How to Boost SEO Performance on an Underperforming Website

By Dipa Gandhi

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When your service area business website isn’t performing well in search engines, it’s more than frustrating—it’s a missed opportunity. Whether you’re a roofer, plumber, or electrician, having an underperforming site means potential clients aren’t finding you when they need your services the most. Here’s how to turn things around and get your site ranking where it should be.

Identify the Gaps

If your website isn’t delivering the traffic and leads you expect, the first step is to diagnose the problem. Using the right tools can help you pinpoint where things are going wrong.

• Content Analysis Tools: Tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, or Ahrefs can provide insights into which pages are underperforming. These tools help track metrics like page views, bounce rates, and time spent on a page.
• Missing Keywords: Are you targeting the right keywords? For example, a landscaper in Atlanta should include highly relevant terms like “residential landscaping services in Atlanta.”
• Outdated Meta Tags: Compelling meta tags are often overlooked, but they are the first interaction users have with your site. Modify meta tags to better align with the intent behind your target keywords.
• Internal Links: Internal links help guide users through your website and tell search engines how pages are related. A site with poor internal linking structure could be confusing to both users and Google.

Real-World Story: A local HVAC company noticed a significant drop in traffic. By using Ahrefs to identify weak pages and outdated keywords, they repurposed their content and refreshed their meta tags. After the update, they saw a 35% increase in organic traffic within three months.

Fix Technical Issues and Focus on User Experience

Once you’ve diagnosed the weak points, fixing technical issues and improving the user experience is essential.

Boost Site Speed and Optimize Mobile Experience

Fast load times and mobile responsiveness are vital to SEO success. Studies show that over 50% of searches come from mobile devices. If your site takes more than a few seconds to load or doesn’t function well on mobile, visitors will leave, and search engines will penalize your rankings.

• Compress images to speed up your site.
• Optimize mobile layouts so your site functions smoothly on smartphones.

Create and Stick to a Content Schedule

Regularly publishing fresh, new content signals to search engines that your site is active and relevant. A posting schedule for blog posts, articles, or videos helps maintain a flow of new content while keeping you top of mind with your audience.

• Weekly or bi-weekly blog posts that tackle common questions and issues for your service area (like “How to Winterize Your Roof” or “Signs Your Plumbing Needs Repair”) will help boost your SEO.

Success Story: A local painting business struggled with inconsistent traffic. They created a blog schedule and began posting twice a month about topics their customers searched for, like “How to Choose Paint Colors for Your Home.” Consistent posting helped them climb two spots in Google search results over six months.

Refresh and Repurpose Old Content

Content doesn’t need to be brand new to be valuable. Repurposing old, outdated content is a cost-effective way to improve SEO. Take older blog posts or service pages and give them new life by updating information, adding new keywords, and resharing them on social media.

• Rewrite service descriptions and include new customer testimonials.
• Add fresh statistics and infographics to older posts to boost engagement.

A home cleaning company repurposed a 2-year-old blog post about “How Often Should You Deep Clean Your Home.” After updating the post with new cleaning products and local SEO keywords, the page’s traffic increased by 20%.

Build a Backlinking Strategy

Backlinks, or links from other reputable websites to your own, signal to search engines that your content is trustworthy. By developing a backlink strategy, you can increase your site’s authority and improve rankings.

• Reach out to local blogs or community forums to have your services listed.
• Offer guest posts on relevant sites in exchange for a backlink.

Example: A local electrician partnered with a home improvement blog to write an article on “Electrical Safety Tips for Homeowners.” The backlink from the blog helped improve their site’s domain authority, leading to better rankings.

Meta Tags Matter

Meta tags may seem like a minor part of SEO, but they play a big role in capturing search engine users' attention. Updating your meta tags to reflect the current intent of your audience and making them compelling can increase your click-through rates.

• Ensure that your meta descriptions are concise, informative, and include a call to action.

Example of Meta Tag Update

Old Meta Description: “Learn more about our plumbing services.” Updated Meta Description: “Need fast, reliable plumbing in Dallas? Our expert team provides same-day service!”

Internal Links: Don’t Overlook Them

Internal links create a structure that helps both users and search engines navigate your website more effectively. By guiding users to related content, you increase the chances they’ll stay on your site longer, which positively impacts SEO.

• Link to related blog posts or service pages within your content.
• Make sure your most important pages are linked multiple times across your site.

Real-Life Case: A landscaping company that added more internal links between blog posts and service pages noticed visitors spent 40% more time on their website, which led to a small but significant boost in their Google rankings.

Call to Action: Take Control of Your SEO Performance

Don’t let your website languish at the bottom of search results. Start by auditing your site’s performance, fixing technical issues, and committing to a content schedule. Repurpose old content, develop a backlink strategy, and optimize your internal linking and meta tags. For professional guidance in boosting your lead generation efforts, contact 99 Calls today, and we’ll help you unlock your website’s full potential.