4 Digital Marketing Tips for Service Area Businesses
Tips from Main Street Hub’s webinar with GoDaddy
If you own a home services or service area business, it’s important to get your online presence up and running. With tips from our webinar with GoDaddy, we’re here to give you the tips you need to utilize your website, review sites like Google and Yelp, and social media to get new business and build relationships with your existing customers.
Let’s get started!
Let your website do the work
Your website should look and feel professional — not only because this digital storefront is how many people will experience your business for the first time, but also because it’s your first opportunity to earn trust with new customers. Once you earn their trust with an optimized, effective website, it’s also important to make it easy for them to take the next step.
Use your website as a platform to explain who you are, how long you’ve been in business, and why you and your team are experts at what they do.
Save your customers time — Set up an FAQ section and save time by answering common questions people might ask you over the phone or via email.
Show, don’t tell — Add photos and videos of your product, services, team, or results that make you proud.
Instill trust — Add customer testimonials, reviews, and certifications so new customers know they can trust you.
Create an action step — Have one simple next step you want your visitors to take and show that everywhere. For example, a button that says “Contact Us,” “Get Quote Now,” or “Call Now to Book an Appointment.”
Get the right people to find you on Google
Having a page for each type of service you offer is one of the best practices of good SEO, in other words, it’s an effective way to get to the top of Google’s search results for people in your area looking for a business like yours.
People will search for the service they need, and if you offer it, it should be listed on your website.
Here’s an example:
You should also detail your service area across your website in order to narrow down your potential customers and avoid wasting their time. If you can manage to have your service area in your business or website name, that’s even better for Google — and will increase your chances of getting higher up in Google’s search results.
You can see how UpRight Garage Door Services has their service area, Fort Wayne, in their website address:
Handle your customer reviews on Yelp and Google
One way to continue building trust with your current employees is to respond to all of your reviews on Yelp and Google. It’s a great way to thank your happy customers for sharing positive feedback, and it’s the best way to protect your online reputation when reviews are inflammatory, misleading, or false. There are three key elements of every review response:
Here’s an example of a personalized, professional response to a positive review:
For negative reviews, identify the core issue, show that you’re listening, correct any false information, and apologize if necessary — like in this example:
Want more on responding to reviews? Check out our blog for the best tips for review responses here.
Utilize social media to bring in new customers and build brand loyalty
Now that your website looks great and your reviews all have succinct, sincere responses, it’s time to elevate your social media strategy. Here are some great content ideas for service area businesses that you can use to engage with potential new customers and keep your current customers coming back for your services again and again.
(For more ideas, scroll down to watch our webinar with GoDaddy below!)
1. Engaging photos
Just like you should show off everything you do on your website, use social media to show your online community why you’re the best in your area and why your customers love you.
2. Educational tips
The best way to continue proving to new and current customers that you are the expert at what you do, is to provide helpful, educational tips that will either inspire these customers to book an appointment or ask for a quote — or keep you top-of-mind the next time they require your services.
3. Cross-promotional posts
An engaging way to encourage more positive feedback and continue showing how trustworthy you are — is to remind your fans about your presence across review sites and showcase your best reviews to let new customers see how much your current fans value your services.
Timely content
Use seasons and certain times of the year to pump up your business. Remind your fans and followers that with the [insert season here] coming up, they need your service.
Want more of these great tips from our webinar with GoDaddy, watch the full webinar here:
