New Websites and SEO topic - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

**Nathan** · 06-01-2009, 11:37 PM

This topic is probably way over due. We have been discussing websites for years under the technology forum but I think it's time to group all these discussions together.

In this new Websites and SEO forum we will be reviewing each others websites, asking technical questions, and discussing SEO (aka Search Engine Optimization).

Enjoy... I know I will

Mike(VA) · 06-02-2009, 03:05 PM

Thanks, Nathan. Do old topics with certain terms get migrated over? Still, great to see this.

Tiger · 06-02-2009, 03:43 PM

Thanks Nathan.

I've done a little research on SEO and probably got good results out of dumb luck more than skill or knowlege.

What I'm very interested in is what to have on a website to encourage phone calls and especially to increase sales. Any ideas?

jbogs1 · 06-02-2009, 09:04 PM

Hi Tiger- just took a peek at your site.

First thing... I've got to tell you I absolutely love what you've done with the truck you have pictured on the site.

It's grrreat!

Sounds like you're goal is to get that phone to ring

Right now purely from a "consumer" / visitor stand point I'm a bit lost when I get to your site. In the marketing world we call it lacking "a call to action" or "a most wanted response".

Right now as a consumer I come to your site and I'm there for 3 seconds and I'm gone because there's nothing that catches me. In fact from a copy perspective it looks almost unfinished.

Now please understand 3 seconds (according to web stats) is about normal when people come to a site and don't find what they want.

Let's work backwards.... You want someone to contact you preferably by phone. Got it!

I'll pretend I'm the consumer... OK?

Let's start.

I'm searching the web for an electrician (in your case) not because I want to BUT because I'm in a situation. It could be a good situation or a bad one.

Another words I could be looking for an Elec to wire the new house I'm building or I could be in an emergency situation with no lights or some where in between.

You with me?

So I'm looking because I have a problem and I need help. What's worse is I know I need someone with the skills to help me but I've also got to worry about who can I trust...

So it's all about me and my problem.

I'd sure like to land on a page that made sense to me based on my situation and my search. So if I'm looking for an emergency Elec guy I'd like to find a headline that said:

"Emergency Electrical Contractor" available 24-7,
fully licensed, BBB accredited ready, willing, and able to help you.
Call XXX right now for immediate service.

Now if I'm a consumer with that kind of a problem I'm not searching anywhere else. I'm pickin' up my phone and I'm calling you!

Now you can certainly search engine optimise a page for that term in the local towns that you cover in order to get that kind of visitor and you should... (emergency electrician union as an example)

But you can also make some better use of that big fat header you have at the top of the page by adding something like Emergency Electrical Problems our specialty, 24 hour service call XXXXX

Starting to get the picture?

Now that's a "I need it now kind of consumer"

You might get hit with someone checking out Elec guys for their new house...

How about a "special report" on the 5 things every consumer should know before they choose an electrician to work on their existing or new construction?

Think as a consumer getting ready to build and I'm searching around that I'd be interested in getting a little education and giving you my name and email address to get it?

Think if you had whats called an "auto responder" set up on your home page that offered that report and collected their info and emailed that special report to me instantly 24 hours a day would be a good thing? (and hands free making the admin side easy for you)

Think you get set up the information in that report to set you apart from all the other local contractors in your area and position your company as the best choice PLUS present yourself like the expert?

Now you're positioning yourself as the go to guy, the guy with all the answers the expert... and you know what experts get more money and there worth it.

In fact the whole concept of 'is that your best price' goes out the window.

Reason is you're not dealing with a commodity electrician any more. As a consumer I'm dealing with someone already helping me and according to the special report really knows what he's talkin' about.

Better still everyone goes through what they call a buying cycle. In the example above the consumer is in the early "information gathering" stage so your information is valuable.

Now you've captured their email and you can contact them in a few days and ask if they have any questions and you can start a relationship. If there not ready you email them again in a few weeks with more good information that would help them...

By the time that consumer has gone through their buying cycle and are ready to spend some cash who do they have a relationship with? Who do they allready trust?

So getting a call is good getting an email is good too.

Ultimately you'll need to:
#1 identify why consumers need your service.
#2 what they need to know before they can make a buying decision so that they'll be comfortable when they make that decision.
#3 while you're doing all this... position yourself as the best answer to their problem

Once you get that you modify your site accordingly with a call to action like Call Now or Grab this special report....

There's a bit of strategy that goes into this in order to give people a reason to contact you and then you must have a process in place to handle that lead.

Once you have that strategy you can layout your site accordingly.

Good news get this working and you'll get more leads and you'll close them more often.

Hope that helps

jbogs1
www.*******************.com

silvertree · 06-02-2009, 09:10 PM

Damn, good timing for this. I like my site, I am on page 1 for about 8 search terms, but my conversions are 1 lead for every 5 or 600 visits, I get 800 visits a month.
So now I am working on where are people leaving. My website guy is Upscale from CT, I enjoy working with him and now that the site is up and running we are working on more traffic and conversions.

Tiger, I really like your informative and blunt style. Good work!

Mr. Mike · 06-02-2009, 10:29 PM

Nathan, you summin like a genius.

Tiger · 06-02-2009, 10:42 PM

My next change will probably be a contact area and contact page to collect emails. I get what you're saying about a call to action. Maybe I've been researching marketing too long. Everything I see says CALL NOW! It doesn't make me go to the phone---ever.

Me blunt? I didn't know it was so transparent. Your conversion rate is typical from what I'm finding. It's a great value for advertising but don't expect a lot of calls. I like your pictures a lot. I'd like to get some good photos w/o slowing the load time much.

I've intentionally made it look amateurish. I don't know if that helps or hurts the response. Of course I only hear from the people that like the site.

jbogs1 · 06-02-2009, 11:03 PM

Hey Tiger- I hear you with everything being a call now thing. It's become such a loud scream that consumers pretty much tune it out so the key is being relevent with a call now that makes sense.

Think about it like this... a call now only gets you to call now when it's appropriate to the situation. The trick is to get the right traffic to your site at the right time and tell them what you wnat them to do once they get there.

I think I understand your amateurish slant and from one perspective I understand. I think (and correct me if Im wrong) what youre trying to do is appear less corporate.

After all people do business with people and develop relationships with people not necessarily corporations so from that perspective I'm with you.

Id like to respectfully suggest you get some web site feedback from as many differnet people as you can. Or the next time you're in the market to buy something and YOU have your consumer hat on....

Then think through and conciously feel the emotions and hear the questions you're asking yourself when you visit different web sites.

It's easier said then done but if you can tap into that when you're in a consumer mind frame you'll be able to transfer that over when you relook at your site.

It's tough especially when it's your baby. but it's sure worth the effort.

Good luck tiger and I'll bet that truck is one heck of a marketing magnet.

Nice job!

Jbogs1

karunnt · 06-02-2009, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silvertree

Damn, good timing for this. I like my site, I am on page 1 for about 8 search terms, but my conversions are 1 lead for every 5 or 600 visits, I get 800 visits a month.
So now I am working on where are people leaving.

Most people will NEVER take this advice but ...

Collect nine contractor sites that are the best in the business and add yours to make a set of ten.

Then ask a few people (who don't know you and are typically people who hire you) what business they would most like to do business with and WHY.

Ask them what they think of the business behind the website. Rate the business on different scales: competent, trustworthy, knowledgeable - you find some measures.

Maybe you will get something you can use or maybe not.

PS. If they know which is your business they will never be truthful. We are too close to our business/website and it is difficult to see it as our customers see it.

silvertree · 06-03-2009, 06:58 AM

That's a good idea, how about this.
Let's make a couple of groups of 5 of us and test our sites.
I'm game, can I get 4 other guys to make the 5.
I'm guessing this will take some time, but I'm open to it.

SLSTech · 06-03-2009, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silvertree

That's a good idea, how about this.
Let's make a couple of groups of 5 of us and test our sites.
I'm game, can I get 4 other guys to make the 5.
I'm guessing this will take some time, but I'm open to it.

Mine will kick ...
ehhh, never mind - I guess we will find out

**BuiltByMAC** · 06-03-2009, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silvertree

That's a good idea, how about this.
Let's make a couple of groups of 5 of us and test our sites.
I'm game, can I get 4 other guys to make the 5.
I'm guessing this will take some time, but I'm open to it.

I'd be up for that. I need to drag myself into the 21st century in terms of SEO. I know how to build sites, I've just done nothing in terms of marketing it.

Let me know how you'd like to proceed, Silver -

Mac

Mr. Mike · 06-03-2009, 10:47 AM

I'm chomping at the bit lets do something.

Sportioli did a test like this for me and him a while back, he put up like 7 painting websites on the IE screen and had random people look at them and mine was clicked more and looked at longer than any of the painters websites. I'll see if he will explain.

Tiger · 06-03-2009, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbogs1

Hi Tiger- just took a peek at your site.

First thing... I've got to tell you I absolutely love what you've done with the truck you have pictured on the site.

It's grrreat!

Sounds like you're goal is to get that phone to ring

Right now purely from a "consumer" / visitor stand point I'm a bit lost when I get to your site. In the marketing world we call it lacking "a call to action" or "a most wanted response".

Right now as a consumer I come to your site and I'm there for 3 seconds and I'm gone because there's nothing that catches me. In fact from a copy perspective it looks almost unfinished.

Now please understand 3 seconds (according to web stats) is about normal when people come to a site and don't find what they want.

Let's work backwards.... You want someone to contact you preferably by phone. Got it!

I'll pretend I'm the consumer... OK?

Let's start.

I'm searching the web for an electrician (in your case) not because I want to BUT because I'm in a situation. It could be a good situation or a bad one.

Another words I could be looking for an Elec to wire the new house I'm building or I could be in an emergency situation with no lights or some where in between.

You with me?

So I'm looking because I have a problem and I need help. What's worse is I know I need someone with the skills to help me but I've also got to worry about who can I trust...

So it's all about me and my problem.

I'd sure like to land on a page that made sense to me based on my situation and my search. So if I'm looking for an emergency Elec guy I'd like to find a headline that said:

"Emergency Electrical Contractor" available 24-7,
fully licensed, BBB accredited ready, willing, and able to help you.
Call XXX right now for immediate service.

Now if I'm a consumer with that kind of a problem I'm not searching anywhere else. I'm pickin' up my phone and I'm calling you!

Now you can certainly search engine optimise a page for that term in the local towns that you cover in order to get that kind of visitor and you should... (emergency electrician union as an example)

But you can also make some better use of that big fat header you have at the top of the page by adding something like Emergency Electrical Problems our specialty, 24 hour service call XXXXX

Starting to get the picture?

Now that's a "I need it now kind of consumer"

You might get hit with someone checking out Elec guys for their new house...

How about a "special report" on the 5 things every consumer should know before they choose an electrician to work on their existing or new construction?

Think as a consumer getting ready to build and I'm searching around that I'd be interested in getting a little education and giving you my name and email address to get it?

Think if you had whats called an "auto responder" set up on your home page that offered that report and collected their info and emailed that special report to me instantly 24 hours a day would be a good thing? (and hands free making the admin side easy for you)

Think you get set up the information in that report to set you apart from all the other local contractors in your area and position your company as the best choice PLUS present yourself like the expert?

Now you're positioning yourself as the go to guy, the guy with all the answers the expert... and you know what experts get more money and there worth it.

In fact the whole concept of 'is that your best price' goes out the window.

Reason is you're not dealing with a commodity electrician any more. As a consumer I'm dealing with someone already helping me and according to the special report really knows what he's talkin' about.

Better still everyone goes through what they call a buying cycle. In the example above the consumer is in the early "information gathering" stage so your information is valuable.

Now you've captured their email and you can contact them in a few days and ask if they have any questions and you can start a relationship. If there not ready you email them again in a few weeks with more good information that would help them...

By the time that consumer has gone through their buying cycle and are ready to spend some cash who do they have a relationship with? Who do they allready trust?

So getting a call is good getting an email is good too.

Ultimately you'll need to:
#1 identify why consumers need your service.
#2 what they need to know before they can make a buying decision so that they'll be comfortable when they make that decision.
#3 while you're doing all this... position yourself as the best answer to their problem

Once you get that you modify your site accordingly with a call to action like Call Now or Grab this special report....

There's a bit of strategy that goes into this in order to give people a reason to contact you and then you must have a process in place to handle that lead.

Once you have that strategy you can layout your site accordingly.

Good news get this working and you'll get more leads and you'll close them more often.

Hope that helps

jbogs1
www.*******************.com

I had to come back to this today because I had trouble focusing on your points yesterday.

Barrington: 847-381-3333
Crystal Lake: 815-444-7744
Email: dave@tigerelectrical.com

David Pieplow, Owner
Serving Cook, Kane, Lake and McHenry County 25 Years

Electricians and Electrical Contractors - Hiring Tips
(click here for an article by Dave Pieplow)

Above is information that you get on my site on the home page w/o scrolling down. There's contact information and an article on hiring contractors. Isn't that what you're suggesting or did you not see it for some reason?

I think my next line is Emergency Service, so are you just saying the layout is wrong?

Tiger · 06-03-2009, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karunnt

Most people will NEVER take this advice but ...

Collect nine contractor sites that are the best in the business and add yours to make a set of ten.

Then ask a few people (who don't know you and are typically people who hire you) what business they would most like to do business with and WHY.

Ask them what they think of the business behind the website. Rate the business on different scales: competent, trustworthy, knowledgeable - you find some measures.

Maybe you will get something you can use or maybe not.

PS. If they know which is your business they will never be truthful. We are too close to our business/website and it is difficult to see it as our customers see it.

I feel pretty dense on this one but I don't get it. Here are 10 sites, please rate them and try not to notice that one of them is my site? It could work for us but it would be strange to ask a client or friend.

rbsremodeling · 06-03-2009, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silvertree

That's a good idea, how about this.
Let's make a couple of groups of 5 of us and test our sites.
I'm game, can I get 4 other guys to make the 5.
I'm guessing this will take some time, but I'm open to it.

I like this idea too. I am game for it

silvertree · 06-03-2009, 08:05 PM

OK, I will put your sites on my Bookmarks bar and over the next couple of weeks get 2 or 3 people to give me an opinion. I'll probably have to get my wife drunk to do this for me, but that worked when we were dating, so I'll start with her.

rbsremodeling · 06-03-2009, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silvertree

OK, I will put your sites on my Bookmarks bar and over the next couple of weeks get 2 or 3 people to give me an opinion. I'll probably have to get my wife drunk to do this for me, but that worked when we were dating, so I'll start with her.

Why do you guys make this stuff so easy. I will resist the temptation to go over to the dark side

RCPainting · 06-03-2009, 08:17 PM

One of you could setup a page at http://delicious.com and add all the sites and just send the one link.
Or you can use Google Docs, use a document that can be shared or create a poll.

jbogs1 · 06-03-2009, 08:26 PM

or tie it all into http://www.surveymonkey.com/ and have people do it right online.

jbogs1