Ranking in google - some basic questions

[Wing Commander]

Hello all,

I have a local business which is a domestic cleaning company and I am in the process of improving our online presence.

Our competition do not do anything amazing online. Basic websites, google business listing etc and maybe a few reviews here and there.

I have spent a bit of time getting customers to leave us reviews on Google which have helped lots, but I have some basic questions related to Google search results in general.

We rank for certain key phrases but I want to try and improve this to cover other phrases. For example, we rank #1 for "domestic cleaner <area>" and "home cleaner <area>" but not for "cleaner <area>" or "cleaner near me". I want to improve these. I realise I can run some Google Ads which will be set up in the next few weeks. But in the meantime, is there anything I can do to get these specific phrases ranking better for organic results?

I know that the Key Word Planner tool from Google can help with things, but I think the search terms above are of such low volumes (by Google standards) that it doesn't yield any help. Either that or I am doing it wrong. Does anyone have a link to any videos or tutorials that are particularly aimed at 1st time users of this service? My searching has resulted in a tidal wave of information which I am in danger of getting drowned under.

Any other key tips which can help me rank my google business listing higher up??

Thanks in advance

[Bikerjon]

Do you have a google "My Business" listing? That could help a bit with the geographic traffic.

I'm in a different business but have similar goals for local search. I've managed to improve things a little by having a few additional pages with location keywords but you have to be careful not to go too overboard with that as it can appear spammy. I use Adwords on a small budget to capture the search terms that would take too long to do via SEO and for that it works fairly well.

[singlecoil]

^^ That's two business owners on PH who have websites with no links on their profile pages.

[Frimley111R]

Be careful trying to rank for generic terms, you don't want to rank for 'Frimley cleaner' as you could end up with a ton of traffic to your site looking for other types of cleaners (window, car, carpet, etc) and also a few of them still calling you up, wasting your time.

Don't discount offline advertising either which can work well if you do it right and also go on top what was Streetlife but is now call Nextdoor. Streetlife was full of people wanting cleaners! I honestly don't think you need to do marketing with that many people looking for cleaners!

[singlecoil]

Thing the OP might be up against is that most areas in the UK are covered by franchise domestic cleaning companies such as Molly Maid, and a lot of people looking for cleaners are really trying to avoid that. They are looking to have the same cleaner coming every time, so that person can learn that particular job and location thoroughly, and not have to ask where the vacuum cleaner is etc. Many cleaners and employers develop a relationship that can last for years.

[Wing Commander]

Bikerjon said:

Do you have a google "My Business" listing? That could help a bit with the geographic traffic.

I'm in a different business but have similar goals for local search. I've managed to improve things a little by having a few additional pages with location keywords but you have to be careful not to go too overboard with that as it can appear spammy. I use Adwords on a small budget to capture the search terms that would take too long to do via SEO and for that it works fairly well.

We did have a Google business listing which works well, and we do show up on the Google map when you search for related terms, it's just I want to fine tune the terms

We plan on launching a few more relevant website pages in the next month or so, but various reasons mean this isn't instantaneous.

Adwords is also on the list, as soon as these additional pages are ready

Thanks

[Wing Commander]

singlecoil said:

^^ That's two business owners on PH who have websites with no links on their profile pages.

I do get what you are saying, it's just our website isn't brilliant at the moment and will be being overhauled in the next few months. I'm mostly focusing on the Google business listing and getting leads directly from that at the moment

Thanks

[Wing Commander]

Frimley111R said:

Be careful trying to rank for generic terms, you don't want to rank for 'Frimley cleaner' as you could end up with a ton of traffic to your site looking for other types of cleaners (window, car, carpet, etc) and also a few of them still calling you up, wasting your time.

Don't discount offline advertising either which can work well if you do it right and also go on top what was Streetlife but is now call Nextdoor. Streetlife was full of people wanting cleaners! I honestly don't think you need to do marketing with that many people looking for cleaners!

I completely see what you are saying about genetic terms, it's just that most searches are going to be exactly that, so I assume in going to have to filter these people out when they make contact, rather than having no one contact us in the first place.

We have used Street life but found it not brilliant in our area. Yet to try Next door but will do in the next few days.

Thanks

[Wing Commander]

singlecoil said:

Thing the OP might be up against is that most areas in the UK are covered by franchise domestic cleaning companies such as Molly Maid, and a lot of people looking for cleaners are really trying to avoid that. They are looking to have the same cleaner coming every time, so that person can learn that particular job and location thoroughly, and not have to ask where the vacuum cleaner is etc. Many cleaners and employers develop a relationship that can last for years.

This is something we have found, in spades. People want the same cleaner each time. We have a blanket policy of no replacements is always the same cleaner), which I do think I need to push harder in our marketing material.

Thanks

[dmsims]

URL?

[POORCARDEALER]

Any SEO experts on PH who would like some work for a new site I have had built?

[DSLiverpool]

Op pay an Adwords consultant to give you a proper report on your requirements.
You may be surprised at the cost and amazed at the advice a good guy can give you.
I would advise anyone doing Adwords themselves to get the research done.

FB & Instagram - Look at locally promoted Instagram and fb boosted adverts - our local iPhone fixer has cleaned up using them and whilst I realise it's not the same I am SURE FB boosted would get you business.

[DSLiverpool]

POORCARDEALER said:

Any SEO experts on PH who would like some work for a new site I have had built?

Not an SEO expert (me or the company) but we're working with a great consultant right now.

I'm not looking to gain any business but please pm me what your doing and need rather than box it in as SEO

[ymwoods]

Wing Commander said:

This is something we have found, in spades. People want the same cleaner each time. We have a blanket policy of no replacements is always the same cleaner), which I do think I need to push harder in our marketing material.

Thanks

Same in an older office I used to work in. The cleaner may aswell have been one of the staff and was always the same person unless she went on holiday. Also, because she knew where things went it took her half the time to do the same work so she would talk for a bit and help out with extras aswell. When the replacments came in they would miss loads and end up running out of time.

[Frimley111R]

DSLiverpool said:

Op pay an Adwords consultant to give you a proper report on your requirements.
You may be surprised at the cost and amazed at the advice a good guy can give you.
I would advise anyone doing Adwords themselves to get the research done.

FB & Instagram - Look at locally promoted Instagram and fb boosted adverts - our local iPhone fixer has cleaned up using them and whilst I realise it's not the same I am SURE FB boosted would get you business.

Agreed. Local FB groups will be good for you too. I follow a few and this type of thing is always popping up.

[DSLiverpool]

I love this cleaning site http://www.maidsinblack.com/ were even tempted to clone it and rent it out

[anonymous-user]

Try this: https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.goo...

[brad ukcarscene]

POORCARDEALER said:

Any SEO experts on PH who would like some work for a new site I have had built?

SEO is my day job, so feel free to get in touch!

[Dave_ST220]

wormus said:

Try this: https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.goo...

That looks woefully out of date (judging by the Google logo and the screen shots used! Ads don't look anything like that now, in fact the sneaky bds have made the ad label next to invisible which no doubt results in more clicks and more £££ for Google).

IMO the fact is a lot of people have jumped through the Google hoops, spent a LOT of money making sites responsive etc and got NO WHERE. At the same time sites with LINKS seem to be ranking just fine. I haven't the patience to go into detail but Google, IMO, is full of st. They say do this that & the other yet rarely you see any change in rank/organic traffic. Google is a business, they make the grand sum of £0 by ranking what may well be the best site for a given query at the top of the page (which when you now take into account the 4 ads usually means below the fold!) when a paying customer with similar content exists, be it Google Shopping, Google Certified Shop or Adwords, I won't mention Amazon that ranks page 1 for just about every term known to man.

If you are looking at Adwords etc get a pro o it, otherwise you will spend a lot of money on nothing.

In your niche I'd look at Facebook more than Google TBH.

[muppetdave]

DSLiverpool said:

I love this cleaning site http://www.maidsinblack.com/ were even tempted to clone it and rent it out

Have you read the whole blog on reddit about this site?