OK, I’ll admit it. Many years ago I started out behind on all this Internet/SEO/email/Google stuff. (And it hasn’t got a lot better for me!) My guess is many of you still struggle with staying up with all these “digital acronyms”! And yet a smart Internet strategy is a great way for a small cleaning or restoration company to “level the marketing playing field” against the “big boys” out there.
Now most cleaning and restoration contractors dislike, mistrust and/or actively hate Google and the capricious ways it runs its rankings. (Can’t say I blame you!) But you need to deal with it! Google is the 600# gorilla in the “doing business on the Internet” room and you better play nice with it!
Remember that how to improve your Google rankings is a constantly changing challenge. (Thanks once again to Googles’ arbitrary and constantly changing rules which much of the time are unannounced and/or “secret”! GRRRRR!)
But at the very least you should be checking how your business and your Internet/SEO strategy are doing with Google. My thanks to Internet marketing expert Joe Burnich with CarpetCleaningWebsites.net for these reminders!
1. DO NOT check your rankings every day! Check them once a week. In my company I check all of our SEO client’s rankings every Monday. This helps me see consistently and routinely what’s going on. Then I can have a game plan on what to do with the site. If you end up obsessively checking every day your head will explode! (Don’t ask me how I learned this!)
2. If your site is gradually climbing it could disappear for a day. DO NOT freak out! I’ve seen this happen where the site all of a sudden moves up two pages and then lands on Page 2 – then disappears for a day and then suddenly it’s on Page One! There is no rhyme or reason for why or how Google does this but it happens. Once you get on that first page life will get more stable and less stressful – trust me!
3. Don’t Screw It UP! We see a lot of people get on that first page and they can’t leave well enough alone. So they call me wanting more links which usually is a bad idea! Or they ruin their rankings because they mess with their site too much. (Usually by doing too many bad links.) With Google everything needs to be natural and not rushed. The most important thing is to have patience and do not get greedy!
NOTE #1: In our SFS program I strongly suggest to our members that they find a competent, reliable Internet consultant (hopefully one who knows our industry) and let them manage their website, SEO and Internet strategy.
NOTE #2: However, even the best Internet marketing expert can not magically conjure positive online reviews of your business out of thin air. Or if they do you should fire them! Don’t try to fool Mother Google! She will penalize you big time for trying to cheat! Instead, your job is to create (no surprise) ecstatic Customer Cheerleaders that are delighted to post glowing reviews of your company! HERE is how to create a super happy residential carpet cleaning Cheerleader. And HERE is a Restoration Cheerleader Checklist for you restoration contractors!
However, this does not mean you abdicate all control of your website. Nor should you stop learning and focusing on your Internet marketing. And yes, you should especially work on developing good “personalized content” for your website. (No one will ever have the interest you do in your business or your marketing.) Finally, always hold your Internet expert “accountable” by checking their results. After all, we all do better when “our feet are held to the fire!”