Website Ranking

[SCgreenscapes]

Hey guys. I am currently working with a designer to create a new website for my company and was wondering if any of you see your statistics on searches and key words? I know that i need to really find 10 or so that really draw the most searches. What is the most popular search words you guys finding people using when they find your company?

John

[CaptainsLS]

"stone+veneer+massachusetts" keeps coming up in my access logs as a search. I seem to see that the most often so far.

[SCgreenscapes]

perfect. that is the kind of stuff i am looking for.

[mckeeland]

i just went to an estimate that i was found searching hardscapes, probable NJ. i just spent the past several months figuring out how to optimise my website. it is finally paying off. i am by no means an expert, but i have learned a lot of good points from several different sources. i have a alot of keywords now. its also important to consider the area that you want people to search, that should be on your site as well as your meta key words. you need the zip codes, counties, the towns that you most work in.

an easy way to figure this out is to do a search using the keywords you want to come up under, ie harscapes(your area, or state). then click on the top search results. if you right click on the home page and scroll down to "view source" this will pull up the meta tags for that site. take note of the key words they use.

download this program. http://www.ibusinesspromoter.com/download/index.htm

they have a free demo that works good enough to get started. this will help you figure out how to optimize your site and do good research of what works.

[CaptainsLS]

This stuff is latin to me but I noticed there are meta tags "descriptions" & "keywords", I don't know if it does anything but I used the "HTML mark up" option as well to hide text in the site. Are there any more meta tags that I'm not aware of?

[SCgreenscapes]

it's all Greek to me too. I am just basing my discussion on what my guy talks about. I figured i would get some industry specific ideas.

[mckeeland]

i had no idea about any of this stuff when i started my website. but i soon realized how important it was to have a website that brought in leads. the problem is that your web guy can be the best web guy in the world, but he knows nothing about hardscaping, thats why it pays for you to have a basic knowledge of how it works. you know the terms that people will search and what type of customers you are looking to attract.

[mdvaden]

Hey guys. I am currently working with a designer to create a new website for my company and was wondering if any of you see your statistics on searches and key words? I know that i need to really find 10 or so that really draw the most searches. What is the most popular search words you guys finding people using when they find your company?

John

This is going to be fun !!

First, I've been to the top, and more or less am at the top of the heap now.

Search on Google:

Portland Arborist
Portland Landscape Designer

In results, don't just look at the page titles - look at the URL. That's where you will see the "mdvaden".

As far as Google is concerned, Arborist business and Landscape Designer as similar as Arborist is to Chemical Engineer. Keywords are mostly different, etc.. So my one single site, has contended with two different trades and reached the first page for both of them. I think it has a few designers and arborists scratching their heads, because I'm in Medford at the moment.

There's about 20 other variations, reversed, plural, singular, etc.. All in all, I'm way up there in a very bit city.

Now, I don't live there :violin:

That said, and that searched, go to this page here for where my thinking is on websites...

http://www.mdvaden.com/website_traffic.shtml

That's my take on websites for local services. :gossip:

[SCgreenscapes]

That said, and that searched, go to this page here for where my thinking is on websites...

http://www.mdvaden.com/website_traffic.shtml

That's my take on websites for local services. :gossip:[/QUOTE]

that is some good stuff. I see the same things with people and thier websites. It's like they don't take it seriously. I have it on the front and back of my business cards, on my tshirts and here is a pic of it on my truck. If that does not say look at me, nothing will.

[SCgreenscapes]

My thoughts are, someone will most likely remember the website address when they see it out somewhere better than they will remember a phone number.

[mdvaden]

My thoughts are, someone will most likely remember the website address when they see it out somewhere better than they will remember a phone number.

That's my thought.

Good signage on the back. I know when I'm buzzin down the highway, that's the only place I can look at for a long time following or approaching to safely drive and read info.

Sides are okay, but when pulling alongside, it's either take your eyes off the road, or just a quick glance while passing.

[SCgreenscapes]

Exactly, That Is Why It Is So Big. A Quick Glance Will Allow You To Read It. It Also Helps When People Are Doing Drive By's On Customer Sites And They Only See The Side Of Your Vehicle.

[CaptainsLS]

Got a real random one today for ya---- "brick herringbone landscaping stoop"
Hope no one calls me asking for one of these.

[Andrew Hardscape]

Its all about WORDS.

Words words words words words words words words words words words words words words !

Meta tags don't do a whole lot.

What the spiders find is the content of text throughout your pages, the titles of your pictures, and your PAGE TITLES. And wanna know something? Page titles are where it's at. (at least for us).

Without search engine optimization - your site is LOST floating in cyberspace.

I'd guess that in 2007, 80% of our sales were generated from our website, which people found from conducting an internet search.