Local SEO can help plumbers, and other home service providers reach out to new and existing homeowners. Here's how it works.
It's difficult for trades and services to manage their online presence.
There is increasing competition for attention online, and it's hard to know where to start.
Local SEO is a great way for painters, electricians, plumbers and other trades and services to improve online visibility and reach new customers.
Local SEO strategies can help you:
- Reach out to new homeowners in your area
- Stay visible to existing customers
- Get found by people who need your services
It can be difficult for trades and services to manage their online presence. However, focusing on just a few strategies can help make this process a bit easier.
Here are some tips on how to get started with Local SEO:
Create a Google My Business Listing
For the love of god, create a Google My Business listing. If you are ever going to get found online, the first place people will look is Google.
A Google My Business listing will allow you to list your Electrical, Plumbing, or Painting business in Google Maps and show up in search results when people are looking for your trade or service in the area you operate.
To create a listing, you'll need to provide basic information about your business, such as your business name, address, and phone number. You'll also be able to add additional information, such as your business hours, website, and photos.
Cost - Time. About 1 hour plus a few weeks waiting for a postcard from Google (which is a bit painful)
Pro Tip - Once you have created your listing and it is up and running - Claim it (read this article on how to do this)
Local Directory Listings
The places where your website can be found on the internet - the better. Local listings are important for two reasons:
1. They help improve your website's SEO by increasing the number of inbound links to your website. Inbound links are a major ranking factor for Google, so the more links you have, the better your chances of ranking high in search results.
2. They help increase your visibility online, which can lead to more website visitors and potential customers.
I'll make it nice and simple. All you need to do is go to these online directory websites and enter your details.
Pro tip: Make sure your details are consistent across all directories. This will help Google (and potential customers) understand your business better and make it more likely that they'll find you when they search for your trade or service.
Here are some of the most popular local New Zealand based directories:
Houzz.co.nz
Bark
Yelp.co.nz
Yellow.co.nz
Localist.co.nz
Trademe.co.nz
Archipro.co.nz
Nocowboys.co.nz
Builderscrack.co.nz
Neighbourly.co.nz
Fyple.co.nz
Mapsconnect.apple.com
Cost - Your time. A few hours.
Get Social
I can hear the groans now. Social media is not everyone's cup of tea, but it is a must-do for trades and services to manage their online presence.
The great thing about social media is that it's free and can be a powerful marketing tool if used correctly.
Social media can help you:
- Reach out to new customers
- Stay in touch with existing customers
- Increase your visibility online
- Improve your SEO
There are many social media platforms, but the most popular ones for businesses are Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Need some social media post ideas? Set your social media on fire with these tips!
Cost - Time. 2 - 3 hours per week; you can outsource this for around $200 a month. (What value!)
Pro Tip - Find posts that get a response, a like or a comment and boost it. You don't have to pay much, but you will be able to reach a whole new audience for a relatively small amount of money.
Get Reviews
Online reviews are important for two reasons.
1. They improve your SEO by increasing the number of inbound links to your website (similar to local directory listings).
2. They help increase your visibility online and can lead to more website visitors and potential customers.
To get reviews, you'll need to ask your customers (nicely) to leave a review on your Google My Business listing or on popular directories like Facebook, Yellow Pages, or Trademe.
Pro Tip - You can also offer an incentive for customers to leave a review, such as a discount or a freebie. Just make sure you don't violate any of the directory's terms of service.
Cost - Time. 1-hour per or roughly $50 per month to outsource.
Final thoughts
It can be difficult for trades and services to get noticed online, but following these simple tips can improve your visibility and attract more customers.
These tips are just the tip of the iceberg but are the absolute minimum you should do to get started.
Remember, the key to success is consistency. Don't expect instant results but aim for incremental improvements to metrics such as website visitors, social media followers and social media impressions.
Also, if you don't have the time or the inclination for social media marketing or any of the basic strategies mentioned in this post, reach out to us, and we would be happy to see if we can help.
Do you have any other tips for trades and services? Share them in the comments below!