The Necessity of a Website
An estimated 97% of consumers use the internet to find local businesses. If someone searches “contractors near me,” on search engines like Google or Yahoo, you want to be among the first websites to pop up. Consider too that those actively searching for contractors are promising leads, intent on getting work done. You want to be visible to these leads by having a website, and you want to secure these leads by having a good one.
Your website should be a business card, showroom, and sales pitch all in one. Provide customers with an easy way to reach out and link to your socials to help them get connected. Showcase your work with before and after pictures and customer testimonials to build trust and validate your skills. And make the website visually appealing and reflective of your brand to express professionalism and differentiate yourself from competitors.
What Is SEO and How Does It Work?
Short for search engine optimization, SEO is the way you make your website visible — or higher ranked — in search results. When someone types something into a search engine, a complicated algorithm sorts through millions of potentially relevant web pages to present users with the best answers to their query.
Search engine algorithms are complicated and rely on hundreds of factors when determining rank. Some of the most important factors include links, website accessibility/mobile friendliness, page speed, tags, grammar, keywords, meta-descriptions, image alt text, information quantity, and more.
Not only is your website an opportunity to take control of your own digital narrative, it provides you with the space to be more visible.
By appealing to the factors search engine algorithms look for, you can boost your ranking and be on the first page. The first and perhaps most difficult place to implement SEO is in website development.
Invest in good developers who will make your website user friendly across devices.
Be sure to also link to your website from your other platforms and vice versa. From there, the search optimization techniques are largely inward and in your control — which is where blogging comes in.
Blogging and Content Marketing
Among the most important search engine ranking factors are keywords. These are words and phrases that users would be searching — like “contractors near me,” “home renovation help,” “builders,” etc. Through the pages on your website and a blog you are able to incorporate these keywords easily and be visible to people that might be searching them.
Write content that is informative and of interest to your customers, such as home renovation trends or kitchen countertop comparisons, but not overly promotional.
Be sure to incorporate keywords in the titles, headings, first and last paragraphs, image alt attributes, and meta descriptions.
Do not force the words in or try to hide them in white text as too many occurrences of keywords negatively impacts rank. Simply determine keywords of interest to you and naturally use them as you write.
Note that search engine algorithms consider the age of posts and consistency of posts so it is best to post semi-regularly, about once every week or two.
Appealing to search engine algorithms helps to make your company more visible to potential customers while also building your brand and engaging customers old and new alike. If you present customers with quality information that is relevant and compelling, they will see you as an expert in your craft.
Blogs provide you with the opportunity to show your knowledge of the market and express your commitment to what you do — which is a powerful way to differentiate yourself from competitors.
Blogs can be time consuming but the unparalleled opportunity they provide you with to boost your search engine rank organically and showcase your voice makes them worth a try.
PCA - Preferred Contractors Association
1811 Aston Ave., Ste. 200
Carlsbad, CA 92008