Advanced SEO

Written by Richard J. Valenta

Wednesday, 06 August 2008 10:59

Optimizing a Website to rank well on the search engines for target keywords is not rocket science. With the proper content, the right tags, and a strategic inbound linking campaign, just about any Website can be placed on the front page for the keywords that a client wants.
Getting a Website to rank well for keywords is easy. Getting the right pages to appear in the search results for the appropriate keywords is a bit more difficult.
The most common method that people use when searching for vehicles is to type in “what they want” and “where they want it.” For example, they may search for “Ford service Richmond” or “Honda Shreveport.” Having the homepage of your Website appear on the top of these searches is nice. Having the proper landing page ranked at the top that has all of the information a customer is looking for, however, is the key to converting the most visitors into leads.
This is where advanced SEO comes in. The art and science of getting the appropriate landing pages ranked requires a proper strategy from start to finish. Using one of the examples above, the number one organic result on Google for the term “Ford service Richmond” takes the customer to the service page for one of the Ford dealers in Richmond, Virginia.
This page has everything a customer would need if they require service for their Ford vehicle. They can schedule an appointment, see service and parts specials, ask a technician, or even check for retails. Everything on the page is directly related to Ford service. As a RESULT the customer is more likely to convert into a lead from this page than if they were to land on the homepage.
Why? The answer lies in the psychology of today’s Internet shopper. People do not want to search Websites for what they want. Over half of people that click on a page from a search engine will push their back button if they do not immediately see what they are looking for. Placing them on your homepage and asking them to navigate to the page they’re looking for is a sure way to lose half of your potential customers.
Using proper advanced SEO, it is possible to serve the right pages to customers before they click on a link. If you search Google for “Honda Shreveport,” for example, you will find Holmes Honda’s new car page is ranked up top. What you will find below the top link is a small list of other pages within the site. This is called Google’s Authority Listing. Achieving this through advanced SEO will increase unique visitors to your site as well as increasing conversions because the appropriate pages will be listed right in the search results, before they even visit your Website.
When considering a search engine optimization company or Website provider, make sure to check their rankings. Check how their dealerships rank for the most difficult keywords, such as “Los Angeles Honda,” and make sure they will optimize the appropriate landing pages, not just the homepage.
It is an ultra-competitive market. There should be no tolerance for missing any opportunity to gain a new customer.
Richard J. Valenta is the CEO of TK Carsites, Inc. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or for more information, please call 714-937-1239 or visit www.tkcarsites.com.