Search engine optimization is still as important as ever in marketing, and after all these years, you're perhaps still perplexed on how it works. Maybe you've had some minor experiences with it in the past through another business, yet left most of it up to experts. While this was a good idea on your part, many SEO tips aren't complicated. Many things you can do on your own, though working with an expert SEO team helps you with better guidance to do things correctly.
Now that you're running a building materials company, you need SEO more than ever in your online marketing because of the intense competition. All it takes is ignoring one small aspect of SEO and it could affect your search engine rankings for months.
Because Google is overly picky on how all businesses use SEO, you need to know industry tips to make it work. However, you have to avoid black hat SEO principles, otherwise known as keyword stuffing for starters.
Here are some smart SEO tips for building materials companies and how they benefit you:
Things to Avoid in Your SEO, Plus Keywords
As mentioned above, keyword stuffing is a major faux pas when working with SEO. For a time, some so-called professional SEO companies got away with conducting black-hat SEO principles that ultimately ruined many businesses later. Along with keyword stuffing, they also used questionable links in website copy, which eventually became punished by Google.
Many businesses inadvertently using black-hat SEO ended up sinking to the bottom of Google rankings and required hiring reputable experts to repair things.
Don't let your building materials company fall into this trap. Make sure all links on your website and on your blog go to reputable sites. Plus, keyword use needs more careful consideration to assure you're found under the right search terms.
Use natural, phrase-like keywords that customers like interior designers or architects typically use to find your company. Long-tail keywords are very important for more unique search terms in your business. Creating overly general keywords will only throw you into a cyber sea of competitors using the same words.
Don't forget to add your most important keywords in the first 100 words of your site copy, including your title. Incorporating a unique keyword phrase in your business title also helps get you found faster.
Using Meta Descriptions
Far too many businesses forget about how important meta descriptions are. Don't neglect these in your website copy because Google picks these up and summarizes the description below your website link.
If you just place general copy, it's going to look confusing to someone searching for building supply sites on their mobile device. By making meta descriptions like ad copy each page of your site, you give a clearer idea of what your site is about.
As SEO analysts remind us, a meta description is just one part of meta tags you need on every web page. Make your meta description compelling so it attracts your customers rather than just making you blend in with everyone else. A good way to start is to use phrases that help solve a problem for an interior designer or architect and are relevant to the content on the page.
XML Sitemaps
This might sound like an arcane SEO term, though it's very useful. An XML sitemap is a model of web content to help users and search engines navigate your site. The sitemap organizes this information in different formats to again help you get found easier.
Obviously, you want all of your web pages found through searches, especially when one page has specific content about your products designed for a unique customer.
You can work with Google to create an effective XML sitemap by opening an account at Google Webmaster Tools.
The main take away here is that educating yourself on SEO and following best practices will positively affect your website. SEO is just one of the pieces of the inbound marketing puzzle, and it is an important one so don’t leave it out.
