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

[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