Grand Rapids, MI -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/07/2014 -- Geotarget Local, an SEO (search engine optimization) firm that focuses on helping businesses rank in Google for searches involving their local areas, today announced its new web designs aimed at contractors like plumbers, electricians, and appliance repair experts. Since contractors need to attract business from local residents, they have a unique need for site designs that will help them show up under the terms these people search for.

"SEO is an endeavor that requires a multi-faceted approach," explained Tim Walker of Geotarget Local. "Many people who look into it quickly find plenty of sources mentioning links, but this can cause other factors to be overlooked. Such elements often go under the umbrella of 'on-site' or 'on-page' factors, but these terms don't help a layman understand just what needs to be done. In a nutshell, these aspects involve content and site design."

Good content is one aspect that gets plenty of mention in certain circles, but many people put some up only to find that the search engines ignore it. While this can be the result of a lack of links, it's often caused by bad site design. Some of the most common free platforms cause content to be shown in multiple ways, including as new posts, in monthly and yearly archives, under each author name, and by category. That's at least five copies of each piece of content. The problem is that Google hates duplicate content and is likely to refuse to rank any of it.

"Our contractor web designs are made specifically to avoid SEO problems like the duplicate content issue, the inadvertent overuse of keywords, and other pitfalls associated with typical designs," Walker said. "We also ensure that the design is visually appealing. Visual appeal may not have anything to do with SEO, but it's very important to the people who come to the site. A crisp, professional look is more likely to turn visitors into buyers, so we pay quite a bit of attention to this aspect."

Because Geotarget Local is focused on the needs of such customers, it simply makes sense that they have added plumbing service websites and similar offerings to their local SEO mix. By combining good web design with its other SEO offerings, it is able to complete the loop that takes a company's web presence from obscurity to the top listings under locally-targeted terms.

About Geotarget Local
Geotarget Local provides a free site analysis that allows its customers to see where their sites can be improved in order to rank higher in the search engines. In addition, the company explains the real value of ranking in the top three sites on Google and how clients are missing out if they don't have these rankings.. Clients find that Geotarget Local provides excellent ranking results and that its professional site designs help turn these good rankings into increased business.