Do you have a keyword strategy and is your website optimized for your business? What I’m getting at is that when someone is looking for a product or service on the internet they’ll type a word or phrase into the search engine and see what pops up, Right? You do it yourself whenever you are searching for something on Google, Yahoo, Bing or the hundreds of other places you can search from.
You need and should want to have a well optimized website for your business. I want you to understand that there is a difference between just having a site because everyone say’s “when you’re in business you need a website”, and having a website that becomes a Sales Force for your business.
Let’s get this out of the way right here. If you just want to have a website there are a lot of low cost options available for you. I’ve seen offers for websites starting at $4.99 a month. Building a website is a technical function. With technology the way it is, designers have some point and click options where you fill in your business name and address, click a button and you have a site instantly.
There’s nothing wrong with this option if all you are looking for is an online business card and are okay with sending your own traffic to it. In fact for a pay-per-click program this would be similar to what is called a landing page. Building a Website for Search Engine Optimization is completely different.
Let’s get back to your business and a search engine strategy for your business. What is the one, two, or even the few things you do in your business that sets you apart from your competitors? Stop and think about this for a moment. I’m not looking for a broad generalization here. If your business is Auto Repair you can’t just say “we fix Foreign and Domestic Automobiles” that’s too general. You need to be more specific here.
If you want to use the internet for marketing your business you need to zero in on what you do best and then start from there. Over time you will add all the other services to the site; however you want to make sure you’re targeting your optimal customer first.
To understand why you want to optimize for the core customer lets use the Auto repair business example. Let’s say that you do general auto repair you have a website built and it basically states that you repair Foreign and Domestic Automobiles. Well if you type into Google “Auto Repair” Google will give you over 45 million pages that mention auto repair to look at. How is your website going to stand out? It’s like trying to find a grain of sand in the desert that has your name on.
Let’s say you’re a shop owner, and you have a well optimized website for the term “BMW 735i tune up” (without quotes). If someone types into Google, “BMW 735i tune up” they then are only given 26,600 page returns, (not the 45 million plus). Now this is something a SEO/SEM specialist can work with. If a geographic modifier is added in like” BMW 735i tune up in Las Vegas” we’re down to 6,440 page returns. You should definitely be able to get first page position on this search term with a little work.
Are you starting to understand why keywords and how a website or better yet, webpage optimization is important to you and your business? To further understand this importance, who would be a better customer for your business if you’re the shop owner, the guy that somehow found you by typing in auto repair, or the guy with the 735i who is looking for the tune up?
Take a look at your own business and I’m sure you can make the comparison with the services you offer. A well optimized website/webpage will get you targeted customers raising their hand and saying I’m ready to do business with you.
