Search engine optimization (SEO) involves the increase of website traffic in terms of both quality and quantity and provides brand exposure by using non-paid search engine results. Successful use of SEO requires understanding what answers people are searching for and what kind of content they are seeking to find. Using SEO to gain clients for your mobile car wash business can be accomplished through a series of steps implemented within your mobile car wash business’s website. First, make changes for each page of your website to the title tag and meta description to help your search results stand out to those individuals searching. Within each page on your website, you should also be incorporating long-tail keywords. Your website should include useful content, so creating a dedicated section on your website for “How-To” guides will be beneficial. Finally, link building can assist your mobile car wash business with getting more clients.
Enhance Web Page Title Tag for Reduced Bounce Back
You may be unaware, but the contents of your website’s title tag are how search engines can identify the topic of the page. It is essential to keep in mind that the title tag need not be an exact match for the on-page title for your content. The title tag will appear within search engine results and does not appear on your web page unless you mirror it as your on-page title. However, since the title tag is what is shown when someone searches using keywords, it is imperative that your mobile car wash business’s title tag adhere to a few basic guidelines.
The title tag should be placed between the header tags near the beginning of the web page’s HTML code. A good rule of thumb is to limit the title tag length to roughly 70 characters. If the name of your mobile car wash business is concise enough, be sure to include it within the title tag of your business’s homepage. Your title should implement the specific web page’s core keyword. So, if the title tag you are editing is for your “Pricing” page, you will want the title tag to contain the core keyword that corresponds with and is relevant to the costs of your services. One example could be “Elite Mobile Detailing – Price List and Estimates for Cost of Services.”
The title tag should also be innovative and incite curiosity within potential clients who are searching for services. The intriguing title tag can be the difference between an individual choosing to click on your web page versus a competitor. Despite the title tag and the on-page title not being required to be identical, be sure that your title tag is, in fact, relevant to your on-page title; otherwise, users may immediately click their back button to return to the search results. This action is called “bounce back.” Google notates how often this happens and views it as an indication that your website is irrelevant to users resulting in lower rankings of your web page within search results. Improving the title tag on your mobile car wash business’s web pages will result in more traffic that has been targeted based on the content within the page.
Develop a Well-Written Meta Description
The meta description is the small blurb that displays beneath the title tag in search results. This is an opportunity to expand on your web page’s title. This can be useful for drawing in customers as this will likely be the second piece of information viewed regarding your mobile car wash business following the title tag. Even though meta descriptions are not a factor in how your web page is ranked in search engine results, they still play a vital role in the SEO process. The inclusion of keywords into your meta description is necessary for this instance, not due to the role keywords within the meta description play in ranking, but because of their role with the actual users who are searching. The meta description is your chance at convincing users to choose your business over the competition. When someone searches for a specific keyword and your web page is returned as one of the results, the keyword in question will be shown in bold in the search results, drawing more attention to your link and increasing the odds that a potential client will visit your website. Users may also view descriptions with bolded words as more relevant, which again can result in increased clicks for your website.
The meta description should be no more than 155 characters and include the core keyword when possible. Whenever possible, the meta description should be written using the active voice and have a call to action. Let’s use the previously referenced “Pricing” web page as an example again. There are many creative ways the meta description could be written. First, find something that makes your mobile car wash business stand out, such as the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products. For example, the meta description may state, “Get motivated to give your car an environmentally friendly, spot-free clean on-the-go. Check out our prices and estimates for cost of services today!” This example is remarkable because it draws attention to your mobile car wash business’s specialty, uses the specific term “on-the-go,” creating an alternative to the word “mobile,” and urges the user to check out the prices today.
Incorporating Long-Tail Keywords Within Web Page Content
Long-tail keywords differ from short-tail keywords in that they are usually three to four words as opposed to one to two words. Focusing on long-tail keywords is especially helpful when you are first beginning because long-tail keywords tend to have less competition than the more commonly known short-tail keywords. In addition, by creating long-tail keywords specific to your page content, you can significantly increase the likelihood that your web page will be shown in the top search results and increase how likely a potential client is to click on your web page.
Long-tail keywords add value because they result in the attraction of more relevant visitors. For example, look at the short-tail keyword “car tires.” If a user were to type that into Google, most search results relate to tire sales. In this example, long-tail keywords can take a search phrase that is very vague and could describe a range of things and narrows it down to a more specific niche. If the user were to refine results by changing the search query to “how to clean car tires,” the results would become more relevant. Primarily as a small business, focusing on long-tail keywords will prove to be the most beneficial. Using long-tail keywords instead of short-tail keywords will allow your mobile car wash business endless opportunities for creating enriching content, which will be discussed a little later.
Generating keywords is, for most, a difficult task. This is why using keyword technology can assist your business in choosing long-tail keywords that you have the best odds at ranking well in search results if used, but that also still receive a generous volume of traffic. Google Keywords is a free option that will show relevant keyword ideas to get the creative juices flowing. Choosing an appropriate long-tail keyword will have a massive impact on how your web page will be ranked as well as how likely it is that users will click on your link and explore your website.
Incorporating long-tail keywords into your web page content does not mean you need to stuff your page to the point that the content is not helpful to the reader. Keywords play a critical role in your ranking; however, if they are abused, search engines, notably Google, do attempt to mitigate this by penalizing sites packed with keywords dubbing the act “over-optimization.” As a result, you want to be sure that any keywords included on your mobile car wash business’s web page are done so naturally to prevent from being penalized. The use of long-tail keywords is beneficial, but moderation and relevance will be key if the end goal remains to gain more clients for your mobile car wash business.
Creating Quality Content Using How-To Guides
One of the easiest methods to gain new clients for your mobile car wash business, applicable to a wide variety of industries, is to begin creating how-to guides. Much of how your website is ranked depends on the content found within your website. Search engines base ranking on many factors, one being the content of the page. This is where it pays to apply a few critical thinking skills. If your website only contains information such as your pricing, perhaps a few photos you have uploaded, but not much real content of substance, there will be little for the search engines to relate to your website, even though your services may be relevant to the search parameters. As a result, creating additional content within your website is necessary for proper search engine optimization leading to the acquisition of more new clients for your mobile car wash business.
While you may already have a basic website set-up, if you have not begun adding additional quality content to your website, you are missing out on the opportunity to increase your site traffic and get more clients. Say, for instance, someone is Googling “How to clean car tires,” what about your website would lead a search engine to suggest it higher in the search results over another? With this, you may be wondering how this search query relates to getting more clients for your mobile car wash business. This is where how-to guides come into the picture. If you have a how-to guide entitled “How to Clean Car Tires and Rims,” and it leads the individual user to your website, you have now at least been successful in getting them through the door. It is likely that they will be curious about your company and may decide to use your mobile car wash business rather than do it themselves. Here you are also planting seeds because while they may just use the knowledge gained from the how-to video to clean their tires themselves, they at least now have been familiarized with your business, and if a future instance occurs in which they need a mobile car wash business, they will be more likely to remember your business and possibly use your company for their needs.
Creating unique and valuable content is critical. Unfortunately, many times, content is generated but provides no real substantial value. The websites with poorly written, keyword-packed blog posts are one example. Often the content provided in such sites is repetitive and simply does not provide any helpful information, which genuinely translates to a poor experience for the user when all things are considered. Developing fresh new content will also generate rapport with users and indirectly assist in increasing your search engine ranking. More importantly, how-to guides support you as a subject matter expert and indicate that you are skilled in your industry.
Using Link Building to Assist with Search Engine Optimization
Even though you may now have quality content available throughout your website through how-to guides, that does not guarantee your website will outrank others. Outranking another website requires the establishment of authority, which in this case refers to demonstrating that your website is superior to others. Establishing authority can be achieved through a process known as link building. Link building involves earning links from other known authoritative websites. It is widely known that links are among the three most important factors used to determine ranking within search engine results. Therefore, a trusted site will generally only provide links to other trusted sites.
Link building is a straightforward process that encompasses two main categories of links. First, internal links within your website provide a link from one page on your site to another. These kinds of links provide navigation within your own website and generally can all be found in the site map. Second, external links, sometimes known as inbound links or backlinks, link one website to a different website. These types of links are the kind needed for link building. The concept to understand here is that the more backlinks your website has from other more reputable and authoritative websites, the better your website’s ranking will be.
Getting external links can be done through many methods but buying links or participating in a link exchange are two dangerous and flawed options that should be avoided at all costs. While it would be advantageous to link your mobile car detailing business’s web page to other companies you are affiliated with, exchanging links with random businesses lowers the link credibility, basically offering an unvetted reference that could result in harm to the user. While search engine optimization does rely heavily on links, the ultimate goal should always revolve around satisfying clients’ needs and protecting them from potential damage whenever possible.
Taken as a whole, the use of SEO involves many different moving parts. There are several ways to use SEO to get more customers for your mobile car wash business. If you begin by enhancing the title tag for your web pages, you will have already addressed one of the most critical factors necessary to increase website traffic. The title tag is most likely to draw a user to click on the link to your website, and misrepresentation within the title tag can result in missed opportunities or clicks from those who feel your website is irrelevant to what they are searching for. Inaccurate title tag text can also result in “bounce back,” in which users click the link to view your website and almost immediately return to the search results, ultimately lowering your rankings even further. Next, developing a captivating meta description can assist in that last little push necessary to convince a potential client to click the link to visit your website. The meta description is not part of the factors used to determine search engine result ranking, but the contents can directly impact whether a potential client clicks the link or not. An additional cautionary word not previously mentioned regarding meta descriptions is that Google will sometimes override what has been designated as the meta description. Despite this possibility, the best practice is to always provide your own meta description so that if the opportunity to include your keywords is available, you have made proper use of it.
Furthermore, within your actual web page content, using long-tail keywords can assist in search engine optimization. Long-tail keywords drive more specific traffic to your website, increasing the odds that the individual was seeking your particular services. Using long-tail keywords, you can create content that is useful and helps to create a buzz around your business. Long-tail keywords often provide clarity to short-tail keywords that are more highly competitive regarding ranking. As a small business, it is best to compete where you actually stand a solid chance. How-to guides also increase the content that web crawlers review, creating more opportunities for links to your web pages to be ranked high in search results. How-to guides also provide a boost for your business in that they develop a sense of trust from the client that your business is based on knowledge and special skills. Overall, using SEO can increase website traffic and improve the quality of the traffic leading to the ability to get more clients for your mobile car wash business.