On-Page SEO for Funeral Homes

On-page is a huge part of the SEO process today. Having a strong online presence matters for all businesses, including funeral homes. More and more people use the internet to find services, including those related to funerals. That’s why funeral homes need to make sure their websites show up easily when people search online and this is where FuneralAds.com comes into play. Our services ensure that your site is prepared to gain local search visibility and Google business profile views. That cannot happen today without a great on-page SEO strategy. As a funeral home SEO company, we feel it’s important that you, the business owner understand what we do to your website to help you rank better and improve your website traffic and online visibility.

Deathcare Industry On-Page Search Engine Optimization

Welcome to our easy-to-understand guide about On-Page SEO for Funeral Homes. Whether you’re a funeral director, someone who works in funeral business in marketing, or just curious about how funeral homes can do better online, this guide is for you.

In the sections below, we’ll explain what on page SEO means and why it’s important for funeral homes to pay attention to it. We’ll give you simple tips and ideas on improving your funeral home’s website so it appears higher in search results. By doing this, you can help more families find the help they need during tough times.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to use onpage SEO to make your funeral home more visible online. Let’s get started on this journey together.

What is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO for funeral homes is all about making sure your website’s content, tags, structure, and everything else on the webpage are optimized with the end goal of improved search engine results.

Why On-Page SEO Matters

The goal of on-page SEO is to make each page of your funeral home’s website attractive to both search engines and people looking for funeral services. By optimizing content and metadata, you can improve your site’s visibility in search results. This helps users find what they need and increases your chances of ranking higher local search results, engaging more visitors, and getting more inquiries. It’s essentially the most cost-effective approach to funeral home marketing today.

How On-Page SEO Works for Funeral Homes

Optimizing Content and Structure – By organizing your website’s content effectively and making it easy to navigate, you can enhance user experience and make it simpler for search engines to understand what your site is about.
Improving User Experience – A user-friendly website layout makes it easier for visitors to find the information they need, which can increase their satisfaction and likelihood of contacting your funeral home. This alone can result in more leads. Remember, experience is everything in a marketing strategy.
Establishing Relevance – Using the right metadata and incorporating relevant keywords helps search engines understand the context of your content, making it more likely to appear in relevant searches. Local keywords are more commonly searched than anything. Using these helps you win in local search.

Why Site Architecture Matters for Your Funeral Home

The way you structure your funeral home’s website can affect how easy it is to expand and improve your content, as well as, how well you rank in search results. There are two main structures to consider:

Flat Architecture – This simpler structure can be easier to set up, but it may become more challenging to organize as your website grows, potentially causing issues for both users and search engines. We review this as part of our audit process.
Sub-Directory Architecture – While more complex to implement, this structure can provide better organization and scalability, which can be beneficial for ranking in competitive areas.

Choosing the right architecture is crucial for ensuring your funeral home’s website can grow effectively and perform well in search results.

What is a Flat URL Structure for Funeral Home Websites?

A flat URL structure for funeral home websites means that all web pages exist at the same level, directly under the main directory of the website. Each page has its own unique and descriptive URL that reflects its content or topic.

For example, if your funeral home has a website and you want to create a page for the different services you offer, the URLs could look like this:

YourFuneralHome.com/burial-services
YourFuneralHome.com/cremation-services
YourFuneralHome.com/pre-arrangement-options

The Pros

Simple to set up and manage.
Each page gets its own clear and distinct URL.

The Cons

Limited organizational capabilities can make it harder for both Google and users to understand the structure of your website.
Increase risk of keyword dilution/confusion over time if you add a lot of content without clear organization.
Search engines rely on subdirectories to understand how content relates to each other, so with a flat structure, you need to be deliberate about creating internal links to guide Google, Yahoo, Bing, and others.

Sub-Directory Structures (Silos) for Funeral Home Websites

What is a Multiple Sub-Directory Structure?

When discussing a multiple sub-directory structure for a funeral home website, we’re referring to how the web pages and content are organized. Instead of having everything piled together in one big heap, a multiple sub-directory structure divides the website into different levels of folders or directories. Think of it like organizing files on your computer into folders for easier access.

In this structure:

The main website is like the main folder.
Inside that main folder, there are smaller folders (subdirectories), each representing a different category or theme.
Within these subdirectories, you can have even more folders, further organizing the content into specific topics.

Which Structure is Best?

Now, you might wonder: Is it better to use this multiple sub-directory structure or keep things flat with shorter URLs?

Opinions among funeral home SEO experts differ:

A funeral home SEO agency may suggest using multiple sub-directories because it helps engines like Google, Google Maps, and Google My Business understand and navigate your website better.
On the other hand, studies are showing that shorter URLs tend to rank higher in search results.

However, it’s crucial to consider the context. While shorter URLs might rank better, it’s not just about length. It’s also about how easily Google can find and index your pages, hopefully including you in local search results, if done right. This is where click depth comes into play. The fewer clicks it takes to reach a page from the homepage, the better for search engines to discover it.

The issue with subdirectories often lies in how well they’re implemented. Many websites using subdirectories fail to link their pages internally or make navigation easy, hindering their search engine optimization and visibility.

Ultimately, neither structure is inherently superior, but Google’s John Mueller has hinted that a subdirectory structure might be better. Google itself uses this structure.

What’s most important is that you do your best to improve what exists without changing everything and completely disrupting or confusing Google.

Tips for Implementation:

If you choose a flat architecture (shorter URLs), ensure rigorous internal linking between your pages.

Sub-directory structures naturally promote good internal linking, but it’s essential to use breadcrumbs to achieve similar results.

The choice between multiple sub-directory structures and flat architecture depends on your specific needs and how well you implement them to enhance your funeral home website’s visibility and accessibility.

Improving Website Visibility with On-Page SEO

A crucial aspect of making your funeral home’s website more visible online is optimizing all of your page titles. Think of the page title as a “straight to the point” description of what each page on your website is about. When someone searches for something related to your funeral home, the title tag is what they see first in the search results.

Here’s a breakdown of how to optimize your page titles for better visibility:

Use Relevant Keywords – Include keywords that people might use when searching for services in your area. For example, if your funeral home is in Chicago, you might include keywords like “Chicago Funeral Services” or “Memorial Services in Chicago”. Targeting your service area is key.
Keep it Clear and Concise – Your page title should be easy to understand and not too long. Aim for around 50-60 characters to ensure it displays properly in search results.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing – While it’s important to include the right keywords, don’t overdo it. Make sure your title reads naturally and is helpful to users. You will get penalized if not!
Local Optimization – If your funeral home serves a specific city or area, include that location in your title. This helps improve visibility for local searches. For instance, “Houston Funeral Home: Compassionate Services for Your Family”.
Incorporate Persuasive Language – Use language that encourages people to click on your link, but avoid being misleading. For example, “Expert Funeral Care in Los Angeles: Schedule a Consultation Today”.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when optimizing your page titles:

Targeting Multiple Locations – Each page should focus on a specific location to avoid confusion and improve relevance.
Including Contact Information – Keep your title focused on describing the page content rather than adding contact details.
Mixing Multiple Services – Each page should focus on a specific service or topic to maintain clarity for both users and search engines.
Starting with Your Funeral Home’s Name – You must brand your website, prioritize keywords, and present something that potential clients are searching for. This alone can lead to better customer reach.

Better Meta Description Tags for Better Search Results

When you search for something on Google, you see a short blurb below each link called a meta description. It’s like a sneak peek that tells you what the webpage is about.

The goal of a good meta description is to make people want to click on your link. It’s like writing a catchy ad for your webpage. The better your meta description, the more likely people are to visit your funeral home’s website.

There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for writing meta descriptions, but they should always include two things: where your funeral home is located and the main keyword (like “funeral services” or “memorial arrangements”). You want to give people a reason to click on your link, so make it sound interesting and helpful.

For example, a good meta description for a funeral home might be:

“Cartmell Funeral Home has been serving the Plymouth area with compassionate funeral and cremation services tailored to your needs for years. Let us support you during this difficult time.”

It’s important to follow advertising rules, especially if you’re using words like “best” or “top-rated.” Depending on where you are, there might be specific guidelines to follow for local businesses. Make sure your SEO or marketing team knows the rules for your area.

Research shows that when funeral homes optimize their meta descriptions, they tend to show up higher in search results. So, by putting effort into your meta descriptions, you can get local search visibility and help more people find the support they need during a tough time.

Inner Linking to Boost On-Page SEO

An internal link is like a signpost on your website that guides visitors from one page to another within the same website. It’s like a path connecting different rooms in a house.

Why Internal Links Are Important

Internal links serve a few important purposes. First, they help visitors easily move around your website, making it simpler for them to find related information. Imagine if every room in your house had a door connecting to every other room – that’s how internal links work on a website.

Inner links also help spread the value of your website’s content. Think of it as sharing the love across your site. When one page gets a lot of visitors, internal links can help direct some of that traffic to other important pages, resulting in better crawling.

Benefits of Using Internal Links

There are a few key benefits to using internal links in your search engine optimization strategy:

Better Ranking – When it comes to national and local SEO, internal links can help boost the visibility of important pages on your site. It’s a way to help users understand that you’re covering other relevant topics they may be interested in.
Keeping Visitors Interested – Just like a good tour guide keeps visitors engaged by showing them interesting places, internal links keep people exploring your website longer. This can lower your bounce rate, which is like keeping visitors from leaving your house too quickly.
Improving Conversions – Internal links can guide visitors towards important actions, like filling out a contact form, preneed inquiries, purchasing a casket, or ordering floral arrangements. It’s like gently nudging them toward the checkout counter at the end of their tour.

In short, using internal links on your funeral home’s website can make it easier for visitors to find what they’re looking for, boost your website’s visibility, and ultimately help more families in need find funeral and cremation services.

Using Structured Data and Optimizing Page Speed

When it comes to getting noticed online, using the right tools and techniques can make a big difference. One important tool is structured data markup, which helps the search engine ranking engines understand your website better. Think of it like organizing your site’s information in a way that’s easy for search engines to read.

Structured data uses special tags to label specific details on your website, like names, dates, and locations. For a funeral home business, adding structured data like funeral service schema can be incredibly helpful. This tells Google that your content is related to funeral and cremation services, making it more likely to show up when people search for those services online.

Why is this important? Well, when your website shows up in search results, it’s more likely to attract visitors. This can lead to more families finding your funeral home when they need it most. Plus, structured data can give you an edge over competitors who aren’t using it.

Now, let’s talk about page speed. Did you know that 53% of mobile users will leave a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load? That’s a lot of your potential customers and clients you could be losing if your site is too slow.

So, how do you check your website speed? You can use tools like PageSpeed Insights to run a diagnostic scan. This will give you an idea of how fast your site is loading and what might be slowing it down.

One common culprit of slow load times is large, uncompressed images. These can really bog down your site’s performance. But don’t worry, there’s a solution! You can use plugins like Smush Image Compression and Optimization to compress your images and speed up your site.

By using structured data and optimizing your page speed, you can make sure your funeral home stands out online and attracts more customers in need.

Improve Your Website’s Images & Media for Better SEO

Step one, let’s figure out which pages on your website are doing well and which ones need some help. There are tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs’s Site Audit that can help with this.

We prefer using Ahrefs’s Site Audit because it’s user-friendly and gives a detailed look at what’s going on with your site. In this interactive guide, we’ll show you how to use it to spot issues with images on your site.

Once you’ve got your list from the site audit, you can start working on fixing and optimizing your images. Here are some tips to guide you:

Using HTML for Images

Stick to standard HTML elements like img and picture for showing your images.
Avoid relying solely on CSS to display images if you want browsers like Google and Yahoo to understand them.
Consider adding the loading=”lazy” attribute to speed up your page loading times.
Give your image files short but descriptive names so people can tell what the image is about by looking at the filename. Avoid generic names like image.jpg.
Don’t try to stuff keywords into your file names; it won’t help your SEO efforts.
Use alt attributes or structured data markup to describe your images for search engines. This also ensures that alternative text displays if your image doesn’t load properly.
Keep your alt text short but descriptive.

The Importance of Alt Attributes

The “Alt” attribute is crucial for making websites accessible to everyone, especially those with visual impairments. It provides a text description of an image, allowing screen readers to convey the content to visually impaired users. This not only enhances their browsing experience but also ensures equal access to information.

Optimizing Images for Better Web Core Vitals

Images often slow down web pages, affecting important performance metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), First Input Delay (FID), and Total Blocking Time (TBT). Here’s how image optimization can help:

Smaller image file sizes improve LCP by reducing the time it takes for the main content to load.
Defined image dimensions prevent layout shifts, improving CLS.
Optimizing image file sizes and using lazy loading techniques can reduce load time and improve FID.
Smaller image file sizes decrease parsing and rendering times, reducing TBT and enhancing user interactivity.

Useful Tools for Image Optimization

Check out Google’s documentation for more tips on optimizing images. We handle this for clients.
Consider using ImageOptim, a free tool available for MacOS, Windows, and Linux, to optimize your images further.

By following these simple steps, you can enhance your funeral home’s website, making it more accessible, faster, and better optimized for search engines.

Improving Your Website’s Content for Better Understanding

When families search online, especially for at-need services, they want quick and relevant answers. This also holds true when searching for pre-need funeral home services and arrangements. So, your funeral home’s website content should focus on delivering just that.

To start, choose topics related to your funeral home’s services that you want to rank for. But it’s not just about picking a topic; you must also figure out what specific information to include in local SEO searches.

Now, many writers take a shortcut to keyword research: they search the keyword on Google, glance at the top-ranking funeral home pages, and then write their content based on what they see. However, this approach has several drawbacks:

It relies on human observation, which can be error-prone and inconsistent.
It’s time-consuming.
It often leads to regurgitating the same information as everyone else, offering little value to needy families.

Tools like Clearscope can help funeral home owners bridge this gap. They analyze top-performing funeral home content, gather relevant terms and subtopics, and provide insights to create comprehensive and valuable content. This ensures that you’re covering as much ground as possible when it comes to relevancy and topical coverage.

In Summary: On-Page Is A Must To Win In Search Engines

Your funeral home’s website is crucial for helping families during difficult times. To boost your reach you need to apply best practices and understand on-page optimization. To recap, at a minimum, you must…

Make sure your page titles are unique and descriptive, giving visitors a clear preview of your content.
Meta descriptions should complement your title tags, encouraging visitors to explore your site.
Implement structured data markup specific to funeral services to improve search engine visibility and click-through rates.
Pay attention to page speed, as slow-loading sites can lead to frustration for grieving families.
Use internal links strategically to guide visitors through your site and provide helpful resources.
Optimize your images using HTML formatting and descriptive alt text, ensuring they load quickly and enhance the user experience.
Leverage lazy loading attributes to improve the performance of image-heavy pages.
Ensure your page content is comprehensive and relevant, exceeding the expectations of families seeking services with the help of tools like Clearscope.
Lastly, remember that conducting keyword research is a big part of success.

On-page SEO requires attention and focus. It’s time-consuming but your digital marketing efforts on-page can really help boost the site rankings. If you’re looking to significantly enhance your website’s ranking and show up for as many search queries as possible, then reach out to funeral home SEO experts for help. We are the deathcare industry leader when it comes to SEO strategy and providing bespoke services today.

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