How often do you think about your website? If your answer is not daily or at least weekly, then I sure hope you are paying somebody to do it for you. Google changes search engine optimization (SEO) analytics more often than Octomom pays someone to change diapers, so you need to stay engaged.

If you are not paying attention to your website, you are just passing on business. It would be the equivalent of not answering the phone.

The two main goals contractors should have are to get a consumer to the company’s website and keep them there until they make contact. This process is multifaceted, but here are a few questions you should be asking yourself:

• Do you have links to your social media sites on your website? Before you answer with an indignant “YES,” think about if it really is a good idea. Let’s say John Public needs an air conditioning quote and takes a break from his desk job to do some research. He clicks on your site because you are either very good at SEO or are paying some money for that click. Either way, he sees the Facebook icon on your page and clicks. Now he is on Facebook and has about a thousand more interesting items to click on outside of the “like” on your page. After five minutes of checking out what his friends are doing and who advanced to Level 85 on Candy Crush, he hears his boss coming and quickly clicks out. In doing so he has clicked out of your site as well before getting as much as a contact.

Everyone on Facebook is trained to look for messages, updates, etc. as soon as they click on the site. You can put social media icons on your website, but why not place them on the page that comes up after visitors have filled out the contact form?

• Are you adding original content to your website on a fairly regular basis? If you want to effectively utilize SEO, you’d better. HVAC contractors should be adding original content to their site on a regular basis — with the emphasis on original. It does you no good to post the exact same thing as your competitor.

I know this is not an easy one. However, as I am sure you have realized by now, if it were easy everyone would be doing it.

This does not mean that you need to be the one typing at the computer. You can delegate it to someone on your staff or hire a freelance writer. I would recommend contacting a reporter at your local newspaper. These people are usually young, looking to make a few extra bucks, and have a writing education. Hire them to interview you for 10 minutes and write up a blog on what you explained to them.

By having a blog updated once a week you get more pages and keywords on your site, which improves SEO. Just make sure every blog post has a different URL so you get the most bang for your buck.

• Are you posting videos on your website? If so, you have a big jump on your competition. If not, it is time to get the most charismatic person in the office on video. One of the best I have seen lately is Vince DiFilippo from DiFilippo’s Service Co. The videos are simple, informative, and build a relationship with the viewer. Scan the mobile tag at the top of this column to check them out.

We are a culture that has an incredibly short attention span — especially when it comes to reading. You can convey a lot of information in a two-minute video. But do not make the video too much longer.

DiFilippo interviewed satisfied customers. That was a nice touch that drives the point home to the prospective customer.

This is by no means a complete list of items you need to accomplish to get your website where it needs to be. But it is a start.

Publication date: 7/15/2013 

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