If you’re an event planner, then showing up in Google searches is an essential part of bringing in leads for your business. (And if it’s not, it definitely should be!) And an important part of showing up in Google searches is getting strategic with SEO for event planners. Knowing what your ideal customers are searching for means you can put the right content on your website to get found by new clients. Once you’ve put your SEO strategy in place, your website will rank higher on Google, driving more traffic to your website. That momentum will build month to month and year, bringing ideal clients to your website to get to know you and your business and learn more about what you do—so they can eventually hire you as their event planner.
So, let’s talk about how to do SEO for event planners! This is something you can do with help from an SEO agency for event planners (like Southern Creative) or you can do totally for free on your own website. We’ve even included some of the top SEO keywords for event planners to get you started.
How to do SEO for event planners
So, what does strategic SEO look like when you’re an event planner? Let’s talk about some best practices.
1. Use keywords strategically on your site.
If you want to get found by more ideal clients, keywords are where it’s at. Things like site speed, reviews, and Google Business profiles are also very important for your SEO (more on those later), but keywords are the backbone of SEO strategy.
Keywords are specific words and phrases that your clients type into Google to find information online about planning events. Using those same words and phrases on your website directs more traffic to your site because including them tells Google that your content meets the needs of your audience.
2. Use short-tail keywords on your main pages.
Short-tail keywords are broad search terms that are one or two words long. Because they’re so broad, they’ll bring in lots of search results. However, they’re also pretty competitive to rank for.
The main pages on your site (like your homepage) are a great place to use short-tail keywords, because they describe who you are and what you do, like “Corporate Event Planner in Raleigh.”
3. Use long-tail keywords for blogs.
Long-tail keywords are more specific, longer phrases that attract more targeted audiences (but they’re easier to rank for.) They’re great for blog posts that answer specific questions your clients may have, like “how to plan a family reunion in Asheville.”
4. Use your keywords in meta titles and page descriptions.
Did you know you should be including keywords in more places than just your on-page copy? Meta titles and page descriptions matter, too! They’re two different ways search engines understand webpage content.
The meta title is displayed as the page title in search results and browser tabs. Page descriptions (aka meta descriptions) appear underneath the title in search engine results and offer a brief summary of the page’s content. Include your primary keyword in both for an SEO boost!
5. Use one primary keyword per page.
You can sprinkle multiple keywords throughout a webpage, but only one should be your primary keyword (in other words, you’ll choose one main keyword you’re trying to rank for on each page.) That primary keyword should only be used for one page on your website. You don’t want to compete with your own website for Google search results!
6. Write blogs to keep your site content fresh.
Shoot for adding new content to your site at least once a month. Websites with more content have more chances to rank for more keywords, and sites that are regularly updated also tend to get an SEO boost! Wondering what you should post about? Think about the types of information your clients would want to know before they work with you—the types of content that will show off your best work and show them you know your stuff—then post that. For event planners, that might be recaps of recent events, tips on event planning, profiles on area attractions and vendors, or answers to frequently asked questions. Each post should be at least 500 words and include relevant images.
Top SEO keywords for event planners
So, now that you know how to use SEO keywords, what are the top SEO keywords for event planners?
Here’s a quick cheat sheet:
- Event planners near me
- Best event planning services in [your city]
- Wedding and corporate event planning + your city
- Affordable event planners
- How to plan an event successfully
- best event planner + your city
- wedding and corporate event planning tips
- how to choose an event planner
Of course, you can always find your own keywords based on feedback, client questions, and competitor research. Think about the types of things your clients might type into Google when they’re looking for an event planner like you, then head over to Ubersuggest to get all the deets on search traffic for that term and to get related keyword ideas.
Looking for tips on how to do keyword research? Read our guide to keyword research for beginners!
Set up your Google Business Profile
Google Business Profiles are incredibly important for location-based businesses like event planners. When you fill out your profile, Google will understand where you work and base your business, so it can recommend your business to people who are looking for event planners in your area.
Setting up your Google Business Profile is entirely free and only takes about half an hour to do! Be sure to fill out every field as thoroughly as possible and mention the particular types of events you plan and which geographical areas you serve. Being detailed helps people understand your unique expertise!
Want to know exactly how to set up your Google Business Profile? Read the blog here!
Ask for Google reviews
Once you’ve set up your profile, you’ll want to get as many legit, glowing reviews as possible. Ask former clients to review your business and add a review request to your offboarding procedures.
Every 5-star review boosts your listing on Google maps, builds up your reputation online, and gives potential clients the confidence to choose you. (Just think about the last business you contacted from Google maps results—did you go with the place with no reviews, or the one with 1k reviews and 4.7 stars? I’m betting you were drawn to the option with more positive reviews (and most of your potential clients are the same!)
Optimize site speed
Site speed is important! Google prioritizes fast-loading websites because site speed is a major part of good user experience. If your site lags, especially on mobile devices, it’s less likely to rank well in search results.
To see how your site speed measures up, use PageSpeed Insights. Just enter your website’s URL, and it will analyze your site’s speed on both desktop and mobile. You’ll get a handy list of advice on how to improve site performance. At first glance, that list can be…pretty overwhelming! Don’t worry about understanding every little thing on the list—just choose some things you can understand, like optimizing image sizes and go from there. Every little bit counts!
SEO for event planners doesn’t have to be hard!
There’s plenty you can do on your own to boost your site’s SEO by using strategic keyword placement, site speed optimization, and Google Business Profiles. Every new piece you implement can take you higher in search rankings.
Looking for an SEO agency for event planners?
We can help you with that! Your website is only as good as the strategy behind it. We help you get that strategy on point, so you can get more clients from your website. Book a consultation for SEO Services here and let’s talk about how we can make your SEO even better!
