[Online Marketing] Optimizing Online Opportunities

What do you need to succeed in the online environment? The obvious answer is a good Web site. But what makes a Web site good, and how can pest control professionals maximize traffic once it’s new or improved?

According to Chuck Tindol of Allgood Pest Solutions, Duluth, Ga., speaking at last year’s PestWorld convention, a company’s Web site should be professionally developed, make an impact, encourage visitors to dig in further and be intuitively navigable. When a site is built the right way, with the right type of information, companies can increase traffic to help grow business using various Web site optimization techniques.

“You have eight seconds when someone goes to your Web site to make an impact — to make them feel like they want to stay and keep going further,” Tindol said.

He suggested using strong visuals, content focused on client needs, special offers and a straightforward client response form so it’s easy for visitors to contact your company.

“Your Web site should be client-centered, not company-centered. So many times, I see Web sites that focus on the company history or have a picture of all the technicians as the main visual,” he explained. “Your Web site needs to tell a client that you’ve got what they need and how to contact you.”

Information architecture plays an important role in Web site success. If it’s difficult for visitors to find their way or find information that’s buried under layers, chances are they won’t stay long.

“You need to work with a professional to make it simple to navigate your Web site, and to help optimize its use,” Tindol said. “In addition, including special offers and a call to action gives people a reason to click through to contact you.”

GROWING ONLINE. On the Internet, you can use at least three techniques to optimize your Web site, and thus increase traffic: natural selection, sponsored ads and what Tindol calls, “service search engines.”

Natural selection is when a potential prospect conducts a search for information on one of the main search engines, such as Google or Yahoo, and your company link shows up on the list. A high rank in the natural selection process lends credibility to your information because you didn’t pay to put it there.

“If you can show up above the page break — that is where you want to be. You don’t have to pay for it, but it does take a lot of work,” Tindol said.

ALMIGHTY SEARCH ENGINES. Most Internet users find information using search engines, and quickly learn that if they use broad search terms, they experience information overload. When you think about the billions of Web pages in cyberspace, it’s no wonder when you search key terms “pest control,” Google supplies more than 5.4 million non-sponsored links.

Search engine ranking criteria include site content, domain name and other variables. In order to make your Web site appealing to the search engines, it must contain informative, educational content and key words that appeal to what users may be looking for. Tindol offered several suggestions for improving natural selection rankings.

“It’s called search engine friendliness. You have layers of information. If you go to my home page, I have pest control, termite control and our locations listed all over the site. So when the crawlers go out to look at it, it has a lot of useful information,” he said. “And since most people begin by searching broad terms, and then refine down to the local level, you really need to have your locations listed on your site to make it attractive to the search engines.” 

Tindol also recommended purchasing domain names that include key words people might search for on a local level, as well as using a professional Web optimizer to submit your site to the search engines to improve ranking.

“Improving search engine rankings is all about having key words everywhere you need them, so when the search engine crawlers go out, they will find your Web site and hopefully rank it high,” he said.

PAY-PER-CLICK. Many companies invest in search engine marketing by sponsoring links on the search engine results page. Often referred to by advertisers as “cost per click,” this type of online advertising can get expensive quickly.

“Last month, every time someone searched ‘pest control Atlanta’ and then they clicked on the link to my Web site in the sponsored section, I paid $8.27. That doesn’t mean anyone contacted me,” Tindol said. “You pay for the click. So you need to make sure you budget for this.”

Local service search engines. Within the results of larger search engines such as Google and Yahoo, local service search engines such as www.respond.com and www.termite.com usually rank high on the natural selection results listing. These search engines help people look for various services by location. 

“So wherever you are, be sure to look at the different local home service search engines to find out how you can get listed on them,” Tindol recommended. “And here’s the beauty of these local service search engines — people can go in and rate your service. If you do good work, you’re going to get referrals.”

WHAT'S NEXT? There’s no doubt that the Internet will continue to explode, offering exciting new ideas, trends, tools and techniques. So if you haven’t already, consider hiring or enlisting the services of a Web-savvy professional to help make the most of this technology and maximize your future online success. Stay tuned — the possibilities are difficult to even imagine.

The author has been writing about the pest management industry for 13 years.

Add These Sites to Your Favorites

Here are a few local service search engines with which you might want to consider registering. Your company usually needs to meet certain requirements, and some may charge a fee.

www.termite.com
Since this is a Web site geared toward consumers, it’s not very intuitive for pest control professionals to register. Click on your country, state and location, then request a quote. Once on the quote page, scroll to the page bottom where it reads, “If you are a pest control services market leader in your region, you are invited to apply for a listing on termite.com. Click here for more details.”

www.kudzu.com
This site is available only in select markets — Arizona, Atlanta, Las Vegas and San Diego. Click on “Create a Business Account.”

www.respond.com
To get your business listed with Respond Home Services or for more information on getting started, contact the firm at 866/NET-LEAD (638-5323).

www.angieslist.com
Companies are included by list members. They rank companies on an A-to-F scale in five categories: price, quality of work, responsiveness, professionalism and punctuality. Additionally, the member gives each company an overall grade. The grades are tallied and the company receives a grade (like in school). Companies cannot pay to be on the list or put themselves on it.

www.servicemagic.com
Visit the site and click on “Are you a quality service professional?” Companies can register for a free 10-day trial.