Annual Cost: $13,000

Palmer’s Goals: All I want the customer to understand is that we’re a large enough firm to take care of all of their needs. We’re a company that is broad in scope and has been doing this a long time. So, I want them to get the trusting feeling that we can do the job that they need done. I like that our site generates calls or leads. We’ve had more aesthetically pleasing sites before, but you know what? If the site and search engine optimization (SEO) that’s tied to it doesn’t generate leads, it really doesn’t matter. So what I like most about our site is that it gets us high SEO.

Professional Opinion: Overall score: 90

For findability, I’d give Bell Plumbing a 90. Out of 1,659 geographically specific business-relevant keywords, Bellplumbing.com ranks No. 1 on Google 285 times. The site ranks on the first page for 68 percent of the keyword phrases analyzed. The website has been heavily optimized in terms of SEO. It has unique, content-rich pages for individual services as well as for the company’s different geographic service areas, and all of the site’s pages have title tags.

For accessibility and content, I’d give the webpage an 85. The site has key information — phone number, the fact that the company offers 24-hour emergency service, and a clear description of the services the company offers and its service area — in the top-right corner of every page. Prospects using a smartphone to visit Bellplumbing.com will be greeted with a mobile-friendly version, which is important considering the growth in traffic from mobile devices. The desktop version of the site loads quickly and has more than 350 pages with, on average, 1,170 words per page.

In the identity and trust category, Bell Plumbing gets a 95. The company’s frequent highlighting of customer reviews and third-party validators, such as National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), Angie’s List, North American Technician Excellence (NATE), National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), etc.; videos featuring company president Greg Palmer; multiple addresses and phone numbers; and its license number in the footer of every page all provide a very high degree of trust. In addition to a video of Palmer, the site’s “About” page also features a picture of one of the company’s storefronts, providing an additional sense of legitimacy.

— Ben Landers, president and CEO, Blue Corona

Publication date: 9/1/2014 

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