There’s no doubt that the Internet is becoming a leading source of information. People are “Googling” and “tweeting.” If neither of those terms ring a bell, perhaps you could Google them. 

Potential onsite septic customers are no different from the person searching for a plumbing contractor or hunting down a great local eatery. When someone needs a service, he or she wants to be able to quickly and easily locate a professional. Hint: That’s you! They want to be able to find you.

If you’ve found that business has plateaued, it might be time to fine-tune your online presence. Here’s a look at reasons why your website might be missing the mark. 

1. It’s not user-friendly

Have you ever found yourself on a website where you click tabs to find additional information and clicking takes you nowhere? Or you want to contact a company, but the contact form doesn’t work? That’s a bad user experience. 

You do not want your potential customers to run into these problems when they’re in a pinch and looking for onsite services. If they land on your website and find it doesn’t work or look appealing, they’ll find a new website in about 5 seconds.

The best way to avoid this is by hopping online each morning or at the close of business and clicking around your site. Is everything working? Are videos you’ve posted playing correctly? 

Another factor to consider is whether your site is mobile. How does your website appear for people who search with phones and tablets? More and more people — and younger generations — rely on mobile devices to search out service providers. Building a mobile website might be something to hire out to a Web developer if you don’t have the staff on hand.  

Regularly updating the website content will force you to make sure all the links and online forms are working properly for all of your website visitors, which brings us to the next reason your website sucks. 

2. It’s outdated

You’ve been in business for two decades and the photos on your website are proof. If you’re still rocking a mullet, that’s great, but don’t forget to show off your shiny new rig out on a job or your crew outfitted with new uniforms. 

Potential clients want to see that you care enough to keep your equipment clean and maintained, but they also like to know — and see — who will be showing up to installer their onsite system. 

Add an “About Us” section and include an updated photo and a few sentences about each of your employees. Believe me, people will take notice. 

And don’t forget about you. Make sure to include your story. How did you end up in the business? What makes you want to continue to serve the onsite industry each day? If you don’t feel comfortable writing this, ask someone close to you to write a short biography. But remember to check it over before slapping it up on the website. There’s a fine line between interesting background information and showboating. 

3. Google doesn’t know you exist

The World Wide Web is an extraordinary — and sometimes overwhelming — beast. Whether you have an in-house marketing and website specialist or you hire an outside consulting firm, the Google gods need to know you, and your website, exist. 

The best way to do that is by ensuring your website includes unique, relevant content. Think of relevant content as all the answers to those questions homeowners ask you on a regular basis: 

• Is my septic tank sized correctly if my five cousins and their six dogs move in with us?
• Why the heck is there so much lush grass growing over my drainfield?
• My concrete septic tank looks like it's deteriorating. What are my options?
• Can I install my own system? 

Blog about the answers! While a blog is an opinion piece, you still want to convey a sense of professionalism. You don’t need to be a word guru, but make sure blog content is grammatically correct and posted in an easy-to-read format. Have another employee or your office manager take a quick look at blogs you write. Another set of eyes checking for mistakes or clarity — Do homeowners need to know what an alarm float is? — never hurts. 

Education is a great way to satisfy current customers’ needs and expand your clientele. Internet pursuers will welcome your website as a source of helpful information and tips. And they’ll keep coming back if they know it’s regularly updated with new, useful content!