To The Point - Home Services Podcast: Episode Summary

Title: The Contractor SEO Metrics You’re Not Paying Enough Attention To
Host/Author: RYNO Strategic Solutions
Release Date: January 28, 2025

In this insightful episode of To The Point - Home Services Podcast, hosts Chad (A) and Chris (B) delve deep into the often-overlooked SEO metrics that are crucial for contractors in the HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Roofing, and related industries. Their candid conversation offers practical advice, expert insights, and actionable strategies to help service companies enhance their online presence and drive business growth through effective SEO practices.

1. Introduction to SEO in Home Services

The episode opens with a light-hearted exchange between Chad and Chris, setting a friendly and engaging tone. They transition smoothly into the core topic: the significance of SEO for contractors and the dynamic nature of Google's algorithms.

[00:00] A: “Google is always manipulating things and changing things and doing different stuff… it’s an ongoing battle.”

2. The Imperative of SEO for Contractors

Chris emphasizes the enduring relevance of SEO despite the constant changes in search engine algorithms. He underscores that SEO remains a foundational element in digital marketing strategies for home service companies.

[05:21] B: “The answer is a million percent. It matters, and let me tell you why.”

3. Key SEO Metrics Contractors Should Monitor

Chad and Chris break down several critical SEO metrics that contractors often overlook but are essential for tracking and improving online performance.

a. Keyword Rankings

Monitoring where your business ranks for relevant keywords is fundamental. By tracking monthly changes in keyword positions, contractors can assess the effectiveness of their SEO strategies.

[07:34] A: “It’s pretty like cut and dry, like, hey, do one through 15 and you're going to rank higher next month…”

[08:50] A: “Google is always manipulating things… it’s an ongoing battle and always will be.”

b. Domain Authority

Domain authority (DA) is a measure of your website's credibility and its ability to rank higher in search results. Chad explains how tools like Ahrefs can help contractors assess their DA and the quality of backlinks.

[13:10] B: “Ahrefs is a website you can go to to check your domain authority… it’s a top of the funnel metric.”

c. Bounce Rate

Bounce rate indicates the percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page. While a high bounce rate might seem negative, Chris clarifies that it can be acceptable if visitors find the information they need quickly and convert into leads.

[14:30] B: “The bounce rate is actually pretty accurate to what you said… if your conversions are going up, you’re going to be just fine.”

d. Backlinks

Quality backlinks from reputable sources like educational (.edu) or governmental (.gov) websites significantly boost your domain authority. Chad and Chris discuss the importance of strategic backlinking over sheer quantity.

[20:35] A: “Backlinks are a big factor in SEO. They need to be high quality, not just numerous.”

[20:37] B: “It is important when you create a backlink strategy to not just go after quantity, go after quality.”

e. Website Errors

Identifying and fixing website errors, such as broken links or 404 pages, is crucial. These errors can negatively impact your SEO by signaling to Google that your site may not be well-maintained.

[18:15] B: “If you have errors on your website… you need to get rid of those altogether.”

f. Page Speed

Page load speed is a critical ranking factor. Slow-loading pages can frustrate visitors, increasing bounce rates and reducing conversions. Chris highlights the importance of optimizing both desktop and mobile page speeds.

[36:00] B: “Page speed is important… if your site isn’t loading fast, you risk losing potential customers.”

4. The Synergy Between SEO and Paid Ads

The hosts explore how effective SEO can enhance the performance of paid advertising campaigns. By improving organic rankings, contractors can reduce their cost per click (CPC) and improve the overall return on investment (ROI) of their paid ads.

[32:54] B: “A really good search engine optimization campaign can make your paid ad campaign perform better… it can reduce overall cost per click.”

[34:20] A: “Make sure you have visibility into all of those dimensions of the actual data.”

5. Strategies and Best Practices

Chad and Chris provide actionable strategies for contractors to optimize their SEO efforts:

• Segregate Branded and Non-Branded Searches: Track searches for your business name separately from service-specific keywords to better understand the impact of SEO on new lead generation.

• Create Dedicated Service Pages: For each service and location, create specific pages optimized for relevant keywords to enhance visibility in local search results.

[37:35] B: “Have a page on your website for every single service that you offer in every location that you offer it… ensure Google can connect the search to the exact page.”

• Leverage High-Quality Backlinks: Focus on obtaining backlinks from authoritative sources to boost domain authority and improve search rankings.

• Regularly Audit Your Website: Conduct thorough audits to identify and fix errors, optimize page speed, and maintain overall site health.

6. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode wraps up with Chad and Chris reiterating the importance of continuous monitoring and optimization of SEO metrics. They encourage contractors to take an active role in understanding these metrics, even if they rely on marketing agencies, to ensure accountability and drive better results.

[41:20] A: “There are so many little things that can unlock so much value… inspect what you expect.”

[43:24] B: “SEO is still very much a player and something you should be very much focused on… it’s still the foundation of all things digital.”

Notable Quotes

• Google’s Constant Changes:

  [00:00] A: “Google is always manipulating things and changing things and doing different stuff… it’s an ongoing battle.”

• Importance of Domain Authority:

  [13:10] B: “Ahrefs is a website you can go to to check your domain authority… it’s a top of the funnel metric.”

• Bounce Rate Insights:

  [14:54] A: “They might have found all that shit on that page…and got their answer quick and moved on. And that's okay.”

• Backlinks Quality Over Quantity:

  [20:35] A: “Backlinks are a big factor in SEO. They need to be high quality, not just numerous.”

• SEO Enhancing Paid Ads:

  [32:54] B: “A really good search engine optimization campaign can make your paid ad campaign perform better… it can reduce overall cost per click.”

• Continuous SEO Efforts:

  [43:24] B: “SEO is still very much a player and something you should be very much focused on… it’s still the foundation of all things digital.”

Conclusion

This episode of To The Point - Home Services Podcast serves as a comprehensive guide for contractors aiming to optimize their SEO strategies. Chad and Chris effectively break down complex SEO concepts into understandable and actionable insights, ensuring that even listeners with limited technical knowledge can grasp and implement these strategies. By focusing on key metrics like keyword rankings, domain authority, bounce rate, backlinks, website errors, and page speed, contractors can enhance their online visibility, attract more leads, and ultimately grow their businesses.

For listeners seeking to elevate their SEO game, this episode provides the necessary tools and knowledge to evaluate and improve their digital marketing efforts. Whether you're managing SEO in-house or working with a marketing agency, the insights shared by Chad and Chris will help you make informed decisions and achieve sustainable growth.

Tune in to future episodes of To The Point – Home Services Podcast for more expert advice and actionable strategies to grow your service company!