Any Tricks on Website Optimization?

[gimmeagig]

I just created and published my website through Godaddy.That worked out pretty well. Good tech support and nice website building tools.
They also have a package for Search Engine Optimization. I followed those suggestions except for the suggestion that I have at least 300 words on each page. I kind of want my site to be more short and sweet and not be packed with all kinds of stuff like: What to do when.... or Warning don't call a carpet cleaner before you read this...
So I'm wondering does not having this kind of content hurt my ability to move to the top of the search engines?
Are there any tricks that might help me become more visible?
Right now I don't show up at all in a general search in my town.

 

[Newman]

Set up your website using wordpress before you go much further. Google gods love wordpress.

 

[gimmeagig]

Set up your website using wordpress before you go much further. Google gods love wordpress.

Too late for that. The site is up and I'm happy with the way it looks.

 

[alazo1]

I would put the cities that you work in at least once more in each page. You can put it on top where you have "Deep steam carpet cleaning". Add "serving (your main city) and surrounding areas".

Also have some keywords on the title of each page and your description.

It helps if your H1 and H2 tags have some keywords.

 

[Jim Williams]

I agree. In your title tag at the top just put carpet and upholstery cleaning followed by the cities you serve separated by a coma. Also your cities, at least the main ones in your heading at the top of the page. Also be sure to do the same under the meta tags for each page. More content explaining what you do wouldn't hurt either. It may take a few weeks for your site to be recognized by the search engines and make it's way to the top. You can also do pay per click ads to get noticed. Google likes paying customers and it will help you climb to the top in the natural results. Also don't forget google maps and Yahoo and bing. And if you haven't already be sure and submit the site to the search engines.

 

[gimmeagig]

Thanks for looking at my site and the pointers. Godaddy has an SEO tool where it scans the website to find any issues and then suggests how to change it.My site right now comes up as 91 out of 100. I will follow the suggestion of finding more content.
Jim, I poked around on your site and I really liked it and how you present yourself and the general message.If I was a customer in your area that site would probably make me call you. No negativity and no BS a lot of relevant information. I saw the pricing chart which is very much in line with what I'm charging. I was wondering if I should include a pricing page when I built the website.I wasn't sure if that could be bad for business.

As far as adding the areas where i operate, I do have that listed on every page. You suggest to put it at the top one more time? I'm going to have to get into the template again and change that.
All the meta tags and keywords say "carpet cleaning Coeur d'Alene", upholstery cleaning my town, etc so I think I'm good with that.
The SEO software forwards the site to the search engines and that doesn't post immediately.
So it's a process...thanks for helping me out.