When creating a website, many people fall for ads promising a beautiful site for $300 that can “conquer the internet.” While the site may look great, getting it to rank at the top of Google is almost impossible with that approach.
One common format is the single-page or “business card” site. These sites can look sleek and include detailed information about the company. However, their primary purpose is often to be printed on business cards, directing potential clients through direct traffic. If someone searches for relevant keywords on Google, there’s a 99% chance they won’t find the site.
Google favors multi-page websites because they offer more in-depth, organized content. If there’s any competition in your niche, the top 10 search results will almost always be multi-page sites.
Recommended Page Structure for Service Websites
So, how many pages should a website have to perform well in SEO? For service-based businesses, the structure typically looks like this:
- Home Page – 1 page
- Service Pages – as many as needed
- About Us – 1 page
- Contact Us – 1 page
- Testimonials – 1 page
- Blog – as many as needed
The homepage carries the most SEO weight, so it deserves extra attention. Focus on quality content, meta tags, design, and keywords.
The About Us page tells your company’s story. While not mandatory, it helps build trust and enhances the user experience. Google values transparency, and pages like this show users who’s behind the site.
The Contact Us page is essential. In addition to placing phone numbers, addresses, and emails in the footer, you should have a dedicated page. A contact form can also improve customer engagement.
A Testimonials page boosts trust and conversion rates. It matters to both users and search engines.
The Importance of Service Pages
Service pages are where many business owners go wrong. A single-page site that lists all services is a major SEO mistake. Each service needs its own page to effectively target different keyword groups.
Let’s say you run a plumbing company. Your homepage might target general keywords like “plumber [city]” or “plumbing services [city].” However, if you offer clog removal, that’s a separate service with its own set of keywords. If you cram it onto the homepage, Google may overlook it entirely. Even though all services fall under plumbing, they represent distinct keyword groups. SEO specialists understand how to collect and implement these keywords properly. If you need help, our SEO experts Calgary are here to help grow your online presence in your city or whole Canada.
For SEO, each page should target 5-8 keywords. Title tags, one of the most critical meta tags, can only hold about 70 characters. Trying to stuff all your keywords onto one page just doesn’t work.
Separating services into their own pages and structuring the site properly accounts for 50% of successful SEO. For many business owners, this can seem overwhelming, but that’s where we come in. Our online marketing company Calgary, Effortless Marketing is here to guide you through it with ease.
Types of Pages: Commercial, Informational, and Content
It’s essential to differentiate between commercial, informational, and content pages. Commercial pages highlight the services you offer and drive conversions – calls, orders, or messages. Informational pages (like About Us, Testimonials, and Contact) complement commercial pages and add credibility. Content pages it’s a blog.
Many people think that writing a few pieces of content for commercial pages is enough to reach the top of search results and stay there indefinitely. This is a common misconception. Google’s ranking system is highly complex, and one key factor is dynamic content. Google favors websites that continuously add new content and pages. To the search engine, this signals that the site is evolving and growing, which often leads to higher rankings.
Beyond just keeping content fresh, blog posts are a great way to strengthen internal linking, which is another important ranking factor. Well-written and optimized blog posts can rank highly on Google, helping to turn casual blog readers into paying customers. A blog is truly a valuable asset for any website.
When it comes to the number of blog posts, more is better – and consistency is key. Publishing five high-quality blog posts per month is a solid foundation for strong SEO. On the other hand, writing one post every two years without any optimization is like a drop in the ocean.
