May 16, 2023
Growing Your Home Services Business: The Ultimate Guide to Digital Marketing Strategies
Home service providers need to adopt effective digital marketing strategies to stand out, reach their target audience, and drive business growth. But you may not know where to start in the complex digital realm, where there are many strategies you can take to get your business’s name out there. This guide provides a summary of some of the most effective digital marketing tactics you can get started on today, as well as some that may benefit you as you grow.
Local SEO
SEO, or search engine optimization, is one of the most powerful tools for raising awareness about your business online. Local SEO in particular targets people geographically close to you searching for a business like yours. By creating profiles for your business on popular online directories, such as Google Business, Yelp, and Yellow Pages, you can start popping up on results pages and collecting reviews from satisfied customers. Be sure to optimize your listings with accurate and up-to-date information about your services, contact details, and location.
You can also make adjustments to your website that will bolster its ranking in search results, meaning it will show up closer to the top on the first page. This may take a good bit of effort now, including possibly hiring a freelance SEO expert or web developer, but there are major long-term benefits to securing your place in search results, as more viewers will be driven to your site over time. Utilize relevant keywords, meta tags, and descriptions, as well as location-specific content, on your website to improve its ranking, determined by how useful Google thinks it will be to users. Another method of building this “usefulness” is to establish backlinks from reputable local websites, which can sometimes be done simply by asking them to link to your site.
Social Media Marketing
While SEO is a tried-and-true method of long-term lead generation, social media marketing can be incredibly beneficial for creating a positive reputation and retaining existing customers. Set up social media accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and regularly post engaging content related to your services, local events, and customer testimonials. Soon, you’ll start creating an interested audience, but another way to get more local eyes on your accounts is to utilize targeted advertising options available through those apps. Paid social media advertising can be incredibly effective, as you can select certain characteristics and audiences you would like to target with your ad.
Content Marketing
Another tactic for building your audience is content marketing, or the use of blogs, articles, videos, interviews, and more to get the word out about your services. Creating a blog on your website is a great way to publish informative and engaging content related to what your business does and problems you can solve. Don’t forget to share your content on social media platforms and industry forums to attract potential customers. Additionally, you can rely on others to assist in the creation of content for your business, such as local influencers or experts in your field. Guest posts or quotes from a voice people can rely on goes a long way towards building trust in your business’s reputation and services.
Referrals & Word of Mouth
Trustworthy voices can drive more leads than you might expect. Referral programs and word-of-mouth marketing are two excellent ways to bring new customers in who already have a favorable image of your business. Offer incentives for existing customers to refer their friends and family to your services, such as a future discount. Additionally, you should encourage satisfied customers to write testimonials and share their positive experiences online through Yelp or Google Business, which will build your online reputation. A more visible way to generate word-of-mouth buzz is to participate in local community events, which allows you to build connections with local people who can then become customers later.
Local Sponsorships and Partnerships
The main way you can get involved in your local community is to support local events, charities, or organizations by becoming a sponsor. Club sports teams for children, for one, may be a great way to build relationships with parents in your area. You can also build a reputation off of other local businesses through collaborations efforts. If your services are complementary, cross-promotion through deals or sponsorships will be advantageous for both of you. Another type of sponsorship that will certainly get your name out there is to host or sponsor workshops, seminars, or webinars related to your industry. By creating an audience of professionals in your own industry, you’ll be able to draw on their expertise and opinions to generate conversation surrounding your industry, all with your name attached.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
While PPC advertising is not the most effective in today’s digital world, with prices increasing and conversion rates decreasing, it can still reach your local audience well if you maximize its potential. Create targeted PPC campaigns on platforms like Google Ads or social media ads with specific geographical and demographic targeting parameters set to reach your desired customer base. Be sure to monitor and optimize your campaigns regularly so you receive a worthy return on investment (ROI). Local service ads should be the cornerstone of your campaign, and with these ads, you can receive a Google guaranteed badge that verifies your busines profile and shows up with your ads.
Using Tactics That Work For You
The strategies you choose to implement will depend on your type of business and goals you wish to meet, however, each of these different areas should be used in conjunction with each other to best reach your local audience. A combination of multiple tactics will ensure that your home service business’s name is a popular one in your community, with a sterling reputation to match.
