Planning for Peaks: How Can Technology Play a Vital Role?
Retail is always one step ahead and that doesn’t just the physical stores – planning for peaks is at the front of every online retailer’s mind too. Whether that’s strengthening your ad strategies, preparing for product launches or being smart about inventory.
It all comes down to staying productive and preparing for the upcoming busy season. Tech plays a vital role in this, ensuring you can offer the best service for customers – from their first website visit, right down to last mile delivery.
In stores this is obviously key but online it is so much more competitive. The competition online starts with exposure to your business and making sure you are the first they have seen! It is important to make sure you are seen before the rest of your competitiors and expanding your online exposure as much as possible. With shoppers becoming less brand loyal online and opting for retailers that can offer the smoothest service and best delivery options, it’s more important than ever to plan out and anticipate customer journey from the very beginning and getting your products out there.
The beauty of being online is that there are many ways you can market and advertise your product to your audience. Things like Google Ads, Social Media campaigns and Guest posts can all help to gain the all important exposure before the crowds, or clicks rush in.
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Amazon Prime Day
Amazon Prime Day is taking place as we speak, so although you might be prepared in terms of the stock, if you’re a seller in this space, there are still a few marketing tactics you can use to boost sales.
One of the best ways to encourage purchases is to educate your customers and provide tips around shopping for the two-day extravaganza. Many customers are not aware that they can create personalised deal updates on Amazon – they simply go onto the Prime Day 2022 page and create deal updates for the items they want to follow on there.
On top of summer, sales are bound to be better when this annual event rolls around at the same time for sellers. One of the most common complaints from stockists is having to manually look through full lists of orders to determine what’s on back order and what stock availability looks like. Having somewhere to digitally store this information and create a centralised list can really help with prioritising inventory levels. Here’s where tech, once again, can literally save the day!
Christmas in July!
One of the scary thoughts of peak season for many online retailers is the reminder that Christmas prep needs to start as early as July in order to keep up with an influx of sales. This is almost always a less daunting thought when there is a streamlined fulfilment process in place.
Many retailers opt for an Order Management System , allowing for the continuous tracking and active monitoring of purchases and inventory levels. This ensures the fulfilment process runs smoothly and in turn, so does the customer journey. Not only does this allow you to process orders faster during the busiest periods, but it also removes the risk of the sometimes costly human admin errors that can come naturally when there’s high demand.
Opening up conversations around Christmas can also be helpful, especially if you have larger recurring customers and contracts. Discussing the peak season allows you to plot and plan, formulating your distribution strategy ahead of schedule.
This, along with having the right tech in place for when one of the busiest periods of the year hits, allows you to streamline orders and reduce errors. Most importantly, tech enables you to maximise the opportunity that surrounds this peak period, so you don’t end up with dead stock or the inability to fulfil orders.
Summer sales strategy
Summer is in full swing, and things are already hotting up for many online retailers. Consider packaging up products with summer in mind when thinking about your strategy plan. Certain products such as sunglasses, fans and sportswear, naturally seem more appealing in the hotter months. Put these particular items at the front and centre of your marketing efforts and across your website. It can help to list items under certain themes such as summer, much like Amazon does when it comes to peak periods.
Thinking about your customer journey is also key throughout the summer months. Shopping experiences should be hassle-free and so should getting in touch with retailers. Research suggests that 40% of survey respondents said that they are happy to be contacted by chatbots when seeking help online. Deploying a chatbot strategy could be key to maximising your time when it comes to responding to common questions, where customers are also looking for efficiency so they can enjoy the great outdoors!
Following this, it’s the picking, packing and shipping processes involved in summer fulfilment that should be handled with care. Technologies available such as order management software, ensures users are alerted in real-time when a new order comes in and, information will automatically be sent to warehouse operatives – allowing them to pick and pack the order as quickly and as accurately as possible.
Black Friday
Black Friday, also known as Cyber Week, is one of the most anticipated sales periods for online retailers. Having your ecommerce store set up for an influx of sales this November should be a top priority that you’re already starting to think about.
One of the things that is helpful to do early on, is getting as many customer reviews and testimonials on site by the time this busy period rolls around. Purchase decisions are often made by reading through other user experiences. Customers have lots of sites to choose from when it comes to Black Friday sales and this is a great way to educate them and support them with purchase decisions.
Another top tip is to always have a range of payment methods available on site, so that you can reach a wider range of people when it comes to potential sales. You should also have strong delivery options and an easy returns policy, so that customers can purchase with ease.
Implementing a multi-courier strategy, rather than working with a sole courier will allow eCommerce businesses to offer more flexibility and options. Using more than one dedicated courier will also help to keep costs down.
If you opt to implement an order management system with pre-built courier integrations, then working with multiple couriers won’t even add to your admin burden. These pre-built integrations seamlessly connect with all the data within your platform, allowing it to automatically select the best courier for the job, based on rules you define (delivery date, product value, delivery location etc.)
Post-Covid service levels in peak seasons
Covid-19 had big impacts on order management, fulfilment and delivery processes across the world but now customers are no longer accepting Covid-19 as an excuse for late delivery. Poor customer service and a general lack of efficiency in the order process are not so widely tolerated. Post-Covid-19, shoppers are now spending less online but demanding better service when they do. According to a new study, two-thirds said they had noticed an increase in customer service problems at point of purchase and/or delivery since the pandemic began.
Peak sale periods are a real test on how effective a retailer’s order management and warehouse management systems are in meeting the high demands of customers. This is something that is crucial for retailers to get right, with 63% of customers stating poor delivery would stop them returning to a company.
Implementing technology such as a consolidated order management system can help retailers handle an increase in order demand, whether that’s supporting warehouse employees, or customer service teams during seasonal peaks. A sound order management system provides real-time data and displays achievable KPI’s, therefore reducing any errors and miscommunication in times where demand is high and retailers have to act quickly.
Grow your business online with content marketing solutions from Bubble SEO today.
We're excited to announce that AI Guest Posts has undergone a transformative rebranding and is now known as Bubble SEO. This strategic move has allowed the business to develop within the digital landscape and highlight our commitment to providing digital marketing solutions tailored to enhance online visibility and engagement for our customers.
Bubble SEO remains dedicated to delivering high-quality, targeted content and effective SEO solutions that align with evolving digital marketing trends. Here is a little more information about our brand and its services.
Our services:
At Bubble SEO, we specialise in three core services, with content writing being a new feature to the website:
Guest Posting: Which aims to enhance your online presence with high-quality guest posts on authoritative websites, driving traffic and boosting your SEO rankings.
Link Building: Helps build a robust backlink profile with strategic link building services that improve your website's authority and visibility.
Content Writing: Provides engaging content for your audience with compelling content tailored to your brand voice and SEO needs.
Benefits of Bubble SEO:
We have now made changes to the booking process to simplify this, and updated the customer dashboard section in the hope to improve our existing values below:
Enhanced Service Quality: With our rebranding comes a renewed focus on delivering top-notch services that exceed your expectations.
Improved User Experience: Our new website offers a streamlined interface, making it easier for you to navigate and access our services.
Expanded Network: Benefit from our expanded network of partner websites, ensuring broader outreach and better opportunities for your business.
Loyalty Rewards: As a token of our appreciation for the continued support of our bookers, we have now introduced loyalty rewards:
Exclusive Discounts: Enjoy special discounts as a loyal Bubble SEO customer, with the more points you acquire, the more exciting offers you will unlock.
We're thrilled about this new chapter as Bubble SEO and look forward to continuing to be your trusted partner in achieving your digital marketing goals. Stay tuned for more exciting updates and announcements!
Discover the new Bubble SEO and elevate your online presence today!
Jennifer Hobson – Digital Marketing [email protected]
Heather Ryan – Business Development [email protected]
Having a well-crafted website is essential for any business, big or small. For small businesses, particularly your website acts as your digital storefront, helping you attract and engage potential customers. But creating content that speaks to your audience while also supporting your business goals? That’s where many business owners struggle.
To make things easier, we’ve put together 10 practical tips to help you write website content that’s engaging, clear, and optimised to drive results.
1. Understand Your Audience
Before you start writing, take a step back and think about who you’re speaking to. Your website content should be tailored to your ideal customer—what they need, what challenges they face, and how your business can help.
Consider asking yourself:
Who is my ideal customer?
What problems are they looking to solve?
What kind of language or tone resonates with them?
Once you have these insights, your content will feel more natural, relatable, and persuasive.
2. Keep It Clear & Simple
People visit websites for quick, useful information—not lengthy, complicated text. Use straightforward language and break up content into easily digestible sections.
Some best practices include:
Writing short, easy-to-read sentences
Using clear headings and subheadings
Incorporating bullet points or numbered lists to highlight key points
If someone lands on your site, they should understand what you offer and how it benefits them within seconds.
3. Use a Conversational Tone
Small businesses thrive on personal connections, so your website content should reflect that. Instead of formal, robotic language, aim for a warm, engaging tone that makes visitors feel welcome.
For example, instead of: “Our services aim to improve business operations.”
Try: “We’re here to help you run your business more efficiently so you can focus on what you do best.”
A friendly, approachable tone makes your brand feel more human.
4. Focus on Benefits, Not Just Features
Customers don’t just want to know what you offer—they want to know why it matters to them. Instead of simply listing features, highlight the benefits.
Example:
Feature: “We offer next-day delivery.”
Benefit: “Get your order delivered fast, so you can start using it right away!”
By shifting the focus to how your product or service solves a problem, you’ll create more compelling content.
5. Optimise for SEO Without Overdoing It
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) helps your website rank higher on Google, making it easier for potential customers to find you. However, stuffing your content with keywords can make it sound unnatural.
Instead, focus on:
Naturally incorporating relevant keywords into your titles, headings, and first 100 words
Writing compelling meta descriptions
Using alt text for images
Adding internal and external links where appropriate
A well-planned SEO content strategy ensures your website reaches the right audience while maintaining readability. Many businesses also invest in SEO content services to improve their rankings and attract organic traffic. For expert guidance, check out Moz’s SEO Beginner’s Guide.
6. Include Strong Calls to Action (CTAs)
Your website should guide visitors toward a specific action—whether it’s making a purchase, booking a consultation, or signing up for a newsletter.
Examples of strong CTAs:
“Get your free quote today!”
“Sign up now for exclusive offers!”
“Book a call with us—we’d love to chat!”
Make sure your CTAs are clear, compelling, and easy to find. For more guidance on effective CTAs, visit HubSpot’s CTA Best Practices.
7. Share Your Brand Story
People love stories, and sharing yours helps build trust with your audience. Whether it’s how your business started, what you stand for, or the passion behind what you do—your brand story can make you more relatable and memorable.
For example, instead of just saying, “We sell handmade candles,” you could share:
“We started our candle-making journey in a small kitchen, inspired by a love for natural scents and eco-friendly products. Today, we hand-pour each candle with care, ensuring a toxin-free experience for our customers.”
This personal touch can make all the difference in building customer loyalty.
8. Craft Compelling Headlines
Your headlines should immediately capture attention and encourage visitors to keep reading. To make your headlines stand out:
Keep them clear and concise
Highlight the benefit to the reader
Use engaging words like “easy,” “ultimate,” “best,” or “proven”
For example:
“The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Small Business”
“Get Fast, Reliable Shipping—Order Today & Save 20%!”
A strong headline can make the difference between a visitor staying or clicking away. Need help crafting attention-grabbing headlines? Check out Copyblogger’s Guide to Writing Headlines.
9. Leverage Social Proof
People trust recommendations more than advertisements. Incorporating social proof—like customer testimonials, reviews, or case studies—can help build credibility.
Ways to showcase social proof:
Highlight positive customer testimonials
Share success stories and case studies
Display logos of trusted partners or media mentions
When potential customers see that others have had a great experience with your business, they’ll feel more confident in choosing you. For more on how social proof influences conversions, read Neil Patel’s Guide to Social Proof.
10. Keep Your Content Fresh & Updated
A website with outdated information can hurt your credibility. Regularly updating your content ensures that visitors always find relevant, up-to-date information.
Make it a habit to:
Refresh old blog posts with new insights
Update product descriptions and service offerings
Remove outdated information
Not only does this keep visitors engaged, but it also signals to search engines that your site is active, which can boost your rankings.
A well-maintained content marketing strategy includes regular updates, ensuring your site remains competitive in search results. Many small businesses turn to content marketing services for expert guidance on keeping their website relevant and engaging. For additional insights, check out Content Marketing Institute’s Strategy Guide.
Final Thoughts
Great website content isn’t just about filling up pages with words—it’s about crafting a message that resonates with your audience, builds trust, and drives action.
By keeping things clear, conversational, and customer-focused, you can turn your website into a powerful tool for business growth. Keep refining your content, test what works best, and always prioritise providing value.
If you're looking for expert support, investing in SEO content and content marketing services can help you develop a strong SEO content strategy that boosts traffic and conversions.
Now it’s time to put these tips into action—happy writing!
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) has brought both excitement and concern among digital marketers. As we move through 2024, the influence of AI on SEO is undeniable—paving the way for new opportunities while also introducing unique challenges. In this post, we explore the pros and cons of AI in the SEO landscape, and what it means for marketers looking ahead.
The Pros of AI in SEO: Redefining Efficiency and Strategy
1. Smarter Content Creation and Personalisation
AI-driven tools such as ChatGPT and beyond are transforming content creation by producing high-quality, human-like text efficiently. Marketers can now generate engaging content quickly, reducing the need for large content teams while improving personalisation. AI can analyse user behaviour, providing insights to help tailor content for individual preferences, boosting engagement, and enhancing the user experience.
2. Enhanced Keyword Research and Optimisation
AI-based platforms excel at processing vast amounts of data, making keyword research more precise and dynamic. Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush can identify patterns, trends, and opportunities that would be difficult to uncover manually. Additionally, AI tools have improved predictive analysis, helping marketers anticipate shifts in search trends, and allowing SEO strategies to stay ahead of the curve.
3. Advanced Automation for Routine Tasks
AI-powered automation simplifies repetitive SEO tasks such as technical SEO audits and backlink analysis. Automated SEO solutions can address on-page issues, create meta tags, and even generate schema markup—giving marketers more time to focus on strategic initiatives rather than mundane details.
4. Improved User Experience (UX)
Search engines are prioritising user experience more than ever, and AI plays a crucial role in analysing user interaction and optimising websites accordingly. AI can detect weak points like slow load times or confusing navigation, allowing for swift adjustments that lead to improved rankings. Google's Page Experience offers key metrics that indicate where websites can be improved to meet these standards.
The Cons of AI in SEO: Challenges and Considerations
1. Over-Reliance on Automation
One of the significant pitfalls is the risk of over-relying on AI for content creation and strategy. AI may generate content that lacks the nuance and creativity needed to truly connect with audiences. While AI can produce optimised content, it might miss the emotional and cultural context that humans bring to writing—potentially leading to a generic brand voice. For more on balancing AI and human input, check out HubSpot's guide to content marketing.
2. Algorithmic Unpredictability
Google and other search engines are incorporating more AI into their algorithms, making SEO practices less predictable. With AI-driven algorithm updates, SEO professionals might struggle to keep up with the rapid and sometimes opaque changes in search ranking factors. To stay informed about these changes, refer to the official Google Search Central Blog.
3. Ethical Concerns and Data Privacy
AI's reliance on data poses ethical concerns, especially regarding user privacy. The collection and processing of large volumes of personal data for better targeting can lead to privacy issues if not handled responsibly. Marketers need to be cautious about how they gather and use data, ensuring compliance with regulations like GDPR.
4. Content Saturation and Quality Issues
As AI makes content production faster, the web risks becoming oversaturated with mediocre content. The increased quantity of AI-generated articles could result in more competition, making it harder for high-quality, unique content to stand out. Ensuring originality and value in every piece becomes a critical challenge. To enhance your content, consider using Grammarly for quality assurance and to maintain a professional tone.
The Road Ahead: Balancing AI and Human Expertise
As AI continues to shape the SEO landscape, the key to success lies in balance. SEO professionals should leverage AI to enhance efficiency, provide data-driven insights, and optimise workflows. However, the human touch remains irreplaceable—marketers must ensure that creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking are at the forefront of their efforts.
The future of SEO in 2024 and beyond is exciting, filled with opportunities to harness the power of AI to create more impactful strategies. By embracing these technologies while recognising their limitations, marketers can navigate the evolving landscape with confidence and maintain a competitive edge.
Conclusion
AI is revolutionising SEO, bringing about both incredible advantages and significant challenges. The best results will come to those who use AI as a tool—augmenting, not replacing, the essential elements of human intuition, creativity, and strategy in digital marketing.
Introduction
As SEO has evolved over the years, so has its starting point: keyword research. In the early days, keyword research was all about chasing the highest-volume terms and stuffing them into your content. But today, success in SEO means understanding the human intent behind those searches.
Human-first keyword research focuses on solving real problems, using authentic language, and offering valuable context that truly serves your audience.
Not sure where to start? Let’s walk through how to create keyword research that’s built for humans first, algorithms second.
Understand Your Audience First
Like any successful business strategy, SEO starts with understanding your audience. Before diving into keyword tools, take the time to define your customer personas, who they are, what they care about, and what problems they’re trying to solve.
Once you’ve identified your target audience, map out their pain points and motivations. For example, you might have a small business owner who doesn’t understand SEO, lacks an in-house team, and has a limited budget. That person might search for phrases like “affordable SEO,” “local SEO agency,” or “cheap SEO packages.”
Use surveys, customer interviews, and online communities like Reddit or Quora to uncover how your audience actually talks about their challenges. Their language often reveals the best keywords.
Shift from Keywords to Topics
Modern SEO isn’t about isolated keywords, it’s about topical depth. Google’s algorithms now reward comprehensive content that explores an entire subject area.
For example, if you’re offering guest posting services (like we do at Bubble SEO), you might also target related terms such as “content marketing,” “link building,” and “affordable backlinks.” These connected keywords build topic authority and help Google understand your site’s expertise.
To organise this, create a topical map; a visual representation of your main topic (e.g., SEO) surrounded by related clusters (content strategy, backlinks, keyword research, etc.). This approach expands your reach and makes your site more relevant to a wider audience.
Gather Keyword Ideas with Empathy
Empathy is one of the most underrated tools in keyword research. Instead of guessing what people search for, listen to how they ask questions and express frustration.
Use tools like:
Google Autocomplete: Type your seed keyword (e.g., “SEO”) and see what suggestions appear.
Reddit, Quora, and niche forums: Great for uncovering natural phrasing and trending topics.
If your business is customer-facing, listen to support calls, emails, or chat logs. Real customer language can inspire highly specific, long-tail keywords like “how to improve local SEO” or “why backlinks are important.”
Since Google’s Helpful Content System now prioritises user-focused results, these question-based keywords are more valuable than ever.
Balance Data with Human Judgment
While empathy drives creativity, data validates it. Every keyword you target should have measurable search demand and achievable competition.
Check metrics like:
Search volume
Keyword difficulty or competition score
Click potential
You can use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Google Keyword Planner to evaluate your options.
Not every high-volume keyword is worth pursuing. If a term doesn’t match your audience’s needs or intent, it can drive the wrong traffic, or none at all. Prioritise relevance and conversion potential over vanity metrics.
Analyse Search Intent & Context
Every search has a purpose, and understanding that purpose is essential. Search intent typically falls into three main categories:
Informational – Learning something (e.g., “importance of content length in SEO”)
Transactional – Buying or signing up (e.g., “buy guest post”)
Navigational – Finding a specific brand or page (e.g., “Bubble SEO contact us”)
A healthy SEO strategy includes a mix of all three. Match your content format to intent:
Informational → Blog posts, guides, tutorials
Transactional → Service pages, product pages, offers
Navigational → Optimised homepage and contact pages
Validate Before You Create
Before investing time into content creation, validate your keyword choices.
Simply search your target terms in Google and ask yourself:
Do the results match what my audience would expect?
Are the top-ranking pages similar to what I plan to publish?
Would I be proud to see my content among them?
If the results don’t align with your goals or audience, it may be worth rethinking your keyword focus. A quick competitor analysis can help you gauge difficulty and opportunity.
Keep Iterating & Evolving
SEO isn’t static, it’s a living process. Keywords rise and fall in popularity, algorithms shift, and user behavior changes constantly.
Regularly review your keyword performance:
Is this term still driving traffic?
Has search volume increased or dropped?
Are rankings becoming harder to maintain?
If you notice shifts, adapt quickly. Revisit your keyword strategy, refresh outdated content, and look for new opportunities.
Tools like Google Search Console and Ahrefs Site Explorer can help track keyword trends over time.
Conclusion
Keyword research can be time-consuming, but it’s one of the most valuable investments you can make for your business.
When done with humans in mind, not search engines, it leads to stronger engagement, better content, and higher long-term rankings.
Remember: SEO isn’t linear. You’ll test, fail, learn, and adapt along the way. Keep your focus on solving real problems for real people, and the rankings will follow.
