If you don’t already have an online photo gallery to help promote your business you need to read this now. Web searches are now the most common way for people to find a tradesman, and as companies realise this they’re racing to get online. For many this just means adding their name to a business directory. Others take the key step of setting up a proper website. What do you need to have on your site though? A list of the services you can provide and a way to get in touch with you are essential, but they’re not enough. People need to be able to find your site, it needs to show them what you can do and it needs to convince them that you’re the right choice for their job.
A simple photo gallery will make a big difference to the business your website generates. It isn’t a difficult, costly option and it will push your site into a higher level of effectiveness. Not only can it get you higher up the search ratings; it gives a more professional impression of your business and helps people connect with you. Let’s look at exactly why a picture paints a thousand words.
Getting Noticed – It doesn’t matter how great your website looks if it’s on page 93 of the search results and nobody ever sees it. You want to be ranked as highly as possible, and pictures are a big help with that. Each picture in your gallery can be coded with tags, and these help move you up the list. Tags are also great for broadening the range of search terms that will find you.
Showing Your Skills – Descriptions of what you can do are great, and they’re often the only way to tell potential customers what techniques you use, new technologies you’re offering and the areas you cover. Bare words don’t have much of a wow factor though. A website photo gallery showing spectacular jobs you’ve done builds enthusiasm and gets people thinking about what you could do for them.
Make New Friends – Build your photo gallery with some shots of your team in action and right away people will see you differently. You’re not just a faceless website anymore; you’re people too. When someone searches for a tradesman they’re looking for someone they can trust. Being able to see your staff helps create that feeling.
Seeing an image gallery of jobs you’ve done reassures potential clients that you’re proud of your work – if you’re happy to put it on the internet you don’t have anything to hide. It makes you look more professional as well as more human. It improves your search rankings and increases the conversion rate of your site. It sets you apart from competitors who have a basic website with nothing interesting to catch people’s attention. In fact it’s one of the most cost effective things you can do to improve your online marketing. Building an image gallery isn’t hard if you get some professional help to set up the basics for you, so if you don’t have one get started on it today.
