How do you think consumers find a reliable and reputable contractor? For most people, their search starts by using the internet and utilizing a search engine like Google. That’s how customers nowadays look for the products and services they need. Gone are the days when people will just refer to the yellow pages to look for a contractor or any company. Today, almost everybody has access to the internet, so whenever they need anything, they get the contact information of a particular business in a matter of seconds with just a few clicks. However, it is not enough that you appear in the search results. One of the challenges you will have to face is to make your website get the top ranks in the Google search results if you want to generate more leads for your business. And this is where SEO comes in.
SEO or search engine optimization pertains to all the steps you need to take to make sure that your site ranks as high as possible in the Google search results. And if you are wondering why your ranking matters, that is because people are more likely going to click the first few links that they see listed. When your ranking goes up, you will get more of these clicks from potential leads. Aside from driving more traffic to your site, SEO also increases brand awareness so that people get to be more and more familiar with you as a contractor. However, achieving success in SEO does not happen overnight but if you want to get it right, here are some tips you might want to follow.
1. Research keywords.
When a potential client searches for a contractor, they will use some common words or phrases, and this is what you will have to find out. You need to know what internet users are typing in the search when looking for a company like yours, as well as the services you offer. And then, you need to choose the best keywords for your SEO. Just go for the simple, yet specific and long-tail keywords instead of the vague ones. You can also use certain tools for your keyword research just like the Google Keyword Planner.
2. Choose the right URL.
Your URL or your domain name is the address that potential clients will be typing in to be able to find your website. This is also the same thing that Google looks into to understand what your site is about, which is why it is crucial that you make your URL simple, clean and direct to the point. An ideal URL should have your business name and maybe a keyword that is relevant to your company.
3. Post blogs regularly to your website.
Blogs are an excellent way to land on higher ranks in the Google search results. Google loves blogs so make sure that you are consistent with your posting. However, if you want to be able to generate leads through your content, you need to make sure that you don’t have these blogs posted just for the sake of your SEO. Remember that quality is still important over quantity. Make your content count by ensuring that you provide your customers what they need from you. Make them valuable, informational, useful and relevant. They should answer your customers’ questions and provide a solution to their problem.
4. Make sure your website is listed in online directories.
Getting your business listed on major online directories can significantly impact your local search rankings. However, it can be pretty time consuming if you decide to do it all by hand. There are certain sites which you can try like the GetListed.org so that you can check your listing presences in the major directories. And to distribute your listing information, you may have to pay for certain services like that of Universal Business Listing’s Professional Package which is going to be worth every cent you pay.
5. Upload images of your work and optimize them.
Aside from blogs, another excellent way to increase your rankings is by uploading photos of the projects you want to highlight. Some contractors will upload the before and after photos, and while this may be common, find a way to make yours unique. Also, do not forget to optimize the images and reduce the file size of the photos. Heavier file size means slow loading of your site and if your site takes a long while to load, you will get higher bounce rate since people will just shut the window down and go to the next company on the list.
With hundreds and thousands of websites today of different business in various industries, it can be quite challenging to ensure that your site will get the top rankings in Google. However, there are many ways to make them happen. These are just some simple tips you can try but they can immensely increase your chances or ranking really well.
