Optimize your services page for better conversions

If you are a service-based business, offering in-person or on-site services to your customers and clients, then today’s post is for you. There are some big mistakes people make when they set up their new company website, and one of those is not planning a strategy and optimizing their services page.

What I commonly see when someone makes their own website is either a slim/low information services page, or no services page at all. And this is a huge mistake! Not only will people be searching for you based on the exact service they need, but many will go to your services page to see if you offer what they need.

The first question you should ask yourself is if you offer more than one service. For example, a contractor may offer both kitchen and bathroom remodeling but not home additions. Or a hair stylist might offer cuts, colors, but not extensions. A pest control company may treat for mice and termites but not for bees. And a dentist might do cleanings, cavities, but not root canals.

Why do I bring all this up, because when someone is searching for a company to fulfill a service they need, and they aren’t searching for a specific company by name, they will likely search for a specific service rather than a generic service provider.

For example, if I want a kitchen makeover, I would likely go to Google and type in “kitchen remodeling” rather than the more generic “contractor” even though both would be accurate for what I need. But if you are only setting up a generic services page, your site might not come up in the search results for the more specific search.

How to fix it

First, make a list of all the actual services you offer, no matter how big or how small so long as you actively want to acquire customers for those services. The exception I would make is if you have a service you will do, but don’t want to advertise it. So start with just a list of all services.

Once you have that list, that gives you a general idea of how many services pages you need. “How many services pages I need?” you may be asking! Yes, you read that right. You should have an individual services page for each one of your services.

Why? Can’t I list all my services on one page?

You can. But if you want to be found in the search engines for specific services, then you should separate them onto their own pages. That way, you can be found for a variety of different services. Having them all on one page makes it much harder for your site to be found because your content is diluted with content about other services.

Does this mean I need to have a lot more content?

Yes it sure does. Each page should have content specific to that service. I have a service page outline to help you organize what should be on each service page.

1. Service Title. And be specific! You can even use a tool like Ubersuggest to see what people might already be searching for in regard to that service.
2. Introduction. Write a short introduction for that service. This doesn’t have to be long, just a basic definition of what the service entails.
3. Photos. Find some photos that show examples of this service. This can be you performing the service, a before and after photo of service performed, or various other photos that fit.
4. Examples. Write up some examples of different ways the service has been performed, or how you’ve helped people with that service. Essentially, people are looking for someone who can solve their problem, so show them how you’ve solved this problem before. Tell them why you are the best person for this job!
5. Testimonials. If you have glowing reviews from your clients that are specific to this service, include a few! You don’t have have a ton. Just a few will do. (And make sure they include full names and photos if you can, adds a lot of weight to the testimonial.)
6. Call to Action. Every service page should have a call to action. Once you have them convinced they need your service, what should they do next? It should be clear and direct them to call, email, or contact you in some way.

If you find all of the above items for each service page, that content will write itself.

But what about the main services page?

You might be thinking that you can’t have 10 different service pages in your navigation, and that’s right. You want to make sure your customers can easily navigate to your site and so I have a few recommendations. First, you should definitely have one main “services” page. And on that page, you can list out each service you offer with a link to the more specific services page. There are a lot of ways to set this up, including using custom post types for your individual services. You could make icons for the services. Show photos with a little descriptive text. The main takeaway here is that you should be able to get to the services page and find the individual service you are interested in.

Here are a few services page that do this well:

• Dental Services
• Contractor Services
• PowerPoint Services

If your site uses dropdown menus already, you can also add your services as dropdown menus under your Services navigation.

Remember, some people will land on your homepage first, and some will land first on individual service pages. No matter where they land, you want them to find the information they need to get informed about your services and reach out to you for more information or to get started. Answer all their questions. Have a great looking site that’s easy to navigate. And make sure that all your service pages are optimized so they can be found by search engines and served up to your customers. It makes a huge difference!