I think it is really important for businesses to understand that there is an assortment of ways to get potential clients to your site, but just getting someone there is not enough! How do we get them to trust you enough to invest in services or products?

Have you considered the fact that photos of what you do may not be enough?

I have had many potential and new clients contact me in this past 2 weeks asking me to look at their site and tell them what isn’t working. Bad coding and lack of optimization aside, there is no quality content! In many cases there is no content at all on the home page.

So, let’s use an interior designer as an example…you go to an interior designer’s site and they have a really attractive flash area that displays a variety of homes and businesses that appear to be decorated very well. To you that may seem good enough. To me it is not. Why? Because many businesses lie on their websites! How do I know those are actually homes/businesses they worked on?

In my direct area I can tell you that about 90% of all Web design companies offer SEO services. When you look at their portfolio it is quite obvious they don’t know what SEO is. If you call and ask questions it is also clear that their focus/specialization is not SEO.  Their clients call me and ask me to fix whatever is wrong. Guess what? Nothing was wrong, nothing was ever done (at all or done right).

I also see several businesses all over the Web and in my local area that claim they have worked for large companies when they really haven’t. Some use photos they have bought and claim it is their work. Just because you have attractive pictures, logos, flash or whatever on the Web doesn’t mean you are qualified to actually perform the services you offer.

Real, Thought-Out Content Can Prove You are Qualified

Before I invest in anything with anyone I make sure I know a business is qualified. Recently I had to invest in a very expensive air conditioning system. The truth is the site wouldn’t have sold me; I talked with the owner about optimization and marketing a few weeks earlier and everything he said impressed me so much that when my air conditioner died he was who I called. Everything he said should have been on his website (and will be soon).

No matter what industry you are in, if you want people to believe you are the best you need to tell them why you are. If your focus is what is best for them, tell them! Spell it out and be honest. Don’t write a novel, but write enough to convince them that they are not risking their precious money.

Findability vs. Trustability

A good SEO/SEM company can help people find you. Not all companies in this industry are concerned with helping you create quality content that creates trust or getting new clients to call. If they aren’t then it is up to you to ensure that it gets done. I know about my industry, but I know nothing about yours. Explain it to me in simple but complete terms. Then show me you actually know what you are doing. Show we your qualified; make me trust you! Make me feel like you want what is best for my family or my business. If you do that I will pick up the phone; if you don’t, I won’t.

Melissa- SEO Aware

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