Author Archives: Contractor Webmasters

How to Start an Epoxy Floor Business (w/Expert Tips)

Blog Cover for Starting an Epoxy Flooring Business

If you are thinking about starting your own epoxy flooring business, you may already be one step ahead of the curve. The epoxy flooring market is burgeoning, but in 2024, it’s still relatively wide open.

Steps for Starting an Epoxy Flooring Business:

1) Register an LLC or Sole Proprietorship
2) Contact Local Municipalities
3) Purchase Equipment
4) Invest in Marketing

Epoxy is quickly becoming a favorite among commercial and residential property owners because of its incredible durability and because it looks much nicer than plain old concrete.

The fantastic thing about emerging epoxy flooring companies is that many owners began without knowing anything about flooring.

As a result, the process of installing an epoxy floor is relatively simple compared to other kinds of flooring installation jobs.

Some people learn just by looking at YouTube videos and browsing online tutorials.

Since the demand for epoxy flooring seems to be on the rise, and by proxy, the demand for epoxy flooring companies, we thought we’d share some insights on how to start an epoxy floor business.

The Rising Demand for Epoxy Flooring

There is no denying the rising demand for epoxy flooring. The epoxy flooring market numbers don’t lie. In general, the US concrete floor coatings market size was worth an estimated $304 million last year.

More specifically, epoxy flooring installations accounted for an estimated 40% of that valuation of $304 million.

That means that last year alone, epoxy flooring installations accounted for nearly half of all the revenue earned by the United States concrete flooring industry.

Revenue earned in the US concrete flooring industry will likely increase by 4.3% every year for the foreseeable future.

So, you can bet that epoxy flooring installation services will contribute to that revenue.

So what do all those statistics tell us?

For one thing, it tells us that, at least for the foreseeable future, a career in epoxy flooring is a safe bet, which is why it has enticed so many existing flooring contractors and budding ones.

And here are just some of the reasons epoxy flooring is in such high demand right now:

Increased Property Value

It is estimated that installing a concrete garage floor in your home can increase its value by $8 per square foot.

That may not sound like a lot, but epoxy flooring represents one of the best home improvement investments available, considering the relatively cheap installation cost.

Relatively Low Price

Regarding the price to install, consumers are flocking to epoxy flooring because it is more affordable than other kinds of floor coatings.

Business owners also realize how versatile and cost-effective epoxy flooring is in various applications: warehouses, garages, storage units, restaurants, etc.

Aesthetic Appeal

Epoxy coating can have a polished finish that looks clean and sleek. Similarly, contractors can enhance it to look like granite (at a fraction of the cost of the real thing.

Durability

With the proper maintenance, epoxy flooring can last for up to 20 years. Of course, the amount of foot traffic and quality of installation will play a factor in how long an epoxy floor lasts.

Getting the maximum life out of an epoxy floor will also depend on its maintenance after installation.

Now that you have an idea of the job market’s trajectory and understand why epoxy flooring is in such high demand let’s talk about how to start an epoxy floor business.

Step 1: Establish Legal Parameters

For the most part, you will want to choose between establishing an LLC or a sole proprietorship if you start an epoxy flooring business.

There are pros and cons to both, so check out this basic breakdown:

LLC

An LLC or Limited Liability Corporation defines the owner of a business and the business itself as two different entities.

The advantage of establishing your epoxy flooring business as an LLC is having a partner in the business.

Starting your business as an LLC will also protect people from going after your personal assets in court if something happens and you are being sued.

The downside to starting an LLC is that the process can be complicated.

Sole Proprietorship

A sole proprietorship is easier to set up than an LLC. The main drawback to a sole proprietorship is that you cannot have a partner by definition.

Most people will initially set up a sole proprietorship and convert it into an LLC when they experience some success or want to expand with a partner.

That is always an option, but you cannot start a sole proprietorship with a partner.

Step 2: Contact Local Municipalities

You will need a business license for sure. But then, depending on where you plan to operate your epoxy flooring business, you will need to see what kind of special permits and licenses are required.

Do a quick Google search for municipal offices and clerks in your state or city. Then, contact them by phone, and they should be able to tell you what you will need besides a business license to operate your flooring company.

In any case, you will also need to acquire insurance. Your state’s requirements may ask for nothing more than basic contractor’s insurance.

You may also need to put up a bond fee depending on where you plan to operate. Whether or not you have employees will also factor into the kinds of insurance policies you will need.

Step 3: Acquire the Right Equipment

Your epoxy flooring business will require an array of equipment, and the kind of work you intend to do will dictate what specialty tools you need. In general, though, you will need:

A diamond-bit grinder
A shop vac with a vacuum wand
Shovel
Broom
Epoxy resin

Step 4: Invest in Marketing

Once you have a business, you will need epoxy flooring leads.

The best way to get more leads is to utilize epoxy flooring marketing strategies that are proven to drive results.

We also offer a field operations app called Field360 so that you can run your entire business from the app.

Epoxy Flooring Management Software

An app like Field360 uses your day-to-day operations to power your marketing and website optimization.

Choosing this software tool is a great way to run your entire operation (scheduling, payments, customer relationships, etc.) while also ensuring top-level marketing.

Quality Website

A professional website serves as the beacon for your company. It’s where interested prospects go to find more information and ultimately convert into new customers.

Contractor Webmasters offers professional website design services so your site delivers on your business goals in 2024.

Keyword Research

It’s important to optimize on-page content with keywords that will make it easier to find for search engines. Start your keyword research with, of course, keyword research tools.

Then, group keywords by user intent and prioritize them by potential ROI.

Source: Ubersuggest

On-Page SEO

Every page and post on your website should have proper flooring company SEO so that you can maximize its value.

For example, if you provide garage floor coating services, that page should target the list of keywords aimed at people seeking that kind of service in your area.

Screenshot of Epoxy Floor Coating Page Optimized for SEO

Off-Page Optimization

Next, you’re going to want to sign up for Yelp, Houzz, Angi, and HomeAdvisor, and here’s the big one: Google Business Profile.

Listing your business with these platforms is like having road signs pointing to your site, and you want as many of these road signs on the web as possible.

Registering your business on Google Business Profile is the most impactful thing you can do for off-page optimization in 2024.

Content Marketing

Start a blog, post regularly on your business’s social media pages, create “how-to” video content, and consider an email marketing campaign to increase visibility. Publish your content on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook business profiles.

Conclusion

If you’re trying to start an epoxy floor business, 2024 is a great time to launch. All you need is to register your business, contact local municipalities, purchase equipment, and invest in marketing.

Sure, getting your business off the ground will be a challenge, just like with any other industry, but the blueprint is already laid out.

By following these steps, you can be on your way to a successful business in 2024.

SEO for Pool Cleaners: The Essential 2024 Guide (w/Local Tips)

SEO for pool cleaners is one of the most effective digital marketing strategies when properly implemented.

On the flip side, SEO can be a waste of time and money if done incorrectly.

If you own a pool cleaning company and are looking for a step-by-step guide on the best SEO practices for your industry, you are in the right place.

As a digital marketing agency for contractors, we’ve worked with dozens of pool cleaners on successful SEO campaigns over the past decade. This guide will outline what we’ve learned.

What is SEO for Pool Cleaning Businesses?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is the process of ranking your website as high as possible on search engines like Google. So why is this important?

It’s important because 97% of all people who use online search engines like Google and Bing are looking for local businesses.

SEO Benefits for Pool Cleaning Contractors

Even as the owner of a pool cleaning business, you have probably taken to Google to search for other local companies and services you have required.

Search engines have changed the way people seek out and find information. SEO is how you can make your company visible to that plethora of searchers. Below, Contractor Webmasters outlines SEO benefits for pool cleaners.

Increase Lead Generation

The #1 goal of SEO is to increase lead generation for your pool business. By appearing online for relevant searches, you attract high-quality leads. Through SEO, most consumers who find your company will become repeat customers for your business, enhancing their lifetime value.

Expand Brand Awareness

Building trust and credibility is essential to business growth in 2024. First, people want to trust your pool cleaning business, but you must give them reasons.

For example, suppose they see your company on Google Business Profile with positive reviews and love your website. In that case, they will begin to put your brand on a pedestal.

Scale Your Business Efficiently

SEO has the highest ROI in digital marketing, allowing pool contractors to scale their business sustainably. For example, a #1 ranking for a local pool cleaning keyword returns a substantial profit over long periods. As your company gains more customers from this ranking, your business grows.

Implementing SEO for Pool Cleaning Businesses

Once you understand the value of SEO for pool cleaners, it’s time to implement it. Remember, SEO is all about strategy, which can make or break your campaign. Therefore, you should focus on the following contractor SEO elements when executing implementation.

Keyword Research

Researching keywords is the first step to knowing which terms to target on your website and Google Business Profile.

Keywords are a significant signal to Google and other search engines. They let the web crawlers know that your site has information relevant to their users’ search.

You can use online keyword research tools to help you develop a list. Once you have a good list, it’s time to start using them in the written content on your site, social media pages, and business directories.

Moz Screenshot of Keyword Research of "Pool Cleaners Near Me"

On-Page Optimization

SEO starts with your website. If you have neglected it for years and it’s just hanging out in cyberspace, then you might want to work with a web designer to spiff it up.

Optimized websites require essential pages(Home, About Us, Contact) along with keyword-specific pages like service types, locations, etc.

Next, make sure all the information is up-to-date and accurate. Be sure to include high-quality images related to the content displayed on each page.

Ensure there are no dead links on your site and that every page has a link to another page on your site. Also, make sure it’s easy to navigate and that all the pages load quickly.

Screenshot of Optimize Pool Maintenance Web Page

Technical Optimization

Although on-page and technical SEO are closely related, contractors must not neglect the technical aspects of their campaigns. For example, you must ensure your site is crawlable by Google to be indexed on SERPs.

Furthermore, your URLs must have proper status codes to avoid technical optimization errors, such as 404s. Understanding concepts like canonicalization, XML sitemaps, and Javascript rendering is also essential.

An XML sitemap allows Google to efficiently crawl all of your website pages.

Off-Site Optimization

SEO isn’t just about optimizing your website. You must put up as many signs around the internet pointing to your website. For starters, register your business with as many local business directories as possible.

Sign up for review platforms like Google Business Profile, Yelp, Angi, and HomeAdvisor. Finally, ensure your company is present on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Screenshot of Google Ranking for Off-Page YouTube Video

It’s important to brand your company across the web, beyond merely search engines.

Content Marketing

It’s not enough to be present on websites other than your own. You will need to provide content to draw people to your company.

The first step in content marketing is publishing a blog on your website. Share your pool cleaning knowledge and some helpful tips in blog form to provide some value to consumers.

Posting regularly on social media is also crucial for content marketing. Creating YouTube tutorials or other videos that pertain to your business is also a great way to get your name out there.

Blurb About Content Marketing for Pool Cleaners With Picture of Paper and Search Glass

Reputation Management

Reputation management is where grassroots marketing and customer interaction methods are still relevant. Be sure that you are asking your customers to leave reviews. Let them know how critical their feedback is to the survival of your business.

You can also follow up with happy customers through email, reminding them to leave a review and even providing a link to make the process easy for them.

You can even have business cards made up with QR codes that lead your customers to a page where they can leave a review.

Blurb About Reputation Management for Pool Maintenance With Review Pop-Up Drawing

Email Marketing

Email marketing is another way to remind your customers of your service. With email marketing campaigns, you directly link to customers and potential customers.

Create a mailing list comprised of current customers, past customers, and leads for whom you have an email address.

Sending service reminders, interesting excerpts from your blog, and promotion information are great starters for your email marketing campaign.

Though email lists are separate from SEO, they also connect in helping build your subscriber list.

Local SEO

Local SEO for pool cleaning businesses is essential in 2024. Ranking within the Google Map 3-pack via your Google Business Profile generates more leads than any other SERP position.

In addition, you can use a Local SEO tool for pool companies like DataPins to enhance your local rankings and conversions.

DataPins helps you display social proof and boost your Google Maps signals via schema-pins, mini-maps, and geo-mark-up.

Blurb About Local SEO With Map Icon and Map Drawing

Final Thoughts on Our SEO Guide for Pool Cleaning Companies

SEO for pool cleaners is an effective marketing strategy to generate new customers in 2024.

Pool cleaning professionals can utilize a Google My Business listing and company website to acquire organic clicks on search engines like Google and Bing.

While other promotional methods like Google Ads and Facebook Ads can also produce new customers, SEO is a more efficient and profitable long-term plan.

The (Essential) Contractor Video Marketing Guide for 2023

Contractor video marketing is an essential part of your online presence. Contractors can benefit from video marketing with YouTube and their company websites. In 2023, consumers are more likely to invest in services that establish trust with visual content. As a result, every local contractor must consider adding videos to their yearly marketing strategy.

What is Contractor Video Marketing?

Contractor video marketing uses video to promote your services and increase brand engagement. Common platforms to publish videos include YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Furthermore, contractors often embed YouTube videos directly onto their company website.

Video Marketing Benefits for Contractors

Before investing resources into any marketing endeavor, contractors should project the return on investment and the overall benefits of their promotional campaign. Below, Contractor Webmasters cites several statistics that highlight the impact of video marketing for contractors.

Infographic Showing Video Marketing Statistic

Conversion Rate

One study found that placing videos on a landing page increased conversions by over 80%. So you can optimize your landing page conversions with video embeds, whether you are running Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or organic SEO campaigns. WordPress makes it simple to embed a YouTube video onto the page within their on-page editor.

Consumer Preference

It’s clear by the number of people consuming video content each day that visual media is increasingly popular. However, video is for more than just entertainment purposes. For example, 54% of surveyed consumers prefer to see more video content from a brand or business they currently support. Therefore, publishing more videos impresses existing clients and consumers.

Message Delivery

One study found that viewers retain 95% of a message from the video content, compared to just 10% from text content. As a result, consumers will retain messaging 85% more with video content than with text equivalent. Driving home your brand message is crucial to generating leads and keeping clients for contractors. Video content best relays your message in 2023.

Types of Marketing Videos for Contractors

Like all forms of content, there are good and bad ways to produce assets. For example, creating a slideshow video with stock images will pale compared to a branded video with live footage of your staff at work. To simplify the video marketing process for construction companies, we break down the different types of marketing videos for contractors.

Contractors should diversify content with brand videos, event videos, how-to videos, and video testimonials.

Brand Videos

Brand videos are self-explanatory since they showcase your brand. These videos are like commercials for your business and should showcase your logo, owner, and central messaging. Brand videos are a powerful marketing asset to publish on your website Google Business Profile and other social media channels.

Event Videos

Event videos showcase your company at an event, like a trade show. You can have a videographer follow you around big-time marketing or networking events and edit the footage for marketing purposes. These videos help customers get a better feel for your company on a more personal level.

How-To Videos

How-to videos are like visual blogs that help viewers solve a problem. You can target common keywords by producing how-to videos for your contractor business. The cool part is that these videos can rank for keywords on YouTube and Google. Publishing how-to videos are a great way to drive organic traffic to your contractor website.

Testimonial Videos

Satisfied clients praising your company on camera can work wonders for your reputation. Testimonial videos are great to publish on your website’s review section and your Google Business Profile. Like text reviews, video feedback helps prospective clients form an opinion about your services. Visual testimonials have an even more significant impact than traditional reviews.

Video Marketing Platforms for Construction

Once you produce videos, you must know where to publish the files. There are several great spots to push your videos, many of which work as cross-promotional tools. For instance, using the WordPress block editor, you can post a YouTube video and embed it onto your company website.

YouTube

YouTube is the best place for your videos because you can expand it to different parts of your marketing strategy. For example, you can upload your video to YouTube and rank for standard YouTube searches. In addition, you can embed your YouTube video directly onto your WordPress website using the WordPress block editor.

Remember, YouTube videos can also rank on Google search results, so make sure you target keywords within your video title. Your chances of ranking increase when you embed your video onto a topically relevant page or post optimized for the same keyword.

WordPress

We mentioned how you could embed YouTube videos onto your WordPress website. Most company websites use WordPress as their content management system. You can still embed YouTube videos using another CMS like Duda or Wix. We noted how embedded website videos help you rank for relevant keyword terms on Google organic searches.

Facebook

Facebook is the #1 social media platform based on total users. As a result, you should upload your marketing videos on your Facebook Business Page. You can use these videos in your Facebook and Instagram Ads to drive more consumers to your business and generate consistent leads.

You also have the option to embed a YouTube video on Facebook.

Instagram

Instagram is another great place to publish your contractor videos. You can cut your videos into smaller sections and upload them as part of your company’s Instagram story. An IG story is a series of videos or images that users can follow for 24 hours. IG stories help keep your followers engaged while giving them inside looks into your operation.

What Contractors Need to Produce a Video

Recording a video in 2023 is easier than ever before, as most smartphones capture high-quality video with the ability to export files to another device. But, of course, you can spend a lot more depending on your budget and how professional you want your marketing videos to look.

Video Camera

Most modern cameras record at either 4K or 1080p video quality. You can research the different models for months, but sifting through Amazon reviews is more trouble than it’s worth. If you already have a newer smartphone, your best bet may be to go with what you have now.

Consider Canon and Sony options if you decide to spring for a separate video camera. Both models start at around $1,000, which should fit most companies’ marketing budgets. One technical consideration will be megapixels which should be over 12 for a professional-looking video.

Video Microphone

Audio quality is often a more critical factor from a viewer’s perspective than video. Users will exit immediately if they can’t decipher the audio or present disturbing sounds that ruin the entire viewing experience. That’s why investing in a quality microphone will really help your process.

Most built-in mics fail to pick up spoken words unless positioned directly in front of the speaker. Conversely, hand-held mics or clip-on mics often capture the audio more clearly. A solid microphone usually costs around $150 but can climb into the thousands if you obsess over quality.

Video Editing Software

Editing software is critical for video marketing. You won’t engage internet users with raw footage that you upload from the device to YouTube. Instead, you must edit your video and insert brand overlays, creative cuts, and more. Furthermore, each social platform, like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, requires different video lengths.

Final Cut Pro X and Adobe Premiere Pro are the most popular editing tools. Both software cost multiple hundred dollars to purchase, but you will notice a significant improvement in your engagement. However, be aware that both tools have a learning curve and will take time to master for editors.

Final Thoughts on Video Marketing for Contractors

Videos are a valuable marketing currency for contractors in 2023. Engagement is an important factor both for SEO and user experience. Part of establishing your company’s brand in the modern marketing landscape requires investing in video content on your YouTube channel and company website. As a result, companies serious about expanding their reach should invest in high-quality marketing videos.

4 (Helpful) Email Marketing Ideas for Home Services in 2023

When it comes to online marketing for home services, email marketing is one of the most effective strategies. Promoting your company through email is an excellent way to intrigue prospective customers while keeping existing clients engaged.

In addition, the numbers back up email marketing as a profitable promotional investment, producing one of the highest ROIs for marketers.

As a home service business owner, you need to ask yourself one question: are you effectively utilizing email marketing? Or, to take it a step further, are you utilizing email marketing at all?

One advantage of email marketing for home services is that it’s never too late to start, and it’s relatively easy to get started. However, you must build a solid foundation if you want consistent results. In addition, you must be willing to go the extra mile to make your messages stand out.

Contractor Webmasters explores effective email marketing messages for home service companies in the following post.

1) Compile an Email List

Any effective home services email marketing strategy begins with an email list. To compose your email list, pull from your current and past customers. Then, when people sign up for an estimate on your website, save their contact information in your subscriber list.

You want to gather the email contact information of anyone who has shown interest in your services, whether they completed a transaction or not. Most companies use a CRM to store contact information for existing customers. In addition, you can transfer email addresses from that platform to your email marketing platform. Sometimes, CRM platforms perform both duties.

Once you have your list, it’s time to segment it. It’s not a good idea to send duplicate emails to your entire email list. Instead, figure out what content addresses each segment’s needs. Here are a few basic ways to group your contacts:

By Location: If you service multiple areas, you can group customers and leads by zip code or area of service.
By Service: Evaluate past customers’ services and group them by service type. You can include people interested in a particular service but have never completed a purchase.
By Anticipated Service: A great salesperson will anticipate the customer’s needs. Take a look at service dates and types of service your past customers have paid for and try to predict the next service they will need. For instance, if you installed carpet for a homeowner a year ago, maybe they could use a professional cleaning right about now.

2) Keep Subscribers Engaged

It’s not always about making a sale because, quite frankly, one customer will not constantly need your services. It’s just as crucial that your company stays fresh in the minds of your customers so that when the market does arise again, they will think of you first.

To that end, it’s vital to include emails that aren’t about promotions, sales, or new services. So here are some email marketing content ideas that will provide value to your customers and keep your business at the proscenium of their minds:

Thank You Emails: Always follow up with your customers with an email of appreciation thanking them for their patronage.
Seasons Greetings: It’s not hard to drop a line saying “Happy Holidays” or “Have a Safe & Fun Halloween.”
Informational Emails: It’s always a good idea to share information with customers regarding your particular service. Try sharing snippets of a recent blog post you wrote about a specific aspect of your service or trade.

3) Personalize Email Content

Including a personalized subject line or content in your emails can increase open rates by a significant margin. In other words, more people are likely to open up an email addressed to them instead of a generic email blast. There are a few ways to personalize email subject lines:

Include a Name: Perhaps the easiest way to entice recipients to open your email is to mention them by name in the subject line.
Include Service Specifics: If you already know what service of yours a lead has expressed interest in, send them emails with subject lines about that particular service.
Mention Service Anniversaries: If it’s been a year since your customer’s last HVAC tune-up, roofing inspection, attic cleaning, window washing, or other home services you offer, mention that in the subject line. “Can you Believe a Whole Year has Passed Since your Last……” is an example of a compelling subject line with personalized content.

4) Optimize Send Times

There is no universal answer to the question, ‘when is the best time to send marketing emails?’ It differs depending on your field and your clientele. However, using an email marketing service would help track things like open rates, open times, click-through rates, and even conversion rates.

It will take some time but keep a close eye on these metrics to pinpoint an optimal time to send your emails. Of course, you can’t get a clear picture of optimal send times until you compile an extensive list of emails. For example, 100 email subscribers is not a large enough sample size to pinpoint optimal send times. However, once you reach 1,000, you can get a good feel.

Many studies suggest that emailing around 10 AM on Tuesday through Thursday is optimal. However, remember that data from these studies may come from various industries. You can get a more specific data set by conducting internal measurements. Since your customers are unique to your industry, your numbers are more helpful than 3rd party research.

PPC for Industrial Companies: The Essential Paid Ads Guide

Blog Post Cover for PPC for Industrial Companies

PPC works for industrial companies time and time again. Pay Per Click puts your ads where your customers are. Think of them as the new billboards. While old billboards were used to display ads to commuters caught in traffic, PPC displays ads to web surfers traversing digital traffic.

There are some significant advantages to PPC ads as opposed to physical ads. However, if you are not implementing PPC ads in your marketing strategy, you are likely missing out on tons of leads and loads of customer conversions.

PPC for industrial companies can be beneficial because you will filter out all the people unlikely to need your services and target a specific audience.

Contractor Webmasters outlines the essential PPC for industrial companies strategy and fills you in on PPC advertising benefits in the following guide.

Advantages of PPC for Industrial Companies

PPC is the preferred method of advertising for many different fields and industries. It is by far the most flexible and effective advertising method, whether you’re talking about digital or physical formats. Here are just a few of the critical advantages of PPC for industrial companies specifically:

Budgeting

With PPC, you pay an ad publisher every time someone clicks on your ad. It sounds like it can get expensive, we know. However, you can set a hard cap on how much you pay each month. That way, you never go over budget and can gauge how effective the ads are (or aren’t) without having to pay for wasted air time.

Targeting

PPC displays your ads when someone performs a relevant search on a search engine or social media. So if someone searches “industrial contractor in Pensacola” and you happen to operate in Pensacola, your ad will be displayed to that searcher. As a result, PPC connects you with your target audience better than other advertising.

Engagement

Did you know that 96% of consumers don’t trust traditional advertising? The newer generations are getting wise to conventional advertising methods and disregard them. That’s why PPC ads are so effective. PPC ads show people content they have already shown interest in – not content that some advertiser wants them to be interested in.

The stats don’t lie – 65% of consumers report clicking on a relevant PPC ad instead of other search results.

Efficiency

While your complete marketing strategy should entail tactics outside of advertising, PPC ads are an excellent option for a new company seeking to increase brand awareness. Because PPC ads can target local consumers, they represent a great way to make your name is known in a market that another company may dominate.

It gives the little guys a chance to let the market know that they are there and alternatives.

The PPC Checklist for Industrial Companies

Getting started with PPC can be a little overwhelming, but the following is a checklist for you to ensure your campaign is as effective as possible:

Set your Budget

Establishing how much you can reasonably pay for ad clicks is crucial before you start. Naturally, some companies will have a higher budget than others. But, no matter your budget, set a hard cap – especially in the first month.

With most PPC services, you can adjust your budget at any time so start with a very reasonable budget until you see how well your PPC ads perform.

Choose your Keywords

Doing keyword research to determine how consumers search for your services is imperative. Here are some reliable keyword research tools to get you started. However, the most popular keywords will be more expensive per click.

And since most PPC services operate on an auction basis, your bid may not win if you bid too low. That means your ad will not be displayed when someone uses that specific keyword.

Fear not, though – there are plenty of keywords to use, so building a long list of keywords and backup keywords is essential. Also, long-tail keywords are typically cheaper, and target audiences are much more likely to need your services.

Choose your Platform

There are many different PPC services, but you will want to choose the one with the broadest advertising network. It’s sort of like buying air time on a local TV station instead of a nationally syndicated network.

For this, we would recommend Google and Facebook. The Google Ad network spans over 2 million websites and nearly 2 billion active Facebook users online daily. That means consumers trolling obscure corners of the internet are still likely to see your ad.

Optimize your Landing Pages

People are led to a landing page whenever they click on a PPC ad. A landing page goes (or at least should go) into more detail about the advertised product or service and encourages the consumer to click through to your main website. In this sense, the PPC ad is the foot in the door, and the landing page is the friendly voice inside saying, “come on in!”

So your landing page copy has to be enticing. Keep it brief, no longer than 500 words, explaining how your service or product can solve the consumer’s problem clearly and concisely. Include no more than two images but ensure they are high-quality and relevant to the copy.

Include a compelling call to action that encourages visitors to visit your website or contact you directly.

Test your Ads

PPC ads and landing pages demand your constant attention. That’s because sometimes they don’t drive the results you are after. The problem may be with the ad copy, the landing page copy, imagery, colors, etc. It can be many things that you have to A/B test your ads and landing pages.

Find out what customers are responding to, and what they’re not responding to, and make adjustments accordingly. Even when you think you have it dialed in pretty well and are seeing results, there’s always room for improvement, so continue testing.

Invest in Industrial PPC Campaigns

Things can get tricky quickly when you get into the deeper details of keyword research, keyword bidding, ad design, and copywriting. That’s why it is sometimes best to work with PPC experts.

Here at Contractor Webmasters, we have vast experience in PPC for industrial companies. We can help you choose keywords, write ad copy, design ads, perform testing, and more.

Flooring Lead Generation: How To Find Flooring Leads in 2024

When it comes to flooring lead generation, a few proven tactics work better than others.

However, there is no secret sauce to finding flooring leads in 2024.

Most flooring companies already know which platforms generate interest in their services. Few, however, invest the proper resources.

Below, Contractor Webmasters outlines everything you must know about getting more flooring leads.

What Are Flooring Leads?

Flooring leads are people who show interest in your flooring company’s services, usually by submitting their contact information or calling your business directly.

In 2024, most leads will come from online sources like Google, Facebook, and YouTube.

Types of Flooring Leads

As a flooring contractor, you offer different services for customers’ specific needs.

For example, some flooring jobs are more expensive than others, making the lead more valuable.

Similarly, your business may specialize in a particular type of flooring service, creating a priority for those lead types.

Commercial Flooring Leads

Commercial flooring jobs are typically more expensive than their residential counterparts, making leads of this nature more valuable.

Unfortunately, as a result, commercial leads are usually more costly and harder to secure.

Still, there are ways to get as many customers as possible for companies specializing in commercial flooring services.

Epoxy Flooring Leads

Epoxy floor leads often come from specialty flooring companies like those that work primarily on garage flooring projects.

You can get these types of leads via Google with proper search engine optimization or Google Ads targeting.

Residential Flooring Leads

Residential flooring leads encompass various services but are all reserved for the residential consumer.

Since many residential homes require flooring services, these leads tend to be the most widely available.

In addition, some flooring contractors specialize in residential services, making these leads attractive and appealing for the right price.

Screenshot of User-Friendly Navigation Menu from Flooring Company Website

Tile Flooring Leads

Tile flooring leads are prevalent for contractors. With residential consumers demanding these services, acquiring an interest in your services is good for business.

As a result, buying tile leads can pay dividends for your company and help increase your client base.

Best Methods To Get Flooring Leads

How do local flooring companies actually secure leads in 2024?

There are various ways you can generate or purchase leads online, and we will outline which are the most formidable and profitable below.

Be sure to pay attention to which methods will best serve your company’s ROI.

Search Engine Optimization

The best way to get flooring company leads is through SEO. Independent studies confirm that SEO leads produce a higher ROI than any other digital promotion method.

Our independent research validates these findings, and it is why we highly recommend flooring company SEO.

Screenshot of Google Autosuggest for "Flooring Company Near Me"

PPC (Google Ads)

PPC advertising is a fast way to get more flooring leads online.

By purchasing ads on top of Google search results, you can attract users who search for relevant keyword terms like flooring installation near me.

For best results, publish a high-quality landing page that converts well.

Screenshot of Google PPC Ads for Flooring

Facebook Ads

Like Google Ads, Facebook Ads are a great way to attract interest in your services.

Facebook Ads’ Advantage+ targeting algorithm allows you to reach individuals most likely to purchase your services, such as 35+ year homeowners in a particular zip code.

In addition, Facebook allows for a variety of CTAs to enhance ads.

Screenshot of Facebook Post From Flooring Company Basketball Hardwood Job

Email Marketing

Sending email drips to a list of subscribers is an effective way to generate more leads. The only problem with this method is that it requires your company to compile a list of email subscribers.

As a result, companies that already have leads will benefit most from email marketing campaigns.

Best Lead Service for Flooring

When looking for a lead service, you should consider what types of leads they provide.

For example, exclusive leads hold more value and convert at a higher rate, while shared leads are cheaper and have less value.

It also helps to understand how they generate these leads themselves if you decide to cut out the middleman and acquire traffic yourself.

Exclusive Flooring Leads

Some services provide exclusive leads for flooring contractors, but you can expect steep prices. Keep in mind that you can acquire exclusive leads on your own through digital marketing strategies.

However, if you decide to sign up for a 3rd-party service, make sure they are legitimate.

Shared Flooring Leads

Many services offer shared leads that force flooring companies to compete for the same prospect.

As a result, these leads cost less money, but they are also less likely to become customers.

Shared leads may be the only viable option for flooring companies with a very fixed budget, but they are not ideal for long-term sustainability.

How To Get Flooring Leads for Free

A common question from contractors is how do I get free leads?

Of course, we know better than to think anything is truly free, but we can produce leads without paying for them directly.

The best way to secure affordable leads is through search engine optimization.

But, of course, most high-ranking companies invest money in their SEO campaign, so the leads are technically not free.

Google Business Profile

The only authentic way to get free leads is through Google Business Profile. A GBP costs nothing and can immediately rank on Google Maps for keywords.

Of course, profiles with frequent reviews, high-quality photos, and informative business descriptions will perform better overall.

Still, claim and optimize your profile if you really want free leads.

Business Referrals

The other way to get free leads is through referrals. However, referrals typically only happen after you establish your company.

One customer tells their friends and family about your high-quality flooring services, and your phone suddenly lights up.

These are free leads, but they often stem from an initial investment in digital marketing.

Google Search

Unlike Google Business Profile, ranking on Google Search takes time and some resource investments. However, you will generate free leads once you rank on organic search results.

Why? Because unlike Google Ads (PPC), organic results don’t cost you money every time someone clicks. As a result, ranking in the top 5 for an extended period will produce free leads.

How To Get More Flooring Jobs in 2024

Ultimately, you want more conversions to get more flooring jobs in 2024.

Leads are great, but they are only the first step of the sales process.

At Contractor Webmasters, we stress investing in a branded online presence to produce more conversions, sales, and jobs for your flooring company.

Branding

When consumers buy from a brand, they are more likely to return the next time they need a similar service.

So, for example, you install a hardwood floor in someone’s home, and they are delighted with your work. But where did they find your business initially?

If it was from a 3rd party, they are likely to return to the person they initially contacted instead of you.

When you brand your company online, you attract direct sales, which helps you in the short and long terms.

Consumers buy from your brand and credit your brand with the performance and service. Next time they need flooring assistance, they call your business directly.

Screenshot of Branded Website for Flooring Contractor

Reputation

Once you put your brand online, you are open to praise and criticism. Platforms like Google, Facebook, and Yelp encourage users to leave feedback about local businesses.

As a result, they significantly influence your company’s perception.

It is critical to generate reviews by asking customers and sending them direct links via email and text messages.

If you do enough jobs, you will eventually get negative feedback.

The key is to respond to bad reviews gracefully and with class. Users won’t care about a few bad reviews as long as you provide a helpful response and accumulate enough positive testimonials to maintain a solid overall rating.

Screenshot of Facebook Recommendation for Flooring Company

Final Thoughts on Flooring Lead Generation

Flooring contractors can fall into the trap of paying other brands for leads. Once you establish your own brand as a lead generation source, you’ll never have to buy flooring leads again.

Google is the best platform to get new flooring customers because it presents a never-ending source of consumers.

As a result, investing in your company website, SEO marketing, and PPC campaigns can deliver great results.

Home Services Online Marketing: The (Digital Guide) for 2024

Guide Cover for Home Services Online Marketing

As a home services provider, online marketing can be confusing, frustrating, expensive, and disheartening. Many contractors have tried several SEO agencies, invested in PPC campaigns, and run expensive Facebook Ads with subpar results.

In fact, nearly 70% of all businesses dislike their current SEO provider. So what are the other 30% doing that separates us from the rest of the industry? For one, they are educating themselves on what they need out of online marketing and who do trust in executing their strategy.

The following post will provide that education based on 10+ years of experience in the digital marketing industry.

What is Home Services Online Marketing?

Home services online marketing is a series of tasks aimed at promoting a home services business on the internet.

For example, pest control SEO, junk removal PPC, and water damage social media marketing are all part of home services internet marketing. Companies must decide the most vital tasks based on needs, location, and opportunity.

Home Service Provider Marketing Strategies

Marketing is a massive-scale endeavor that can entail as much or as little as your company chooses. However, the intelligent course of action is to attack the digital landscape from all angles to maximize lead generation, return on investment, and general brand awareness in 2024.

Email Marketing for Home Services

Email marketing is an effective promotional method for contractors. Research shows that 89% of marketers use email as their primary channel. Additionally, open rates increase as you segment subscribers into sub-lists based on their specific needs and interests.

Companies can gain email subscribers in multiple ways, from in-person interactions to website sign-up forms. In addition, when using an email marketing platform like AWeber, businesses can comply with the CAN-SPAM Act, which requires unsubscribe links and a verified mailing address.

Local home service companies can earn repeat business from customers, making email segmentation much more potent. The majority of homeowners require regular maintenance for their properties, appliances, and other in-house mechanisms. Forming a solid relationship fosters repeat business.

Home Service Website Marketing

Your website is the foundation of your digital marketing campaign. It connects with other aspects of your online presence, including your Google Business Profile and Facebook Business Page. Most importantly, websites with robust search engine optimization attract organic visits.

An effective website meets SEO standards while providing a good user experience for visitors. For instance, a fast-loading website with clean navigation and high-quality content keeps users engaged. In addition, the best websites feature calls-to-action (CTAs) that help generate leads.

Owning your website’s domain name as a local contractor is vital. Domain names gain value as they age and establish indexation on Google search results.

Think of your website as a piece of digital marketing real estate that increases in value over time. The more you invest in the website, the more valuable it becomes in the marketplace.

Home Services SEO Marketing

SEO for contractors produces the most efficient leads for home service companies. Ranking on Google search results typically results in high-quality leads with a high conversion rate. This is true whether your leads come from Local SEO via the Map 3-Pack or from traditional organic SEO.

Marketing your business with SEO is one of the least expensive ways to generate leads. Claiming a Google Business Profile is free; you can upload photos of your staff without assistance. Optimized business profiles can show up on Google Maps within days or weeks.

Of course, the highest-ranking businesses invest more heavily in their SEO campaign. However, acquiring consistent organic traffic requires a full-scale effort with keyword research, link building, and content writing.

On-Page SEO Examples for Carpet Cleaners

A well-constructed website with a quality site structure is also critical to SEO.

Keyword Research for Home Services

Every home service business owner should target long-tail keywords on their website. Long-tail keywords are more descriptive and specific, targeting consumers who are more likely to spend money on goods and services.

Let’s say you own a flooring business. An example of a standard flooring company keyword would be flooring installation. Although the term registered substantial monthly volume, it also garners significant competition. Furthermore, it may not convert at the highest rate.

On the flip side, examples of a long tail flooring company keyword are flooring installation in Everett, WA or cherry wood flooring installation. The former does one crucial thing: it ensures that you attract consumers in your local market. The latter does another important thing: it attracts consumers already looking for specified services.

Screenshot of MOZ Keywords for Flooring Company SEO

Home Service Content Marketing

Home service content marketing can provide a huge boost not only to your web traffic but also to your lead generation. The emphasis on content marketing has only grown among professional marketers. So, how can you get in on the action? There are some simple and easy ways:

Start A Blog: Did you know that 92% of professional marketers use blogging in their strategies? Starting a blog is a great and cost-effective way to increase traffic to your site. Start by coming up with blog topics based on your target keywords. Using the aforementioned long tail keyword example, one of your topics could be the benefits of cherry wood as a flooring material.
Create Videos: Video content is also wildly popular and can dramatically increase your online exposure. “How to” videos are a great place to start, as 86% of YouTube users report taking to the platform to learn how to do different things. YouTube is an excellent opportunity to reach homeowners and teach them to do something basic. Again, using the same flooring example, one of your “how-to” video topics could be on how to maintain cherry wood flooring.
Social Media Posts: Of course, you can’t forget about social media. Your customers are still spending hours on social media every day, so you have to ensure you are present with some engaging content. Try starting a poll related to your specific field. Funny memes related to your trade are also a great way to increase views.

Content Marketing Blurb Outlining Purpose of Content

PPC Advertising for Home Services

Pay-per-click advertising works by displaying your ad to online searchers above the organic results. Though Google Ads are not as sustainable as organic SEO, they offer a valid option for new home service businesses to increase brand awareness.

With Pay Per Click, you only pay the ad publisher when someone clicks on the ad – as the name implies. PPC clicks tend to convert less frequently than organic SEO, but you receive more overall clicks. There are certain vital advantages to PPC as a means of home services online marketing:

Set your Own Budget: You can set a weekly budget for clicks, so you don’t have to worry about going over budget.
Attract Likely Customers: PPC ads can also be based on specific keywords and customer location so that you attract a particular clientele. This kind will most likely be ready to pay for your goods and services.
Broad Internet Coverages: The best PPC ad publishers have extensive networks, which means your ad will be seen in various contexts.

PPC advertising is best utilized alongside a solid organic marketing strategy. Furthermore, your website and landing pages should already be optimized for maximum conversion rates.

Local Marketing for Service Businesses

Home service providers can maximize their online presence with a local marketing tool like DataPins. The tool publishes schema pins to your website each time you perform a job. As a result, a floor installation in Houston, TX, would show on your flooring installation service page and Houston, TX, city page.

Reputation is a significant part of local marketing for home services, which is why you must monitor your online reviews. You can automate review requests through DataPins, which sends text and email reminders with a link to your review form. Furthermore, monitoring reviews on Google, Yelp, and Facebook is essential.

Home service businesses often work in multiple service areas, creating local marketing challenges. However, you can validate your service areas with DataPins and website location pages.

Using the above methods, you will notice ranking improvements on Google Maps and Google Search.

Final Thoughts on Home Services Online Marketing

Home service businesses differ from storefront businesses in that they travel to their customers rather than customers traveling to their addresses. As a result, home service companies require a unique marketing strategy for Local SEO.

The DataPins tool is designed to create and distribute Local SEO signals for Google Maps and Google organic rankings. Business owners can rest assured that ranking their home services company is possible with the right marketing strategy.

SEO for Flooring Companies: The (Premium) Marketing Guide

Marketing Guide Cover for SEO for Flooring Companies

SEO for flooring companies is an untapped goldmine for flooring contractors throughout the United States.

Unlike other industries like roofing and plumbing, which have generally invested in search engine optimization, flooring companies have mostly stood on the sideline.

What is SEO for Flooring Companies?

SEO for flooring companies is the targeted optimization of a flooring company’s website and Google Business Profile for improved search rankings and increased organic web traffic.

Proper SEO attracts organic search users and converts them into paying customers.

SEO Marketing Pillars for Flooring Contractors

SEO can be categorized into five sections:

Local SEO
User Experience
Keyword Research
Content
Link Building

Flooring stores that achieve high scores for each component increase their odds of online success.

Below, Contractor Webmasters breaks down the five sections in detail.

Local SEO for Flooring Contractors

Local SEO involves targeting local consumers through search, mainly via Google Business Profile and Google Maps. For many local keywords, Google shows a Local Map 3-Pack on top of organic results.

Map Packs pull business data from Google Business Profiles based on proximity, relevance, and prominence.

As a result, ranking within the Map 3-Pack requires a verified address, reviews, and an optimized listing.

Your Google Business Profile appears within Google’s Local Map 3-Pack for flooring-related queries.

Proximity

Flooring companies can’t directly influence proximity since they can’t control where users search. However, you can buy office space in a vibrant city with many potential nearby customers.

The Local SEO tool DataPins also helps validate nearby service areas through schema.

Relevance

Flooring contractors can influence relevance by completing their Google Business Profile with relevant information like services offered, frequently asked questions, and staff photos.

The name of your business also affects the algorithm’s relevance score.

Prominence

Contractors should generate as many reviews as possible to increase local prominence on Google Maps. One great way to get more reviews is to automate review requests using DataPins.

Other prominence factors include your attached website and how many users click on your profile.

User Experience

Some call it technical SEO, but user experience is a more concise description.

When users visit your website, how is their experience?

Can they find the information they seek?

Can they quickly contact your business or purchase an on-site product?

These are questions you must answer regarding user experience (UX).

Navigation

A user’s ability to navigate your site will primarily define their experience. Therefore, responsive design is a critical aspect of websites nowadays, as users will visit your site on a wide range of devices, from mobile to desktop.

Visitors should see a clean navigation menu on all of their devices and have the option to browse your website and fill out contact forms quickly.

Site Speed

The SEO industry made a big deal about the Core Vitals update, but research showed it had little impact on rankings. Still, a fast-loading website is one component that fosters a positive user experience.

Flooring companies can test their website speed with Google Pagespeed Insights, GTMetrix, and Pingdom. In addition, WordPress plugins like WPRocket and Imagafy help speed up loading times.

Site Structure

With an effective SEO strategy, users will enter your website on various pages. For example, a visitor finding your site via blog post will have different needs than one finding your flooring services page.

Therefore, designing a comprehensive site structure that leads on-site visitors through a funnel is vital. Of course, the first goal is ensuring the structure supports a positive UX.

Keyword Research

Advanced keyword research identifies the best SEO marketing opportunities for flooring companies. Measuring search volume is one of many steps involved in comprehensive keyword research.

Categorizing keywords based on user intent is vital in order to know which type of content asset is best suited for the term or phrase.

Keyword Volume

The number of monthly searches per month still informs a keyword’s ultimate value. For example, the term flooring services registers a 744 keyword volume, meaning an estimated 744 people will search the exact phrase each month.

User Intent

User intent often separates a mediocre SEO strategy from a highly effective one. Assigning user intent to your target keywords can increase your traffic 10x.

For example, hardwood flooring installation has clear buyer intent, while hardwood flooring installation tips has an informational purpose.

Keyword Mapping

It’s vital to group keywords into topics and sub-topics and assign them to corresponding pages and posts.

You want to avoid keyword cannibalization, which means that multiple pages target the same keyword—instead, group keywords to rank for similar terms on a single page.

Flooring SEO Content

Ranking for keywords requires publishing high-quality content on your website. On-page content typically involves creating either a service page or a blog post for flooring contractors.

A service page is generally shorter, while a blog post often requires 1,000+ words.

Blog posts are best for keywords with informational intent. When users seek information about a subject, they find blog posts describing the subject in detail.

Screenshot of Blog Post Content on Flooring Company Website

Blog post topics should be intentional rather than random in order for them to serve an SEO purpose.

Service Pages

Service pages are the bread and butter of your local content strategy, as they will help you rank for buyer intent keywords and convert visitors into leads.

A service page should be between 600 and 900 words and provide multiple calls to action for users to contact your flooring company.

Blog Posts

It would be nice only to publish service pages, but many keywords imply informational intent. You must publish long-form blog posts comprehensively covering a topic or question to rank for these keywords.

Most high-ranking blog posts exceed 1,000 words and include visual aids such as images, infographics, and videos.

Social Content

Website content is the most important because it directly influences organic rankings. However, you also need content to fill your external profiles like Facebook, Google Business Profile, and YouTube.

Recording videos of your services or storefronts is a great way to appeal to consumers on social media platforms.

Link Building

Link building is the most confusing element of SEO because Google strictly prohibits link building in most contexts.

For instance, attempting to influence a 3rd-party website’s inclusion of your website URL violates Google guidelines.

However, links remain a vital ranking factor, and there are safe ways to encourage backlinks without risking a manual penalty.

NoFollow Links

Perhaps the safest way to build links is through nofollow link building.

Google both expects and encourages businesses to link back to their website on social profiles and business citations, which is why they are tagged as nofollow links.

They are a ranking hint but not an endorsement.

Linkable Assets

Creating appealing long-form content pieces is the best way to attract natural links, which Google wants.

For instance, a data-driven article about hardwood flooring prices, styles, and colors is something major publications might link to from their websites. As a result, you will notice a significant rankings boost.

Link Outreach

Link outreach is a grey-hat tactic, meaning it technically violates Google’s guidelines, but many websites still engage in it without penalty.

Outreach involves emailing website administrators asking for a link placement or offering to write a guest post.

Be aware that you may be subject to penalty if you engage in this practice, even though it’s a rare occurrence.

More About Flooring SEO

Is Flooring SEO Worth it?

Research indicates SEO leads have a 14.6% conversion rate which is about 14x higher than outbound marketing strategies.

So, from a simple ROI perspective, flooring SEO is worth your time and investment.

Where To Find SEO Services for Flooring Companies?

The #1 SEO service for flooring companies comes from Contractor Webmasters, which offers affordable monthly plans that include DataPins.

In addition, flooring contractors receive a custom website fully optimized for Google.

Does SEO Produce Flooring Leads in 2024?

SEO will produce the best flooring leads in 2024 since they are branded and exclusive. As a result, these leads convert more frequently than a Google Ad or even a 3rd-party lead seller.

Once Google indexes your website, you can expect a consistent stream of high-quality prospects via SEO.

Window and Door SEO: The (Step-By-Step) Guide for 2023

Guide Cover for Window and Door SEO Guide

When it comes to window and door SEO, you must ask yourself one crucial question: can your target customers find you online? Don’t panic if you haven’t mastered your internet presence and digital marketing efforts.

2023 is the perfect time to invest in window and door SEO services. But before you decide to invest in search engine optimization, you should understand its benefits and applications.

That’s why Contractor Webmasters put together the following guide. In it, you will learn the essentials of SEO for window and door companies, and we will outline specific ways to generate more customers online in 2023.

Step 1: Audit your Website

Window and door SEO starts with a robust website. Your website is your most powerful marketing tool. A domain name with hosting and indexing feeds other digital marketing endeavors and claims internet real estate.

With that in mind, it is vital to audit your existing website to identify strengths and weaknesses and especially areas for improvement. For example, is your website indexed on Google? Is your site SEO-friendly?

You will likely have to hire someone to manage your website if you invest in SEO. But here are some of the basic web design principles to consider:

Screenshot of Navigation Menu from Window and Door Website

Site Structure

Your website should present information in as few clicks as possible. On average, a person spends 45 seconds on any website before clicking through to another one. Therefore, it is crucial to provide a good site structure to keep visitors engaged.

Create parent pages and child pages to represent primary services and sub-topics. You will outline your structure based on keyword research. Ultimately, your website needs must clearly offer information, phone number, services, service areas, etc.

Speed and Security

If your website takes forever to load, customers won’t wait around. Again, they’ll simply click to another site. So your website should be fast and should have an SSL certificate.

If you’ve ever landed on a non-secure website, your browser showcased a warning message, resulting in you exiting the site immediately. Nobody wants viruses on their computer, and a massive warning sign blocking your website is the fastest way to prevent consistent visitors.

Keyword Targets

Your on-page website content should also include keywords that will help improve your rankings. Start by doing keyword research to find out which hottest keywords people are using to look for your services.

Then be sure to strategically add those keywords to your written content. Often, pages cannibalize each other for the same keywords and phrases. Therefore, it is crucial to optimize your keyword targeting by assigning a group of keywords to a specific page or blog post.

Step 2: Off-Site Optimization

Once your own website is in order, it’s time to establish your company across the world wide web. Off-site optimization helps drive traffic to your website and shows essential online signals for your business.

Screenshot of Angi Citation from Glass Window Business

With a litany of digital platforms capturing the eyes of potential customers, staking your claim on popular directories and social media networks helps spark brand awareness while strengthing your website.

Link Building

Window and door websites need backlinks to rank on Google search. There are two primary types of backlinks which are follow and nofollow. Nofollow backlinks come from directories and social media profiles, while follow backlinks come from other independent websites.

For local businesses, nofollow links can really help optimize your website. But, of course, follow links still hold more excellent value because Google views them as endorsements rather than merely ranking hints. So it is wise to perform outreach for a healthy mixture of backlinks in either case.

Reach out to your suppliers and ask them to include a link to your site. Do the same for any professional clubs or networks you may be a part of. Claim your business on all relevant review websites like Angi, Yelp, and Houzz.

Social Media

Social media is also a powerful tool for window and door SEO. Be present on all platforms, and be sure to post fresh content at least a couple of times a week. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are essential networks.

Be sure to link to your website from each of your social profiles. You can also utilize YouTube videos directly on your primary website with YouTube embeds. WordPress makes it simple to embed a YouTube video onto a web page or blog post.

Facebook is one of the most important social media platforms for window and door companies because it also serves as a review website. Users can leave Facebook Recommendations for your bsuiness, which sheds either positive or negative light on your company.

Email Marketing

Email is one of the most underrated digital marketing platforms for window and door contractors. You can strengthen your SEO efforts by remarketing to website visitors via email blasts.

Be sure to capture emails on your website by providing a value proposition and lead magnet. For example, a pop-up offers a free discount code in exchange for the visitor’s email address. Once you have their email, you can send them blog posts and offers, which increases website traffic.

As you craft campaigns for your email list, try developing email content specific to the service the recipient paid for or was asking about. Email marketing tools like AWeber allow you to segment subscribers into different categories for hyper-targeting.

Step 3: Local Optimization

Local SEO is an off-site SEO element that deserves its own singular focus. Window and door companies will garner most of their traffic from local users, ultimately producing the best leads and potential customers.

Google presents a SERP feature called the Local 3-Pack for location-specific queries like door repair near me or window repair near me. The 3-Pack showcases three Google My Business listings that meet the searcher’s need based on relevance, prominence, and proximity.

Screenshot of Google Map Pack for Window and Door Search

Google My Business

Local SEO for window and door businesses stems from the Google My Business. You cannot even rank in the Map Pack without a GBP, so claiming and optimizing your profile is essential.

Once you claim your Google My Business listing, optimizing it with accurate contact information, high-quality images, and a link to your primary website is crucial. You can even add FAQ answers and publish Google Posts.

Finally, generating consistent Google reviews helps build prominence for your business profile. Furthermore, when users submit reviews with keywords like door repair, you have a better chance to rank locally.

NAP Citations

Google My Business is the most critical citation but one of many that window and door contractors should join. Consider platforms like Yelp, Angi, Houzz, and HomeAdvisor as other options for your business.

Showcasing consistent contact information is vital for digital uniformity and SEO in general. Of course, you always want accurate contact information if a user attempts to contact you through a 3rd-party platform.

Most online directories allow users to provide feedback, making monitoring each of your citations essential. Remember, each website URL link serves as a nofollow backlink to your primary website, so the more citations, the better.

Reviews / Reputation Management

Getting your customers to submit a digital review can be challenging, especially for older clients. Therefore, it is crucial to invest in a reputation management tool like DataPins, which sends automated review requests with direct links to the review page.

Reviews are the most critical element of your online reputation but not the only factor. Social proof is another consideration when establishing online credibility. Showcasing badges and awards on your website is an excellent example of social proof.

Finally, city and location pages are crucial for expanding reputation through various service areas. For example, your company may have a strong presence in Seattle, WA, but getting feedback from Spokane can help widen your sphere of influence.

Step 4: Content Marketing

There’s a saying in the SEO industry; content is king. Every aspect of your SEO campaign will require high-quality content from your website to your Facebook business page. The key is producing consistent, quality content to distribute across various platforms.

Content drives traffic to your website and earns your business more leads. As a result, marketing experts invest tremendous time and effort into content marketing. Ultimately, content marketing increases web traffic and sales.

Screenshot of Blog Post from Window and Door Webstie

Excess content like blog posts can be a ranking deterrent rather than asset. As a result, you must focus on content quality over quantity.

Website Content

Your website primarily features pages and posts that call for different content pieces. For example, a service page should be about 700 words and attempt to convert website visitors with strategically placed CTAs.

Conversely, a blog post will represent a different part of your marketing funnel and provide long-form content around an informational query. For example, how to install replacement windows calls for a step-by-step guide.

While informational queries are less likely to produce immediate sales, they enter the user into a long-term funnel to exchange their email address for a content asset. So even if someone thinks they can manually install windows, they are likely to eventually need your help.

Social Content

On-site content is the most critical for SEO. Still, you also need off-site content to fill your social media profiles and other off-page platforms. For example, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram all require visual-based content.

Aside from images and videos, you will also need exclusive content for your Google My Business listing and Facebook. Of course, you can also repurpose your blog posts to share on Facebook and Twitter.

It’s critical to produce content with a consistent theme to generate as many leads on as many platforms as possible. In addition, consistent messaging helps establish your brand and lends credibility to your business.

Email Content

Email campaigns often require a specific content style that appeals to email subscribers. Unlike long-form website blog posts, the best emails are short and easy to consume.

Emails should also focus primarily on conversions as the subscriber has already demonstrated previous interest in your services. Offering a discount or promotion with a contact button is an excellent way to get leads.

Remember, segmentation is crucial with email lists. As a result, you will want to craft specific content for particular groups. For example, you can separate email content by demographics like age, region, and specific interests.

Final Thoughts on Window and Door SEO

Window and Door SEO is the most efficient way to generate leads for your business in 2023. Claiming and optimizing your Google My Business listing and optimizing your company websites can foster consistent high-quality leads from search engines. Best of all, SEO is a sustainable strategy that continually produces low-cost leads for window and door companies.

4 (Helpful) Electrician Reputation Management Tips for 2023

4 Electrician Reputation Management Tips (Blog Cover)

What is Electrician Reputation Management?

Electrician reputation management is the supervision of online reviews for electricians and tasks aimed at improving the contractor’s standing within online communities, especially locally.

How Reputation Management Assists Electricians

As an electrician and a business owner, your reputation counts a lot. People want to know that they can rely on you for technical and possibly dangerous electrical work on the job.

On a business level, your customers need to know that you are ethical and value the customer experience.

So how do you convince someone you have never worked for of these things? Everyone is online in 2023; people are researching and getting information on services and businesses online.

Therefore, online electrician reputation management is a crucial part of your business. If you have poor representation online, that could be why you aren’t getting enough leads and landing enough jobs.

Let’s talk about some tips you can use to improve your business’s online reputation.

1) Claim Your Business

Establish or improve your online reputation by claiming your business on as many online reviews and consumer information platforms as possible. Start with the following list of sites and platforms:

Google Business Profile
Angi
Houzz
Yelp
Home Advisor

Claiming your business on these platforms grants you control of your reputation. Also, claiming your business will give you and your customers a forum to communicate and share experiences.

In general reputation management, you want to be present on as many online review platforms as possible because it’s good for SEO. Getting keyword-rich reviews can help search engines index your site on more searches.

It’s like having a bunch of signs on the highway that point to your place of business. So likewise, consider each review an online sign that points consumers to your website.

2) Establish a Favorable Social Media Presence

Most electricians are uncomfortable creating social media profiles, but they will help your online reputation. Facebook and Instagram benefit electricians, and YouTube, if you’re willing to produce video content for your business.

Facebook
Twitter
YouTube

Remember that business social media is for business purposes. Unfortunately, some electricians forget that they are using their business account instead of their personal account and say something that damages their online reputation.

Screenshot of Electrician's Facebook Social Media Post

While you don’t have to be very active on social media, engaging with future customers suits your reputation. A social media platform like Facebook doubles as a review platform since users can recommend or disparage businesses.

3) Generate Customer Reviews

It’s no secret that acquiring more reviews is the fastest and most effective way to boost your online reputation. However, electricians sometimes wonder how that’s possible with so many clients not understanding modern technology. The good news is that you can use a tool like DataPins.

DataPins automates review requests via email and text so that clients get a direct link to your review page. Even people with limited technical understanding can leave a review of this process. As a bonus, DataPins also allows electricians to showcase Jobsite images and pins, improving local search rankings.

Reminding a customer to provide feedback after you finish their service never hurts. People still like a personal touch, and the automated request will convert more frequently if you advocate on its behalf. Ultimately, the more reviews you produce, your reputation will increase in 2023.

Screenshot of Yelp Reviews for Electrician

4) Maintain Brand Consistency

To say there is a glut of information online would be an understatement. People have the entire world at their fingertips when they are online. With so much information floating around in cyberspace, you must have consistent branding for your electrical business.

Some other electricians a few counties over can have a business name very similar to yours. Heck, their logo might even look similar. As a result, establishing and maintaining brand consistency is critical to online success. Consider filing a trademark on your logo and color scheme.

Building brand awareness is vital for your reputation and requires consistent effort. Not only does consistency create uniform signals for search engines and data aggregators, but it also validates your credibility to the online consumer who sees your company listed on multiple platforms.

For example, if you move your office address, you should update your contact information across all directories and data aggregators. You can use a service like Whitespark to achieve this.

Why is Reputation Management Important?

The average consumer reads at least one online review before making a purchase decision. Many consumers surveyed report reading up to ten reviews before making a decision.

Online reviews have become the new social currency in 2023, and they don’t show any signs of letting up. As a result, your online reputation may be the difference between getting customers and going bankrupt.

Even the best electrical companies have their off days. You won’t be able to please 100% of your clientele 100% of the time. Managing your reputation allows you (the business owner) to counter and respond to negative feedback.

Bad reviews occur every so often. But with carefully managed electrician reputation management, you can turn negative feedback into new business opportunities.

Consider the following statistic: 30% of consumers reported amending or reversing their negative reviews of a business when they responded to said reviews.

Online reviews count greatly in the digital age in which we are firmly entrenched. However, reviews aren’t the only reason online electrician reputation management is essential.