Provide the Answers

Online Search Results Knowledge Panel

The knowledge panel is the box of questions that often comes up at the top of Google search results.   There is an example shown below in this article for the search question "who repairs roof leaks?"  Most searchers will click on these questions for answers.   A business that effectively uses SEO on its website could appear in one of these answers.  Appearing in the answer puts your company above the first website to appear on the result page right under the knowledge block.  Where would you rather your company appear?

Business Visibility Online

There are numerous aspects of SEO that business owners may not be aware of that can help their local visibility.  By visibility I mean when a likely prospect is looking for your services or products to solve a problem they see your business first!  Being seen first normally wins the prize if other things are equal.  Of course, there are other SEO techniques to ensure once your business is seen that the person looking to solve a problem will pick you rather than another result.  Typically the top three results in a search win the most clicks or chances that someone will at least consider your message.  Literally, over 90% of the searchers on Google will pick one of the first three companies listed in the results.

Search Results for Roof Repairs

We all search for information and assistance in solving problems.  Google prides itself in providing the most relevant results for the search.  That is why it is important to understand Google's rules!  If you are an expert in roof repairs and expect a homeowner to hire you to repair their roof leak why wouldn't you hire someone that knows and understands how to apply Google's rules to help those homeowners find you first?

DIY in Roof Repair and Local Business SEO

Yep, we all do it.  Our first instinct is to do it ourselves.  If you are a craftsperson or were raised in a middle-income or lower income household you have learned to do things yourself out of necessity.  I can't remember my father, a Belgium immigrant ever hiring anyone to do work around our house or yard unless he absolutely didn't have a friend, relative, or the right tool to do it.  I'll admit I gage the price of the right tool against the price of hiring someone with the idea when I finish the job I have a new tool!  Even though it may be years before I need that tool again and chances are I won't be able to find it!

There Are Special Tools And Knowledge Needed For SEO.

I do have clients that get the free version of these tools and set out to do it themselves.  There are a number of things you can do yourself but is that how you make money?  Chances are you make money working in your business or on your business.  If you are not hiring specialists with specialist skills you are probably wasting money.  Even though you are a jack of all trades you cannot be an expert at all of them.  Do you want a return on your online investment? I can repair my roof myself.  I have the ladders, can get the materials, and the tools, and maybe find the place that is leaking.  But why do this when my time is better spent writing this blog that may bring me more business?  To be truthful I have started using a blog writing service for some of the clients that save me time.  They are often better done than what I write and in less time.  In this case, I have a message I want to convey myself.

Search Results Impacted By Knowing SEO Rules.

In the right screenshot, not the map and location of "Handyman Roofing" in relation to my location, the red X.   This "knowledge panel" as Google calls it is where you want your business to show up in a search result!   The location on the map, the star rating, phone number, address, business hours, website, and directions are a powerful incentive to click on "Handyman Roofing". Note the screenshot on the left of the search result page for the search "who repairs roof leaks".  There are two screenshots because the first contains ads.  Most search results will contain one or more paid ads at the top of the result and several at the bottom of the page.  Companies pay a lot of money to reach the top of the position of these ads for particular search terms or keywords. (Google Adwords)  Correct me if I am wrong here but I suspect you bypass the ads marked in yellow below and go to the first (organic) result that hasn't been paid for by an advertiser.  The knowledge panel questions are another good place to appear.  Whether someone clicks on the questions or the result depends on where they are at in their search for information.  Are they looking for more information on roof leaks or ready to find someone to fix the leak?

Providing The Answers To The Search Of "Who Repairs Roof Leaks".

How do you get your business into the knowledge panel?

• https://www.google.com/business/
• Google reviews
• Authoritative content on your website
• Structured data on your website that explains what you do(schema)
• Google has indexed your website (you might be surprised on this one)
• There is a sitemap on your website
• There is a robot.txt file on your website
• There are a minimum of technical errors on your website
• There are physical pictures of your business on GMB
• Pages with content, not just sales info
• Evidence of success and authority on the website
• Testimonials
• Mobile speed and friendliness
• Descriptions on photos (alt tags)
• Minimized size of photos

The checklist goes on but you get the idea.  One of the fundamental ways of coming out on top is to review what your competitors are doing online to appear ahead of you in the results.  You can do some of that yourself by reviewing their website.  Just like your business I have invested in tools that let me compare all the important items on the list above.

All professionals use lists for effectiveness

Airline pilots use preflight, takeoff, and landing checklists and won't fly without them.  The roof repair person, auto repair, computer repair, air conditioning repair, tax preparers, lab technicians, doctors, nurses, lawyers, and plumbers all use checklists.  Some are written some are remembered by years of experience in troubleshooting or installing equipment.  Failure to use an actual list can often result in errors and additional expenses. To get the best results for your business visibility online someone need to use Google's checklist for success.  They provide most of the items that are necessary for their algorithm to properly index your site and rank in search results.  Imagine flying with a pilot that didn't use the recommended checklists for pre-flight, takeoff, and landing.   What do you think your chances of arriving at your destination safely would be?  The same is true for SEO and Google's checklist.  The chances of your company appearing in the knowledge panel or on top of the search results aren't very good.