First and foremost, I'm going to make assumptions about your business based on what I read. If they are wrong, please correct me and I'll adjust my review accordingly.
On site:
First of all, for being an 'older' site yours does actually have a very appealing look. It's basic, but it doesn't look like it was thrown together in your basement, which in my book is always a plus.
I do have a few complaints though, please don't take them personally! -
First, the page that welcomes me is almost a book. At least it reads like one. When I visit a website you have a few seconds to tell me you have what I'm looking for, otherwise I'm off to hit that back button and try again. Pictures work well for this, as do links, but not without supporting text that is concise and to the point. Pictures along with (short) testimonials from the clients whom they belong to is even better. It's really a personal preference if you'd like to go with bullets or pictures with captions, just avoid making me read a paragraph when I first get to your site.
Not to say all paragraphs are bad - If I make it to your 'about us' section I'd like to see a little more information, much like what you have. How long you've been in business and what you specialize in is great. Also it doesn't hurt to repeat yourself if you've got a customer that has made it to your about page. You have great credentials, make them stand out with a bulletted list before or after your wording so they really stick out and stick with me.
Next - you have to ask yourself what is the point of your website? What do you want it to do? Do you want it to just provide information to potential clients or do you want it to provide you with information about those potential clients? I'm guessing option 2 is what you're after.
When I first get to your site the hardest thing to do is find your phone number, crammed in way at the bottom. And if I do make it past that first page, it's always the smallest thing on every page past that. This should stand out, and be at the top of every page.
Your contact us page is good, but you should reiterate what you focus on with your main page. Give me a call to action - 'Call us to lock in your 5% discount before the promotion ends' type of thing. Give me a reason to call you now instead of hitting my back button and looking at the other contractors websites I've found in my search results.
Your information request page does not work properly. The file 'FormMail.pl' doesn't exist, which I'm guessing is supposed to send you the email. Did you get an email from me requesting information? I'm guessing not. There is also a post which I was involved in about contact forms you might want to take a look at:
http://www.contractortalk.com/f12/ma...website-66052/
you should give it a read, and check out that problem with your form (or drop me a PM, I can help..)
Do you have business cards that use a logo? You have some great pictures that make up your heading, but your company name isn't impressive. If you don't have a logo thats fine, but consider having that text reworked to make your name stand out so I know who's site I'm on.
I also am a big fan of organization, especially with how many pictures you have in your gallery. If I want to have my basement finished, I want to see pictures of previous basements you finished. I'm not sure I'm going to sort through all the pictures you have to find one. Now if they were categorized once I hit that page, I could easily check out the work you've done that interests me. And even better would be to use your absolute best pictures along with captions to link to those desperate sections of your gallery so when I first hit there I might go to the basements section, but seeing that amazing refinished kitchen might get me thinking about that too.
Off Site:
From the title of your website, I gather this is what you are trying to rank for:
missouri home improvements
cabinetry
woodwork
siding
windows
addtions
basements
for arguments (and times) sake lets just use a few as examples. Your primary business is remodeling. But being Joe Homeowner in Wentzville, I wouldn't know you exist:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&r...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&r...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&r...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
I'll stop there as I'm sure you get the point. Head on over to:
http://www.google.com/local/add/look...hl=en-US&gl=US
and list your business on Google!
Now BEFORE you hit that submit button, check your description against how people search on google. For example:
http://www.google.com/sktool/#keywor...e%20remodeling
In the top left you can type in different keywords (think basement finishing, siding, etc) and make sure your description uses those keywords! Also make sure to consider the searchers frame of mind. For example:
http://www.google.com/sktool/#keywords?q=siding
or....
http://www.google.com/sktool/#keywor...20installation
is for siding. You might supply vinyl siding - but if a searcher types in vinyl siding chances are they aren't looking for a contractor, but looking for information, to compare prices on siding, to see examples, etc. Make sure to refine your searches to exactly what you do:
http://www.google.com/sktool/#keywor...g%20contractor
to achieve the results you are after.
The same thing should happen off-site with your link building campaign (the topic is typically beat to death everywhere, but if you have questions about building links and changing your position in the search engines please ask - the only dumb question is the one that isn't asked and all that..so I'm not going to beat a dead horse unless you want details.
This is another great area where you new, catagorized gallery can come in handy. Each one of those catagories is a great chance to talk about a specialized area of work you do while showing off pictures - and something people will be searching for. If I personally needed siding on my house I wouldn't go to google and type in home improvements, or even general contractor. I would be specific, and search for a siding contractor, or siding installation. Think how your customer will think, pretend you are them and going to google. Or ask a family member to search on google by prompting them with 'if you needed (insert service here) done to your house, how would you find them online?'. As long as they aren't in the business themselves, you'll get some very accurate results for how people would look for you. Now you've got keywords to focus individual sections of your site on and can get away from that 'every page has the exact same title and focus on my site' that you have working against you now.
Ok - I can keep going but I'm going to cut myself short. If this is too much info, please tell me. If you want me to go on, I'd be more then happy to continue with more. You're the first...victim..of my critique and I want to make sure I don't give you so much that you're overwhelmed and not sure where to begin.
I appreciate you stepping up, and welcome to the community. If you need a hand with getting things setup differently, let me know. I'm looking to build a reputation and willing to work free of charge in exchange for an honest testimonial for the work performed (see, bet you wish you had volunteered your site and questions now don't you...). I'm sure I'll extend the offer to a few people, so keep the questions and websites coming.
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