Are you a restoration company looking for SEO services? Before you run and sign up with a SEO company, there are a few things you first should know about the present state of search engine optimization. That is why we’ve created a comprehensive guide for water damage restoration SEO.
Digital marketing companies who “specialize” in marketing for restoration companies will often offer SEO but certainly do not specialize in it. As an upsell for their website design services, they put in place the basic SEO best practices. Unfortunately, this will leave you short of the first page for Google search and the Google Business listing.
To win at this form of organic lead generation, you must have the latest strategies and a sound action plan. The basics are a good start but just don’t cut it.
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There are plenty of digital marketing options to choose from. You can use Google ads, Facebook ads, Instagram ads, Yelp ads and more. These examples give you immediate clicks and brand awareness. So why go with SEO?
SEO is like Google AdWords except spending goes down over time, not up. Search engine optimization requires a solid foundation, whereas ad platforms change by someone simply outspending you. There’s nothing wrong with PPC and social media ads, but in most cases, they should not be the first option.
What is SEO?
For those just hearing about organic search marketing, SEO is a form of digital marketing helping people see your website. This means increasing your organic ranking in places like Google, Bing, Yahoo, Yandex, DuckDuckGo, and every other search engine. Instead of paying per click to earn leads from potential customers, you get more phone calls and website traffic thanks to work done ahead of time.
What is Water Damage SEO?
We have the utmost respect for the referrals that a water damage company receives. These are probably the greatest revenue driver of your business. But this doesn’t mean other forms of lead generation are not important.
Search engine optimization for restoration services is ranking high in Google search, maps, directories, and other search engines where customers in an urgent need can find your business. This is to support your referral efforts.
Water damage restoration SEO is not the simplest form of internet marketing, but then again, most hard things have a better payoff. Like your business, SEO is water damage marketing that prevents marketing emergencies in the future.
What is Local SEO?
Google and other search engines have a specific algorithm to showcase local businesses. The page looks different, performing a local search.
In this search type, it displays the Google Map Pack, which showcases nearby businesses. For each business it provides the name, city, phone number, review rating, and a link to call or visit the website.
The digital marketing strategy we create for Local SEO differs from our national clients. Our strategy begins in the same way but shifts in how to get results; fast. This means putting aside the common understanding of search engine optimization and focusing on quick wins in organic search.
Local SEO for a Restoration Company
Below, we will outline each step in how we help local restoration businesses. This does not include great detail about our water damage SEO services, but is the framework we use for local SEO success. Whether you choose our SEO agency or another, understanding this framework prevents fraud SEO companies claiming to be a water damage SEO expert from swindling your money.
Water Damage Keyword Research
Keyword research is the first step of the SEO journey. We perform this research through various SEO tools, but also through a deep understanding of your restoration business. Both are required to win at Google search and anywhere else a search engine exists.
Looking for water damage keywords means finding search terms potential customers use in real time. It also means finding out what Google believes to be important keywords for your business.
Not always is this the same thing, and why online keyword research includes industry terms, local terms. It’s also why we perform a competitive analysis to see what Google is ranking your competitors for.
Google Business Profile
While you may have initially sought an agency that performs website SEO services, you first need to optimize your Google Business Profile. The Google Map and Business listing will have more features than your website.
Putting up basic information, a description, and some pictures is a start, but you need a specific strategy to beat out your restoration competitors.
Approach your Google Business Listing like you do social media. This listing should not be a static page that is one and done. Instead, it should be an organic form of digital marketing where you are active and providing value to the audience.
The people who find your listing are prospective customers, and they need to trust your business. Here are a few ways to build trust within your Google Listing.
- Showcase before/after photos and team members performing restoration services.
- Make Google Posts about ways to protect your home or business from future problems.
- Include keywords into your review responses to increase ranking position.
- Add every service you offer with a keyword rich description.
Directory Listings For Water Restoration Businesses
Google isn’t the only place where people find a restoration business. You also need to have your company listed on Yelp, Yellow Pages, Angi, Nextdoor and hundreds of other directories. Our agency also identifies all the industry and local directories so that you are present anywhere a restoration conversation is happening.
Some believe directory listings to be a dead form of internet marketing. These people are wrong. Directories receive traffic, generate leads, and help your company make money. Like Google, they have their own search engines and display results based on their algorithms.
Including the right keywords and filling out all details encourages these directories to show your business over another.
Online Reviews For Water Restoration Services
Reputation management is a critical component of SEO success. Google considers the reviews of your company to be a ranking factor. You notice that Google will bold the words in a review that matches the search. This isn’t by chance.
Google isn’t the only place to manage reviews, which is why our reputation management services cover all locations where your reputation is on display.
Tip: Don’t let reviews happen by chance. Actively pursue reviews and then, just as actively, respond to reviews.
Fact: 60% of businesses in the top position in Google Maps have the highest total amount of reviews.
Technical SEO For A Water Restoration Website
Once you have maxed out your Google and directory listings, it is time to shift over to your website design. We are not talking about the graphic design but the technical setup that is so important to SEO.
Without checking all the technical SEO boxes, referrals and ads will be the only way for your people to see your web design. You cannot earn the top spot in this competitive industry without your technical SEO in place.
Here is a look at some things we consider when setting up your restoration website.
1. URL Structure
2. Meta Title & Description
3. Pages With Thin Content
4. Header Tags
5. Images & ALT Text
6. XML Sitemap
7. Robots TXT File
website design, search engines, web design,
Content Marketing For Water Damage Restoration Companies
Have you heard of the term topic authority? Probably not, and that’s OK. Topic authority is about how well your website covers a topic and Google considers it an important ranking factor.
It isn’t because thousands of people will read your blog (hopefully they do!) why content is important for restoration marketing. It’s showing how you are the subject matter expert for water damage and other restoration services. Content marketing is a continual conversation that showcases your restoration expertise.
Your website needs to be rich in topic specific content and internal links if it wants to rank at the top of the search result. Do not trust a SEO company who says that creating blog articles is not important for local SEO.
Link Building For Restoration Services
Link building can be a confusing topic. To put it plainly, building links to your website shows Google how the internet finds your damage restoration company to be of importance. Not only is it about the amount of backlinks your site receives, but it’s about the quality of the backlink and the text used.
For example, having a backlink that says “SEO services in Santa Barbara, Ca” is better than saying 805SEO.com. Backlinks should include the keywords that we’ve researched.
So how do you build backlinks for your damage restoration business? Easy, leave it to us. Kidding (kind of), but it starts within your network, community, and industry. Backlink building requires work and an agency like ours helps flush out all opportunities for building backlinks.
Tip: Does your restoration company sponsor any events? If so, make sure you request a backlink from the organizations website and provide them with the specific text you want included.
Social Media SEO
Damage restoration companies are a dream come true for social media marketing. The before and after photos encourage likes from a wide range of people. Great for building brand recognition and remaining top of mind.
But social media is also helpful for SEO. Being active on social media sends social signals to Google about your brands real time relevance. Simply put, stay active on social media and you will gain a small edge over companies that do not.
Tip: Need social media content? Look at the SEO blog articles you are creating. You can create dozens of posts out of a single article and fill out your social media content calendar.
SEO Strategies for A Water Damage Restoration Company
Now we can get into the juicy part of this article. Simple tips and tricks to help you increase website traffic with your SEO campaign. Here’s a look at a small part of the SEO strategy we put in place for our restoration clients.
Location Pages and Service Areas
Having a water damage company often means serving multiple cities. So here’s what to do if you have service cities beyond your primary location.
More Than One Location: Create new directory listings (including Google Business Profile) for each of your physical locations. Then link those to a specific location page that is rich in keywords specific to that city.
More Than one Service Area: Create a city specific page anywhere you do business. Fill this page with local intent by including geographical locations, previous jobs you’ve completed, and keywords specific to that city.
Become The Restoration Expert
Don’t let your expertise be the best kept secret within the restoration industry and your community. Instead, become the expert to restoration contractors by being mentioned in media publications and being a featured guest on radio, local TV, and podcasts. This effort helps you build backlinks in a variety of ways.
Did you know we help you with featured mentions and appearances? All part of a days work in the life of a SEO agency.
Why Invest in SEO For Your Restoration Company?
Because it works and it’s less competitive. Did we answer that question fast enough? Yes, water damage restoration SEO is a more competitive category, but we’re confident that as your water damage SEO company, we will grab the top spot. That’s why we perform a predictability analysis before providing a scope of work so that you know how much effort, time, and money it takes to outperform the competition.
Your Water Damage Restoration SEO Specialists
At 805 SEO, we consider ourselves more than your SEO expert. We consider ourselves a partner in your company’s success. Our SEO strategy goes beyond online research and deep into the details of your business.
As a customer of 805 SEO, we know you will find our SEO strategy more valuable than the rankings, as it helps improve your entire water restoration company. Fill out the form below or call us to schedule a free website audit and strategy session.