Help with getting started on se things

[Hawkins Lumber]

We have made our web site and have up-loaded it. Now begins the daunting task of tweaking our site so that people can find us. The major topic of discussion is whether to concetrate our key words on regional indentifiers or the products we sell. Being a building supply we can't really do much for customers in other states, and when I do a search for lets say cabinets I only get 58,000,000 hits. Is our thinking correct in trying to split our focus on our local area as well as our products? suggetstions would helpful

Thanks
Dave

https://www.hawkinslumberco.com

[Bethers]

Re: Help with getting started on se things

If your site is forcused towards local trade, it is VERY important that your website acknowledges this.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to have others find you - but it's more important that when someone local is searching he finds you first. It's really easier to do this than you might think. But your task is more daunting than you think right now because your website is mainly pictures - and while pictures are nice - you need text.

To get your localized help - first get a footer on all the pages with your name, address and phone number (complete address - with city and state) and you might want to add a line under it saying "serving the whatever area" - which would cover a larger territory than just your city.

For your home page title - say Hawkins Lumber Company serving @$@#$ area or serving Michigan, etc (I don't know where you are).

Your other page titles have to be more detailed - not just cabinets or products - etc. All your pictures need to have alt tags - telling what is in the picture. You need to add a meta description to each page. A headline on each page would also be good.

BTW, you said only above - you realize that number is in the millions?

[Hawkins Lumber]

Re: Help with getting started on se things

Bethers, thank you very much for your reply. I was kind of wondering which way to go with that. It would have been really annoying to have gone and done alot of work on meta tags and descriptions and go in the wrong direction.
Yes I did realize that number was in the millions...lol. Its that way for just about everything we sell. which is why I was wondering if it would be better to have more regional keywords, as there aren't any building supply houses in this area with a web site.
Thanks
Dave

https://www.hawkinslumberco.com

[Hawkins Lumber]

Re: Help with getting started on se things

I have been playing with placing alt tags on my pictures and trying to figure out the meta tags, what is eluding me tho is headers and footers. Should the be something that ppl can see or are the embedded somehow? Should the header be above the picuter of my sign and say the same thing? This part of trying to layout a page has me totally confused, if anyone could give alittle advise on this I would surely appreciate it.

Thanks
David Rice

https://www.hawkinslumberco.com

[Bethers]

Re: Help with getting started on se things

I suggest you take the picture on the home page of Hawkins Lumber Co and resize it to be a header on all your pages. If you need help with this, let me know and I'll be happy to do it for you - but it could be a few days as right now orders on my sites and family issues are taking most of my time.

A footer in your case would be great added to each page with your name, address, phone number, etc - maybe a tag line and saying the area you serve.

If you have questions or need help with them- let me know.

[Hawkins Lumber]

Re: Help with getting started on se things

thank Bethers I'll do that with my sign pic, I guess I should also add an alt-tag to that pic as well even tho it is a header?