How The Thermal Spray Depot Can Improve Their Website SEO

Bob McDemus runs the Thermal Spray Depot – a supplier of thermal sprays which are used to apply materials onto a surface to enhance its properties or protect it from various forms of wear, corrosion, heat, and electrical conductivity.

If you’re like me, you were probably unaware what “thermal spraying” was until I explained it.

Bob has been in the business a long time and by our accounts has plenty of happy customers.

Unfortunately, their website and subsequent SEO doesn’t reflect this (yet).

What Thermal Spray Depot currently ranks as:

Notice the big jump from 3.1 to 4.7 in the last week.

This was due to us linking to them in a previous article where we went into detail about how web designers can fail businesses.

Taking a look at their backlinks, many are old and include no-follows, which means the SEO juice isn’t being passed on anymore.

There’s also many irrelevant websites in different languages that have no interest for us if our goal is to rank higher on Google.

What about keywords?

Organic keywords are the keywords someone types in and the rank in which Thermal Spray Depot appears on Google.

Although there’s little volume – Thermal Spray Depot is ranking on their own name which is a decent sign.

Thermal Spray Depot should consider trying to rank on other terms related to thermal sprays.

For example, “HVAC sprays”, “combustion wire” and others. 

A solid goal for them in the short-term should be to rank on the top page of “thermal spray” results, which easily has the most search volume compared to the other keywords.

Top priority for Thermal Spray Depot should be to secure their website and add a favicon.

Most websites have an http//: and a www. before the domain name.

This is a basic measure of security and before we dive into all the SEO strategies we recommend he implement, this should be paramount.

If you’re on a desktop and open up a tab on his site, you’ll notice that he doesn’t have a favicon (the icon you see on most other tabs) and instead has the blank wordpress one.

He should change this to an existing logo for his site.

All website renovations we recommend follow Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines.

This means experience, expertise, authority, and trust.

Experience:

Experience refers to the real-world experience of the content creator in the topic they are covering. In Bob’s case, this means highlighting the decades of experience he has in selling thermal sprays.

There’s a short blurb on his homepage – but not much else. Certainly nothing that can’t be generated with ChatGPT or a random spammer in India.

All of this is good information – but it should be supported with pictures of Bob standing by machines or equipment.

Bob attending conferences or being in the field in some capacity.

Bob should showcase customer testimonials.

The cool thing about this business is how unique it is and the variety of ways thermal sprays can be applied.

If I were a mechanic and wanted to purchase some thermal sprays, seeing and hearing other mechanics experiences would be amazing.

Adding real images, videos, and other proof of happy customers is all you need for this. Nothing crazy or complicated.

Thermal Spray Depot’s “about us” page needs a renovation.

Just like the blurb on the home page – there’s so much more that could be added.

For example, “Thermal Spray Depot specializes in helping out start up and existing companies who are serious about being in the thermal spray business.” 

Besides the typo – what kind of businesses would qualify for Thermal Spray Depot’s help and products?

If I wanted to paint my car with spray, would that qualify?

Recommendations:

• Add a proper “About Us” page: Include information about the company’s history, the team’s experience in the thermal spray industry, and any notable achievements or projects.
• Showcase customer testimonials: Display reviews or case studies from satisfied customers to highlight the company’s successful track record.
• Highlight industry involvement: Mention any associations, memberships, or participation in industry events to demonstrate engagement with the thermal spray community.

Expertise:

Expertise refers to the depth of knowledge the content creator has in the specific topic. And as someone with decades of experience as mentioned earlier, this should be a strong spot for Bob to shine.

If I were to approach Bob on the street and ask him questions about thermal sprays, I guarantee you he could answer them all.

The problem is that there’s no evidence of that.

On Thermal Spray Depot’s homepage there’s an interview with someone who looks like me. 

Do most 20-somethings who live in cities know anything about thermal sprays?

I certainly don’t. So why is there a kid who looks like me, who we know nothing about, interviewing the king of thermal sprays?

Thermal Spray Depot’s website looks like an Ecom store, and Google can tell.

When you click on the “equipment” dropdown there’s plenty of equipment.

Even detailed explanations of what the equipment is and how it works. This isn’t a bad thing, but lacks the critical information Google is looking for related to authoritativeness.

What separates Thermal Spray Depot from a chinese supply store?

Some items in the equipment sections are missing altogether like the “HVOF/HVAC” section which is blank when you click on it.

Thermal Spray Depot should also utilize Google’s “People Also Ask” (PAA) feature to enhance their website’s SEO by identifying relevant questions that potential customers are asking.

• What is thermal spraying?

Explain the basics of thermal spraying, including the process, types of coatings, and common applications.

• What are the benefits of thermal spray coatings?

Discuss the advantages of using thermal spray coatings, such as improved wear resistance, corrosion protection, and thermal insulation.

• What materials can be used for thermal spraying?

Provide information on the different materials that can be used in thermal spraying, such as metals, ceramics, and polymers.

• How does thermal spraying compare to other coating processes?

Compare thermal spraying with other coating techniques, highlighting its unique benefits and suitable applications.

• What are the different types of thermal spray processes?

Describe the various thermal spray processes, such as flame spraying, arc spraying, plasma spraying, and HVOF (High-Velocity Oxygen Fuel).

• How do you prepare a surface for thermal spraying?

Discuss the importance of surface preparation and the methods used to ensure proper adhesion and coating performance.

• What industries commonly use thermal spray coatings?

Highlight the industries that benefit from thermal spray coatings, such as aerospace, automotive, energy, and manufacturing.

• Can thermal spray coatings be repaired or removed?

Explain the process of repairing or removing thermal spray coatings and the factors that influence these decisions.

• What are the environmental considerations of thermal spraying?

Address any environmental impacts or concerns associated with thermal spraying and how they are managed.

How do you choose the right thermal spray process and materials for a specific application?

Provide guidance on selecting the appropriate thermal spray process and materials based on the application requirements and desired properties.

To increase their chances of appearing in the PAA section, local service companies should focus on creating quality content that directly answers these questions.

Recommendations:

• Develop a blog or resources section: Create articles, guides, or videos that educate visitors about thermal spray technology, applications, and best practices.
• Add a PAA section to increase visibility and expertise with Google and have the opportunity to answer the most common questions Thermal Spray Depot’s ideal customers might ask.
• Offer training or webinars: Host educational sessions to share expertise and establish the company as a thought leader in the industry.

Authoritativeness:

Authoritativeness refers to the credibility of the website and its content in the eyes of users and search engines. Google wants to see you as an expert before it elevates your website ranking.

For Thermal Spray Depot a big win would be simple collaboration with others.

Not in a paid promotional kind of way – but organic real collaboration with other industry leaders.

Authoritativeness also means proof of action in the real world.

A great example of this is their GMB (Google Business Profile).

There are no reviews or any proof of existence according to Google that this business actually exists.

Even on the site, it lacks external validation such as industry awards, certifications, or links to authoritative sources.

I’m sure Bob can find a few folks willing to be interviewed and vice-versa in his industry and leverage their SEO power.

Recommendations:

• Showcase certifications and accreditations: Display any relevant industry certifications or accreditations to enhance credibility.
• Obtain backlinks from reputable sources: Encourage industry publications, partners, or educational institutions to link to the website to improve its authority.
• Collaborate with experts: Partner with recognized experts in the field for guest articles or endorsements to boost the website’s authoritativeness.

Trustworthiness:

Trustworthiness refers to the reliability and honesty of the website and its content. This is a huge area where Thermal Spray Depot can improve.

With all due respect to Bob, whom I’m sure is the king of Thermal Sprays, the site looks like it was built before I was born.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing – but it needs an upgrade to appear more trustworthy.

Let’s use the example of plasma where the equipment he lists is all stock art.

When we click on that, what appears is another generic image which if put into Google search – confirms it being stock art.

And if we’re going to show and promote these products – why not have videos of them in use?

I’d imagine that some equipment is confusing, especially if you’ve never operated it before.

Why not include:

Who the equipment is for?

What the equipment does?

How to use the equipment, accompanied by photos and videos?

The ironic part is that including this would probably be shorter and more effective than the current descriptions Thermal Spray Depot has.

Recommendations:

• Implement SSL security: Ensure the website uses HTTPS to protect user data and improve trust.
• Delete all stock images and replace them with real images of the products Thermal Spray Depot sells.
• Explain who Thermal Spray Depot is selling to, why their equipment is the best for them, and the result of using it.

While Thermal Supply Depot has work to do to increase their website SEO, they have a proven track record and years of experience.

What this means is that they already have 80% of the ingredients they need.

Now it’s simply time to implement it and prove to Google that the king of Thermal Spray’s website deserves to rank much higher.