big change. The appearance and presentation of Google’s search results (or ‘SERPS’ for the wise guys) has had a retouch. So what’s changed? The new…

Once you’ve started seeing visitors coming to your website, it’s time to see what you can do to get them to come back. Earning repeat visitors is something that’s massively overlooked in today's online marketplace – but don’t fear as here are my tips to making it happen. Please stay! If someone has expressed interest…

Thursday 13th of February 2014 saw Upperdog officially turn 1 year old. Over the last 12 months Upperdog has grown from the ground up – our pack has matured in size, our tricks have gotten more impressive and our client list has become longer. Rewind 12 months ago… Last February, Upperdog consisted of only the…

Google is constantly changing like fashion; what might be in this month is likely to be out by next month. Relying on one strategy to increase your visibility in Google just isn’t going to cut the mustard. Get your mind in gear and get ready to read our quick fire guide to dominating the elusive…

Valentine's Day. A time for a little romance. A time for displays of affection. A time for some opportunity marketing! We've put together a brief list of the best, most amusing Valentine's Day marketing ploys that we've come across in our day to day goings on. From the witty to the outrageously blunt, here's our top…

Last Man Standing in Moorland, Somerset Levels Fights for his House Update - 14/02/14 Somerset's own King Canute is continuing his fight, despite the relentless winds and constant rains exacerbating the floods. Friday saw other members of the Notaro team break through to reach the house to reinforce efforts. With no signs of the floods…

The landscape of digital marketing is shifting constantly. But whilst the overseers at Google tinker with algorithms and the nuts and bolts of the internet, there are some very essential basics of SEO that shouldn’t be overlooked in the turmoil of this shifting landscape. Here’s a brief overview about some of the crucial but simple…

Upperdog’s Marketing Pack Leader, Annabel, was one of the lucky few to try the innovative Google Glass this month. Despite being launched in 2012 there are just 6 devices here in the UK - so she was excited to say the least! Over to Annabel to give you the lowdown on this uber gadget… I…

So you’ve got yourself a handful of website visitors amidst the online jungle, give yourself a pat on the back - the first hard step is complete. But if you think your work is done, think again. The fact is most website visitors will spend well under 20 seconds looking at your website - NNG,…

As a digital marketing company obsessed with all things tech, not writing about CES 2014 would be like the elves missing Christmas. This year, the Consumer Electronics show was held in Las Vegas. Whilst the boss didn’t send us on a little trip to the city of Lost Wages, we’ve read an awful lot about…

Upperdog were privileged to be invited to the opening of the Garden of Lights Festival by Michael Grubb Studio to experience first-hand the lighting designers’ most recent project. Here’s what we thought: Michael Grubb Studio brightened the crowds of Bournemouth’s Lower Gardens on Friday 15th November, as the latest instalments of the Gardens of Light…

We seem to forget that despite feeling like part of the furniture the web is still in its infancy, and what’s alarming is the rate at which it is evolving. New technologies, trends and standards are progressing all the time, and this directly influences the viewer’s expectations of what all websites should be. Asking yourself…

They may sound dramatic but Black Friday and Cyber Monday are simply named after retailers saw an annual increase in traffic and sales the day after Thanksgiving, when many non-retail employees are off work. Marking the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, Black Friday has become a yearly craze for Christmas shoppers seeking must-have retailer…

Imagine having professional, one on one advice within a matter of mouse-clicks. Introducing Google Helpouts. Helpouts is the latest of Google’s revolutionary platforms posed to takeover the digital world, one video-call at a time… Confused about the latest update of OSX? Want to learn to play the bongos? Not sure how to peel that swede?…

The last couple of months in the Upperdog office have been pretty busy, so much so that I’ve forgotten to introduce myself to the digital world as a newly acquired member of the Upperdog pack. Having started nearly 2 months ago I’m thinking this introduction is a little belated, but it’d be rude not to…

In aid of Movember, Upperdog has its own upper-lip. Our very own web developer, Kyle Goslan is representing the office all in the name of charity. Kyle is joining the ranks of ‘tashes across the world to raise money and awareness in the battle against men’s cancer. Upperdog can’t resist a good cause. Don’t panic…

As a digital agency we spend great chunks of time browsing the Twittersphere for the latest stories, news and updates from the online kingpins. If there’s one thing we’ve learnt about this pixelated dimension it’s that a good Twitter etiquette can mean the difference between taking your brand global and starting a feud with Kanye…

As an eerie darkness descends over this week of Halloween frights, there’s news from the Upperdog lair. We’ve been hard at work this past month formulating plots, sharpening our fangs and eating brains to keep us at the very top of the food chain. This is the latest update in Upperdog’s spooky story so far...…

This past weekend saw Upperdog successfully join forces with the local population of fellow dog lovers to raise money for charity. Boxers met Chihuahuas as our canine convoy walked from Boscombe pier to Bournemouth pier on Saturday 26th October as we played our part in raising awareness for two inspirational local charities. Our sponsored walk…

Google Hummingbird is the new algorithm on the block, announced by Google just a few weeks ago. Unlike other updates such as Panda and Penguin, Hummingbird is a whole other beast. Need to know: Hummingbird is an entirely new algorithm, not a “part” change like Panda or Penguin Hummingbird takes over 200 signals in to…

We’ve just had it confirmed that for the Dog’s Day Out charity walk this October 26th the goodie bags that will be given out on the day will be filled with Barker & Barker’s amazing all natural doggy treats! Barker & Barker are a Dorset-based manufacturer of high quality, low fat dog treats. Being so…

It’s time to face the facts – the mobile web is here to stay. In the last year alone, the percentage of web traffic that can be chalked up to mobile devices has more than doubled and there are now more mobile phones in the UK than people. When the first iPhone launched it was…

In the Upperdog office, we’re constantly snooping about for the coolest stories around. Up-to-date with the latest tech crazes, we’ve uncovered 5 gadgets to keep you geared up for autumn.   Yonder (App, Free) Just because summer is coming to a dreary end, doesn’t mean you should stop exploring the great outdoors. We’ve stumbled upon…

Just like when asking a proud parent to choose their favourite child, we honestly do love Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and SEO equally. That’s because they’re both useful in their own right. Due to Google’s constant algorithm updates and the fierce competition found within organic search we do find ourselves mainly discussing how best to boost our…

A group of local businesses are raising money for local charities with a sponsored dog walk from Boscombe pier to Bournemouth pier and back on Saturday 26th October at 10am. This 5k walk along the beach named the “Dogs Day Out” is the social event of the calendar that your four legged friend does not…

Word in the park is there’s a new gadget out that’s getting dogs and humans alike pretty excited. Now I’ve had a deeper dig to find out more about this latest craze and it looks like the Pintofeed could be the future of feeding time! The Pintofeed is a device that allows you to supply…

Launched in 2011 as the next big thing in social networking, businesses were pretty slow to jump on the Google+ bandwagon. Now, just 2 years on, nearly 50% of companies have rated Google+ as the most important social network for their business and with its 500 million registered users, this really isn’t much of surprise.…

Well, not quite, but its still a big update As you know, all of us here at Upperdog pride ourselves on keeping our noses to the ground to sniff out the latest news in the digital world and, being the loyal servants that we are, we’ve got our paws on some information that should get…

A Gadget That’s Getting Us Hot Under The Collar You’ll soon come to learn if there’s one thing we love as much as dogs, it’s gadgets, so when we read about the Whistle Activity Monitor we got pretty excited and had to tell you all about it! The Whistle is an on-collar device that measures…

The past couple of weeks have been extremely hectic for the whole Upperdog team and there’s lots of exciting news to report. Still being pretty young pups means there’s always a lot going on, so here’s a quick catch up of what you’ve missed. We Moved Into The Kennels! Upperdog HQ is now officially up…

Welcome to “User Experience” Getting users to your website is great, but you need to ensure that once they are there they find what they are looking for. Many businesses tend to focus so much on getting a website that they forget some of the most obvious elements. Here are our tips to making your…

Penguin 2.0: Our predictions for the next SEO epidemic   Rumours are rife in the SEO world after Matt Cuts released information linking to changes that Google has planned for the next algorithm update. Penguin 2.0 is just around the corner so here are Upperdog’s thoughts on what’s set to be important for SEO as…

Of course our passion for all things digital is what gets us out of bed and into the office every morning, but unlike most agencies Upperdog was founded to do more than to just create beautiful websites and genius strategy. Seeing as we’re the new pups in town we figured we should introduce ourselves and…

It’s all go in the Upperdog Kennels – we’re taking to the world of imagery next. The following couple of months will see each of the Upperdog pack snapping photos in an Instagram takeover. Each week, we’ll have a running theme for photos to capture as we document our day-to-day happenings as a fresh group…