The 5 most common SEO mistakes on service provider websites

...and how your business can not only be found online, but also booked

Why many service provider websites in Switzerland cannot be found on Google

Whether it's a painting company in Lucerne, a hairdressing salon in Winterthur or a trust office in St. Gallen – for many SMEs in Switzerland, their own website is their digital calling card. But if it's buried somewhere on page three of Google, it's about as useful as a shop without a sign.

Yet SEO optimisation – i.e. the targeted improvement of your visibility in search engines – is not rocket science. However, many service providers and craft businesses fall into the same typical traps. In this article, we show you what these are – and how you can easily avoid them.

Mistake 1: The home page as a virtual toolbox

‘We offer everything for everyone – throughout Switzerland.’ Many homepages look like this or similar. The homepage lists all kinds of services – from fiduciary services to cleaning to web design – but hardly any specific terms that someone would actually enter into Google. Instead of ‘accountant Zurich,’ you see ‘tailor-made services for your finances.’ But nobody searches for that.

Why this is problematic:
Google loves clarity. An overloaded homepage does not look competent or focused. And potential customers will struggle to find their way around.

How to do it better:

Set priorities: The homepage is your digital business card, not a table of contents.
One page per topic: Create a separate, clearly structured subpage for each service.
Example: Instead of ‘Cleaning company in Zurich’, try ‘Professional apartment cleaning in Zurich – fast & thorough’.

If you try to cover everything with one keyword, you'll end up reaching no one.

2. Mistake: Local visibility is underestimated

You offer your services in the region – but your website doesn't mention this? Then your chances of being found locally are slim.

What is often missing:

Clear location information
Google business profile
Local business directories or portals

How to become visible in your region:

Maintain your Google business profile with opening hours, photos and reviews
Create location pages for different catchment areas
List your company on platforms such as local.ch, renovero or search.ch

A service provider website without local optimisation is like a shop without a sign.

3. Mistake: Technology is lagging behind

A slow website is like a craftsman who spends all his time looking for tools – unprofessional and time-consuming.

Typical technical problems:

Long loading times
Not optimised for mobile devices
No SSL certificate

What helps:

Reduce image size (under 200 KB)
Use mobile-optimised design
Choose a hosting provider with good performance
Use tools such as PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix

If a website loads slowly, the next click to the competition is not far away.

4. Mistake: Content with no added value – or stolen

SEO thrives on good content. Nevertheless, many websites feature text modules that are interchangeable or have been copied from competitors.

This does not work:

General statements without substance
Duplicate content
Outdated information

Here's how to do it better:

Write the way you talk to customers
Show what makes you special – with real examples
Answer questions that people are actually looking for (e.g. ‘How much does roof cleaning cost in Bern?’)

5. Mistake: Off-page optimisation is ignored

Your website is tip-top, but no one links to it? Then you're missing valuable recommendations in the digital space – also known as backlinks.

Why this matters:
Google interprets links as a sign of trust. The higher quality the source, the better for your ranking.

How to get good links:

Industry directories with real value
Recommendations from partner companies
Mentions in local media or blogs
Sponsorship of events with links

A high-quality backlink is like a recommendation in real life – it builds trust.

Conclusion: Website optimisation is an ongoing process

SEO is not a one-off effort, but a long-term project. If you want to remain visible in the long term, you have to keep at it and continuously address common mistakes that may arise over time.

Your SEO checklist:

Is your home page clear and focused?
Can you be found locally?
Does your page load quickly – even on mobile devices?
Does your content offer real added value?
Are there links from trustworthy sites?

If you're unsure, remember that every SEO mistake can be fixed. The important thing is to know where to start.

Visible means selectable – your website in the digital spotlight

No more shadowy existence: Your online presence becomes the first choice. With the right SEO strategy, you gain more than just clicks - you gain trust, customers and ground on the competition.

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