[pianotech] My website

[Joseph Garrett]

David Boyce was kind in responding with lots of good info:
"Only one "l" in instalment, Joe!

Hate to say this, but it is spelled with two L's!<G> (on this side of the
pond anyway.)
 
A nice refined feel to it. I like first-person address from a business 
owner's website, as you have done. Some tuners, oddly to my mind, 
describe themselves and their services in the third person "Jon Bloggs 
trained for 4 years with X and offers y". Much better for the web 
searcher to feel that he or she is being addressed personally and 
directly by the owner of business.

I feel the same way. Most that refer to themselves in the third person, are
websites developed by a Web Designer. At least that's my take on it. My
site is simply done through Yahoo's Website offering. It's fairly easy and
you see the results. This from the worlds' worst 'puter dufus too!<G>
 
What do you want the website to do for your business? It sounds as 
though you are not desperately needing to generate high volumes of new 
business, but just want to establish a web presence, since every 
business nowadyas is expencted to have contact details online. Did you 
put the site together yourself?

After 40 years in the biz, with a good reputation, I am just trying to
cover all the bases, to keep my business going. Lately, biz is down. I used
to advertise in the Yellow Pages and such, but that has become "passe"
(<G>). Business is a constant process of refining your approach. Also,
there is a constant turnover of clients, through moving away and death and
other anomolies that make clients go away. We all need a certain amount of
new clients to perpetuate US.<G> This Web Site is just part of that whole
plan. Of course, the best thing is a personal recommendation from a
satisfied client. 
 
If you are wanting to do more with it, make spend some time making sure 
that your site is listed in all the online business directories for your 
area. With regard to getting a decent page ranking in Google, the 
number one tip seems to be: Have lots of well-written, relevant content, 
and keep it updated. People may contact you offering Search Engine 
Optimisation services, for lots of money. Don't pay them! Research it 
yourself and follow the guidelines. We have an advantage in that ours 
is rather a niche business. There are relatively few of us compared 
with, say, hairdressers or plumbers.

I've already recieved call from a few of these so-called Search Engine
OptimiZation people. I have not taken them up on their offers. They seem to
be like the Lawyers that monitor the police monitors.<G> I will persue the
effort to optimize.<G> (notice the spelling in both instances?<G>)
 
Just over a year ago, my website did not exist. I needed to have one, 
as I was taking piano work from a part-time sideline to my main 
occupation. Now, if you do a Google search for "piano tuner Scotland" or 
"piano tuner Glasgow", my website appears in either first or second 
place on the first page of the "organic" google search results. That 
has been achieved without buying any seach engine optimisation services.

Good to know. I recall when you first did your website. It was one of the
things that prompted me to get off my duff and do it too!
Thanks!!
 
Interestingly (or perhaps boringly) if you also do a google search for 
"birdcage pianos" my site comes top, because I have a big page about 
them, and as a result of that I've had a couple of enquiries from people 
in the USA wanting advice because their technicians were not very 
confident with underdamper action pianos!

Interesting! I've been working on Overdamper Pianos for 35+ years. I have
been rebuffed for my efforts to give classes on that subject, (which I am
very qualified to do, btw<G>) I've specialized in those and Square Grands,
for most of my 40 year career.<G>
Because Overdamper importation has slowed to a mere trickle, the call is
not as frequent as it used to be.
 
Getting your site found by clients is one thing. Converting people 
finding your site into people phoning or emailing to give you their 
business is something else. That's where content is king, hopefully 
saying more than "I'm here" but saying "I'm the one you should call".

Very good point! As this is a new site, I'll be tweaking it for some time,
just as you have. Many of the facets of your site may be the way I'll go as
well. 
 
If you keep your site updated, and perhaps associate it with a Facebook 
page and maybe a blog (though blogs are now pass? it seems) those things 
may help too.

If that's what it takes, then I'll have to be lacking in customers, since I
abhor those things. Of course, that's just the Old Curmdgeon talking.<G>
 

 
Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain of the Tool Police
Squares R I
I probably should also add Keeper Of Bird Cages!<G>