The Clopay dealer websites deployed by ViewSource have been constructed with search engine compatibility in mind and adhere to the primary search engine ranking factors. The topic of search engine optimization and compatibility is, by its very nature, a technically complex topic. However, the least you should know in layman’s terms is the following:

The search engine ranking factors that ViewSource does have control over are:

1. Site map page
2. Key meta tags:
   1. Web Page Titles for each page
   2. H1 Title tag
   3. Keywords and descriptions
3. Keyword rich text on each web page.
4. Website Design and Layout (no frames; coding as HTML and ASP technology rather than the less SEO compatible: Flash technology)
5. Website content theme. The dealer website content adheres to a narrow theme: garage door sales and services. Google, in particular, has a website ranking factor based on the theme—the topic and subject matter—of your website. The theme/topic is what the web pages are about.

The search engine ranking factors that ViewSource does not have control over are:

1. Age of the website (i.e., search engines put more emphasis on longevity)
2. Local geographic market where competition for online visibility varies greatly.
3. Inbound links to your website from reputable referring sites (i.e., the democratic principle at work).
4. Your domain name (i.e., your domain name plays a significant role is search engine ranking, it has been proven that a domain name that contains targeted keywords will rank better in the search engines for those keywords. ViewSource recommends acquiring a domain name that contains both your geographic location and keywords such as “Garage Door” (E.g. Cincinnati-Garage-Doors.com) if it is important that your company name be included purchase two domain names and point them both towards your new site.

What Search Engine Visibility Should Clopay Dealers Expect?

Dealers deploying a new web presence, where no pre-existing website or domain name existed previously, should expect that their new Clopay dealer website will not appear within the first three pages of search results pages within Google, Yahoo or MSN for several months. This is primarily due to an automatic filter on all new sites put in place by the search engines to reduce spam. This is otherwise known as the ‘sandbox’.

Dealers with pre-existing websites, and who are not changing their domain names, should expect a drop in rankings for several weeks, until the new site is fully indexed. Once the site is indexed the rankings should start to creep up in the results.

Instant Gratification: Consider the Merits of Instant Search Engine Visibility…
Paying for Clicks

Short of waiting for free search engine visibility, search engines like: Google offer pay as you go advertising programs. ViewSource offers Clopay dealers the ability to advertise on search engines and would be glad to discuss this option with you to see if it makes sense for your situation.