The internet plays a crucial part in how successful a business can be. Customers are constantly looking online to get services like lawn care, roofing, or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Searching online is the most convenient way for clients to reach companies that offer these services. It also gives them several options, allowing them to choose the company that suits them best.
As a contractor, having a website can give you an online presence. However, many other contractors have their own websites and therefore, online presence, too. When people look for companies, they’re likely to check the first page of the search results only. This is where you should strive to be.
Ranking on the top pages of search engines is only possible if you implement proper search engine optimization (SEO) strategies on your website. This article looks at the different ways you can do this to improve your website rankings and visibility.
1. Focus on local SEO
Customers are more likely to consider service businesses that are within their locality. Thus, search engine algorithms include a proximity factor when displaying results whenever a user makes a particular query online. For this reason, your website should include local keywords, an optimised business listing, and your profile, including your name, address, and phone number (NAP citations).
If you are already using business management software such as Jobber to organise your operations, look to see whether there are any additional features you can utilise to help you with digital marketing. Jobber, for example, can integrate with Mailchimp, an all-in-one marketing automation platform. This allows you to run personalised local marketing campaigns with Facebook and Instagram that can help you reach new customers on a local level. (1)
Considering that a high percentage (about 46%) of searches on search engines have local intent, contractors must design their website with this in mind. Also, about 76% of consumers who search for local services online visit a store that same day. Therefore, showing your business is closer to your customers will make them come to you for your services. (1)
2. Update page titles and descriptions
A page title is a clickable headline that appears on search engine results and contains information about what your business is about. This title is essential as it helps search engines understand what your website contains and rank it for the associated keywords. Also, it’s the first impression a visitor will have of you before deciding whether to click the link or not, which makes it an important SEO consideration for contractors. You should also update your meta description to encourage readers to browse your website more. (2)
But what exactly do you add in the title and description? One of the significant things your page title should have is a description of the services you’re offering. For example, if you offer roofing services, make sure to include it in the title. The other important thing to add is your location because customers will want a service provider that’s close to them. (2)
3. Upload quality content
Marketers believe content is king, which is true, considering the role that content plays in SEO. Not only does it offer you a chance to add more keywords to your site, it also provides a good basis for link building and a source of information for your potential customers. Uploading authentic and relevant content on your website will show search engines your website is active, giving them more reasons to crawl it. (3)
When creating content, make sure you understand your audience well. This can be done through keyword research to help you determine what they’re likely to look for and what queries they’ll likely have. Then use these keywords in a natural and authentic way within your copy. When search engines see your site as a good source of information for users, there’s a good chance they’ll rank it higher. (3)
4. Have a link building plan
Link building is the process of attracting links to your website from other sources on the internet. With more links pointing to your website, search engines will treat it as an excellent source of information because of the trust built by your backlink profile. So, a general rule is always to look for links from sites with more authority as they’ll have more impact on your ranking. (4)
You can explore the different ways to get more links to your site. The best links should come from a relevant site with high authority. It should also be natural, meaning the link isn’t sponsored and the anchor text isn’t spammy, to avoid any penalties. You can claim unlinked mentions on different sites or guest posts for other publishers in exchange for links to your site. (5)
Conclusion
As a contractor, one of your goals should be to rank higher on search engines so customers can find you quickly. This will increase your chances of turning more prospects into customers. Therefore, make sure to apply SEO strategies and work toward implementing them to help your business grow. Explore ways such as local SEO, updating page titles and meta descriptions, link building, and content creation.
References
- “LOCAL SEO: The Definitive Guide (2022)”, Source: https://backlinko.com/local-seo-guide
- “SEO FOR CONTRACTORS: THE ULTIMATE EASY-TO-IMPLEMENT GUIDE”, Source: https://academy.getjobber.com/resources/articles/seo-for-contractors/
- “5 SEO Strategies to Increase Traffic to Your Business’s Website”, Source: https://pursuitlending.com/resources/5-seo-strategies-to-increase-traffic-to-your-businesss-website/
- “How to Create an SEO Strategy for 2021 [Template Included]”, Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/seo-strategy
- “11 Creative (But 100% White Hat!) Ways to Earn Backlinks in 2021”, Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/backlink-strategies?_ga=2.251067779.42189341.1613769316-1753347841.1613769316