And, the SERP Results Are…
Last month I launched the Chicago handyman service website to put up for sale to a small business owner. I thought I’d use it as an opportunity to try and get the site to show in SERPs for three keyword phrases that receive the most traffic in just 30 days. I threw myself out publicly with this SEO challenge, and… well…
While I did show up in Bing, Yahoo and MSN for my main phrases, and in Google for lesser terms… I did not achieve my goal of getting page-one SERPs in 30 days for my three targeted keyword phrases specifically in Google. I’ll take the hit. 
I gave a good effort though, and despite this shortfall, things are actually looking good. All is not lost.
All Is Not Lost…
I now have some data to make proper adjustments and have set a good foundation to build upon. I like to set challenges like this for myself, while keeping in mind that falling short of the set goals can be far from a total failure. It’s all about flexibility and being able to go with the flow.
SERP Results
These are the phrases I was targeting:
Google SERP Results: No page one SERP… Boo 
- chicago handyman LSV- 3,600, Listings 1, 440.000
- chicago handyman services LSV- 590, Listings 313,000
- handyman in chicago LSV- 390, Listings 1,450.000
I did much better in Yahoo and Bing as far as my top phrases.
Bing SERP Results:
- chicago handyman
Results #17 of 24,100,000 results - chicago handyman service
Results #6 of 27,500,000 results - handyman in chicago
Results #16 of 30,600,000 results
Yahoo SERP Results
- chicago handyman
#6 page one - chicago handyman services
#3 page one - handyman in chicago
#7 page three
Other SERP Results
However, while the site has not yet listed in Google for the major target keywords, the site is receiving traffic from some other phrases. When this site is owned by an actual handyman, then specific towns and neighborhoods can also be targeted. This will all start to add up, and over time, bring in many phone calls that will lead to work.
These are some of the phrases people are starting to find the site through Google SERPs.
Google SERP Results:
- handyman in chicago south suburbs
Results #6 of about 2,100,000 for handyman in chicago south suburbs. - chicago handyman drywall repair
Results #7 of about 91,300 for chicago handyman drywall repair. - drywall handyman chicago
Results #14 of about 2,300,000 - affordable handyman chicago
Results #5 of about 21,900 for affordable handyman chicago. - craigslist handyman chicago
Results #6 of about 367,000 for craigslist handyman chicago. - handyman service in south chicago
#7 of about 93,000 for handyman service in south chicago
I still stand a good chance of ranking for the major phrases as well. The sites that I’m contending with that currently show consistently on the top SERPs, are sites that are not regularly updated. When I sized up the competition, I noticed that many of the sites are old and static.
What these sites that I’m contending with do have, is well established trust with Google. I’m the new guy in town compared to the current top listed sites. Right now, I have the site for sale, and Google can also apparently tell that there isn’t anyone actually “home” at this site. Removing the for sale text and videos could also help.
When this changes, and the Chicago Handyman Services site has some trust with Google as well, then the benefits of continually updated quality content, combined with off-page SEO factors, will start to pay off. They are starting to pay already.
Keep Building
I’ll keep building until the site sells. If I have any major breakthroughs I’ll be sure to post again on the progress. For now I’m sticking to post titles using general terms that can be easily modified by the future owner without having to delete any posts. If this site was actually “live” with a real handyman behind it, this is what I would start doing.
- Taking Start To Finish Photos of Jobs
- Including Photos In A 35o Word Post (3 photos will do)
- Use Name of Town or Neighborhood In Title (example “Logan Square drywall repair”)
- Include Zip Code
- Make Videos
- Free Classified Listing Campaign
- Inbound Link Building
So no, I did not reach the goal of SERPs in 30 days on Google, but I am pleased with the 30 day results overall. No excuses though, I threw myself out there, I’ll take the hit. “-)
Hey Chuck,
Did you do your best or you think you could have done better if you would spent more time doing this?
Milan
I actually became quite busy about half way through, so I could have done some other things that could have helped. I’m sure having the site for sale at the same time does not help much ether, but let’s see what happens over the next month.
Getting quality in-bound links is the hardest part of a site like this.
Chuck, I have worked local contractor SEO as well, but things have changed over the last few weeks. I have a client that I have been working the term “lowes coupon” since August (not local but an example of algo changes) and had it up to #13, then suddenly yesterday it fell to the 6th page!
I hadn’t done much with it any different than previously so I am perplexed to say the least, but I had heard that Google would be making changes and the same ol’ methods would not be working like they did.
Back to the drawing boards for me I guess (unless something just went wrong and it corrects itself).
Also, linking out has its merits too, with your site linking out in articles to sites like DIY.com or This Old House and other high PR sites in the same niche might bright soem positive results.
I have been watching a site that only had 6 back links but hundreds of outbound links to high authority sites and it recently moved up to PR4 on several pages and PR3 on many pages (internal) and has steadily climbed the SERP’s. So it appears that linking out may have some merit as well….
Just my thoughts…
Keith´s last blog ..Guest Post Here
You know Chuck, I am very impressed how you have pulled off the cybersmartwebmarketing.com traffic increase in only 6 weeks. I have noticed that you are on about 50 thousand position in US when it comes to traffic. How much traffic are you actually getting?
One more question, does it count as an in-bound link when you are leaving a comment, just as I am right now and using my website in the website window? Or would I have to actually have a link here where I am typing right now?
Milan
@Milan
You should check the commentLuv box below the comment text box. This will put a link to your latest post.The best inbound link is when some other site links to your site. Also, leaving comments on sites that are in the same market are better than just any comment link. A link is a link, but some links are greater than others!
@Keith
Yes, I feel a change in the force as well.:-) I also notice Google started giving rank to sub-pages more than I have ever seen.
As far as out-bounds, yes, and on my micro product sites I use at least 15 out-bound links. But for this site I am only using 4.
All my sites for clients here in Chicago, as well as my political and marketing sites, all went up with the latest Google changes.
And the handyman site is getting around 30 search visits a week, which isn’t all that shabby for the first month. Like I said, if the site was “live” with a real handyman behind it, I’d be less restricted with what I can do. Juicing this site up with a few Youtube videos, and running a Craigslist would help a great deal.
While Google is continually changing, I have found that updating with good content goes a long way in not getting Google slapped.
I think people tend to spend too much time leaving too many comments, submitting too many articles to too many places too fast-and Google sees all of this.
Many times what people think is helping, is actually working agents them. a few quality, natural links go much further than quantity of links on sites with little value.
Google wants to provide a quality experience for the user. I try to keep this in mind over everything else.
Update: the page I was working for “lowes coupon” had dropped down to the 6th page and this morning it was back in the middle of second page, so that was a relief to say the least!
This particular site has over 900 articles on home improvement so I know the content is good, plus it gets 70k visitors a month 90% of which are search driven, it has just been hard to get this particular page to the front of the SERP’s, but we have only been trying for 5 or 6 mos and it is a highly competitive term.
I am with you 100% on the natural links, and they can’t come from sites you own, google knows that too, made that mistake before with 10 sites I owned and linking to all of them from each other hurt me later…
See ya around..
Keith´s last blog ..Sunday Funnies – 1-17-10
These are some of the SERPs from one of the counseling sites I have worked on for the past several months. There are too many to list, many of them minor such as the counselors names, but these are some of ones of significance.
psychological services orland park Page #1- #1 and #2 of about 5,960
psychological services tinley park Page #1
psychological services south suburbs Page #1
psychological testing south suburbs Page #1- #6 and #7 of about 7,270,000
psychological testing orland park Page #1
psychological testing tinley park Page #1
psychological assessments orland park Page #1
psychological assessments tinley park Page#1
psychological assessments south suburbs Page #1
counseling orland park Page #1- #3 of about 67,400
counseling tinley park Page #1
counseling south suburbs Page #1
clinical psychology suburbs chicago Page #1
counseling services orland park Page #1- #4 of about 21,900
counseling services tinley park Page #1
counseling services south suburbs Page #1
couples counseling chicago south suburb Page #1- #1 of about 197,000
child psychological services south chicago Page #1- #1 of about 635,000
psychological services south chicago Page #1- #2 of about 1,410,000
chicago psychological therapy *Page #1 – #6 of about 3,450,000
depression services chicago page #1- #7 of about 1,420,000
southwest chicago counseling Page #1- #1 and #2 of about 55,800
south chicago counseling Page #1- #1 of about 378,000
counselors chicago south suburbs Page #1- #1 and #2 of about 9,810,000
psychological services chicago Page #1- #4 of about 599,000
psychological testing chicago Page #1 #7 of about 804,000
psychological assessments chicago Page #2- #9 of about 349,000
In time, the same thing can happen with the handyman site. 30 days was just more than I could chew, but I feel I can do well with the handyman site as well. The counseling market is actually more competitive, and has sites that have SEOs behind them. The handyman market is all old sites with many ServiceMaster, YellowBook, and Craigslist listings.
@Keith
Did you notice Google shuffling things today? They were up to something. I did the same thing with linking sites together. Big mistake! I also had one hell of a time with getting slapped for not cloaking my links on my affiliate sites.
I was all jumping up and down when I got some of them to list and make money. Then I woke up one morning and it was as if the sites never existed! What a pain in the a to wake up and not be able to find your site even by its name! Lol
As long as we keep everything on the up and up Google will be kind. I can see Google thinking about listing the handyman site… Its been jumping around in the SERPs like crazy all day. I bet within two more weeks Google gives way and the site will pop. It seems like once you cross a hurdle, then things fall into place. Big G is still trying to figuring me out.