Understanding the basics of moving company SEO can help position your business at the top of Google, where it can be found by some of the 35 million U.S. consumers that relocate and move residences each year. Moving can be overwhelming, stressful, and difficult – and that’s where your moving company comes in.
There has been a steady increase in demand for professional movers over the recent years, creating an industry that generates billions of dollars in revenue monthly throughout the United States. There are potential moving customers in every area of the country, and where do they turn to when it comes time to hire a company for their relocation?
Google. The majority of moving company searches begin on Google, making it very important to be found at the top of the local search results for the right keywords. Grassroots marketing and referrals can still be effective and help with customer acquisition, but there is nothing more effective in terms of potential customer acquisition than Google.
Even if you hire a moving company SEO agency to handle your optimization and ranking it’s a good idea to have a solid understanding of what is required at the base level to create a solid strategy to be found locally for hiring-intent keywords. Let’s go over five search engine optimization tips for movers that will result in more quality traffic visiting your website.
1. Optimize Your Google My Business Listing
Google’s local search algorithm is highly advanced. It knows when a user is showing local search intent based on the location they are currently in or via the search query entered into its search bar.
If someone enters in “local moving companies” it understands that to be a request for moving companies located close to the searcher’s current location. Many factors impact what companies show up at the top of those results – one of which is the information contained within the Google My Business profiles of the businesses.
Claiming your GMB listing is free, and it’s important to optimize it specifically for your main keyword. For simplicity, let’s assume that your moving company is located in Denver, Colorado. In your listing’s description, you would want to include the keyword “moving company in Denver” towards the beginning, while also including long-tail variations like “C” and “C” throughout the copy. This requires some effort to make it look natural and not spammy, as the character limit is 750.
Be sure all contact information is accurate and correct, as this is where Google pulls your location from. Upload images, complete your hours of operation – if Google allows you to enter information in a section, do so. We see so many GMB profiles that are blank, missing an easy opportunity for organic exposure.
2. Install Google Analytics and Search Console
Google gives you access to an incredible number of valuable data that you can use to improve your moving company’s SEO. Google Analytics gives you insight into who is visiting your website, where they are coming from, how long they stick around, and what pages they visit.
You can then set up conversion goals, which provide you with even more priceless data, allowing you to view the conversion path of each lead your website generates. When you know where your leads are coming from you can then identify your most valuable traffic sources and keywords.
Google’s Search Console is also a great tool that allows you to monitor your website’s health. Any errors or issues will be shown here and it allows you to address them before they impact your website’s rankings negatively.
Search Console can also be used to identify what searches cause your website to receive impressions in the search results. You can find terms you may not have considered ranking for, and if they are low competition you can push your ranking up with basic on-page optimization.
These are both free tools that require nothing more than your time to leverage. Learn to read and analyze the data – it can help you make adjustments to your moving company SEO campaign that result in significant gains.
3. Publish Quality Moving Company Content Optimized for Google Search
A blog is a must-have for any moving company website. It serves two purposes – one being Google and the other being your visitors. Publishing quality content allows you to target the keywords and search phrases that you want your website to rank for in the search results.
This content also gives website visitors something to engage with that educates them about the moving process while also working to create a higher level of trust. Many customers will be doing their first move and will likely have many questions.
Your blog is a great opportunity to answer those questions for them without having to ask. When you do this they become more confident in your business and will be more likely to hire your moving company.
Many Google searches will be based on questions related to moving. Here are some examples of moving company blog topics that perform well in the search results while also providing value to your potential customers:
- Why Hiring a Professional Moving Company is Better Than Doing It Yourself
- 10 Tips to Help Prepare You for Your Big Move
- What Liability Insurance Are Moving Companies Required to Carry
- How Much Does a Professional Moving Company Cost to Hire
- What Questions to Ask a Moving Company Before You Hire Them
4. Identify Local Link Opportunities
One of the most impactful off-page SEO strategies is link building. While Google’s search algorithm is always changing, one thing has remained consistent since the beginning: links are important and are the number one signal Google takes into consideration.
What has changed though, is how to approach link building. Back in the day, it was all about quantity – the site with the most links won. It didn’t matter where they came from or how spammy they were. Today, that strategy would get your website delisted and penalized.
When looking for link opportunities you want to focus on securing links from quality websites that are relevant to the moving industry. These could be directories that list moving companies, or relocation services that feature a list of movers.
You can also look for local link opportunities, such as local city or town websites that may have a relocation page. A little networking and outreach can go a long way. Often simply reaching out and explaining that you offer moving services in the area and would like to be listed on their resource page as an option is all it takes to secure a nice high-quality backlink.
5. Make UX Design and Usability a Top Priority
With so many local moving companies for consumers to pick from, you need to be sure your website makes a great first impression. You have one shot – most visitors never return to the same site after the initial visit.
User experience needs to be a primary focus, both visually and technically. Some things to make sure are flawless include your mobile friendliness, the overall design of your moving company website, and its navigation.
Most websites and themes are designed to be mobile-friendly today, but simply passing Google’s mobile-friendly test isn’t enough. You need to make sure that your website is truly usable on a mobile screen and the only way to determine this is with real users testing all aspects on your site. Get feedback from customers, employees, friends, etc.
With such a large percentage of searches originating on mobile, you need to be sure someone can easily navigate your website, find the information they are looking for, and then contact your business. If there are any points of confusion or difficulty the consumer is going to leave and find another option.
Final Thoughts
The basics fundamentals of moving company SEO can help attract more qualified traffic to your website, and when you have an optimized platform designed to provide a frictionless user experience you will see more leads come through, and your bookings should increase as well.
Some consumers are on a tight deadline and will make a hiring decision quickly as long as they feel confident in the company, which is why it’s so important to get reviews from all past customers and create trust as quickly as possible.
Other inquiries will require multiple contacts with the lead, especially in the case of a cross country relocation or a large home move – naturally, more research and due diligence will be performed.
The search engine optimization for moving companies information provided above is a great starting point. If you have any questions regarding the information or would like to learn more about our online marketing services for moving companies, please feel free to reach out at your earliest convenience. We will be more than happy to answer your questions and explain moving company SEO in greater detail.
