A lot of business owners think SEO--search engine optimization, or the art of promoting your content on search engines without paying for it--and keywords are something you can sprinkle onto a website like magical fairy dust after it’s built. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case. To rank on Google, search engine optimization needs to be more than an afterthought—SEO needs to be built right into your website’s structure.
You need to have the content that shows Google that you are an authority in what you offer. This takes strategy in planning your content and what pages your website includes.
There are three types of content I recommend that event companies create and structure into their websites.
1. Offering in-depth services pages
I see a lot of event companies simply have one “Services” page that covers their general philosophy with a short list of all the types of events they plan.
If you really want to rank for specific event types, though, it’s crucial that you create separate pages on your site detailing each service. Here are a few examples of pages I often recommend:
Wedding Planning
Corporate Event Planning
Party Planning
Bar and Bat Mitzvah Planning
On each page, go in depth about how you approach each of these events, how you structure your services, and anything potential clients should know. Include photos of past events and links to any blog posts you’ve written on that topic.
As you’re writing, weave in related keywords. For example, on your “Corporate Event Planning” page, make sure you’re using the phrases “event planner in [city]” and “event company.” On a “Party Planning” page, you could mention “birthday parties” and “Sweet 16s.”
The best-ranking event planning websites are often those that are most in depth about their services, so use these pages to share more than just the highlights.
2. Featuring past work
A lot of event companies miss out on opportunities for traffic if they focus only on ranking for “event planner in [city]”. There is a ton of local search traffic you could attract by optimizing pages on your website for local venue names or other vendors.
That’s why I highly recommend creating blog posts featuring past events. Before you start writing the post, decide what keyword you’d like to rank it for, usually the name of the venue where the event took place.
Then, write the post with that keyword phrase in mind. Let’s say it’s “Riverdale Hall event.”
Include that keyword in your post title: “Riverdale Hall event: Joanna’s Sweet 16”
Include it in your post URL: /riverdale-hall-event-sweet-16/
Mention your keyword (or slight variation) in the first paragraph of the post: “We loved working with Joanna’s family to plan this memorable event at Riverdale Hall in Greenwich.”
For bonus points, include a paragraph at the end of the post specifically about the venue, its vibe, and why you’d recommend it. Link to any other events you’ve planned there. This will make your post a more helpful resource for others searching for this venue.
Pro Tip: Got a keyword idea, but not sure if people are actually searching for it on Google? You can check search volumes using KWFinder.com.
3. Posting helpful articles
The last type of content I highly recommend is helpful articles on your blog.
Your blog should reach beyond just recap posts from events you’ve planned. Don’t miss the opportunity to share advice from your expertise. I like to recommend one helpful article posted to your blog each month, if you or your team can make time to write it.
Here are a few examples:
How Long Should a Wedding Cocktail Hour Be?
How to Estimate Your Guest Count for a Fundraiser
5 Challenges of Beach Events That You Should Know (And How to Make Them Work)
These longer advice posts help Google better understand what you do and trust your website as a resource. They can also garner links from other websites and social shares, which are great for SEO.
Pro Tip: In each of these posts, find a way to link back to your related service page (i.e., if you’re giving wedding advice, link back to your “Wedding Planning Services” page).
How to come up with ideas for articles:
Write down common questions your prospective clients ask you.
Write down common questions your clients ask you.
Make note of things that make you wonder “Why doesn’t everyone know this already?”
In addition to search engine rankings, these posts also help you to impress upon your website visitors how much knowledge you have and why they should hire you. This is great for building trust.
Writing content isn’t most event planners’ favorite thing, but good content is so important when it comes to ranking on Google. Set your website up for success by having in-depth services pages, featured past work, and helpful articles, and you’ll have what it takes to rank.
Sara Dunn is a wedding SEO consultant at SaraDoesSEO.com, helping wedding planners, photographers, venues, florists and more reach rockstar status on Google.
