As an expert in the home services industry, you know how important a solid, well-built foundation is to the structure and longevity of a home. The foundation determines the home's footprint, protects it against changes in the environment and shifts in the ground, and also bears the weight of everything built upon it.
When it comes to marketing your business online, the same principle applies. Investing in a robust digital foundation for your business will protect it against the rapidly changing digital environment and give you the freedom and flexibility to add on, build up, and take your marketing in any direction that best suits your business.
The Building Blocks of a Strong Digital Foundation
A robust digital foundation for any business starts with three key building blocks: a website, ongoing search engine optimization (SEO), and a complete Google Business Profile. Just as there are different foundations for different houses in different environments, your digital foundation will be unique to your business goals, market, and industry.
A Strong Digital Foundation Includes:
- A Fast, Fully Optimized Website
- A Comprehensive Local SEO Strategy
- A Complete Google Business Profile
At High Level Marketing, we’ve developed a proven strategy by growing our own small business online and working with thousands of home service businesses across the country to grow theirs. So, where should you start?
1. Building Block 1: A powerful, fast, fully-optimized website
The strength of your website impacts every aspect of your marketing.
97% of people start their search for local businesses online.
Your website needs to show up at the top of organic search results. The higher your site ranks in search engine results, the more leads you are likely to capture - especially those looking for emergency services.
Where your business ranks on a search results page is determined by search engines and most likely Google. That's why it's crucial to your online success to work with a digital agency that keeps up with Google.
High Level Marketing is a Google Partner with Google Certified experts on every team. Our difference is in our tools and technology.
We build websites on our Footprint™ platform. They're not only fast and responsive, but they also meet Google's newest ranking factors, including the core web vitals.
More importantly, when High Level Marketing builds your new website, you can have peace of mind knowing that when a Google algorithm update hits, we quickly update our platform, keeping your website performance safe from its effects.
2. Building Block 2: Search engine optimization or SEO
SEO drives discoverability. As an integral part of your digital marketing, it can deliver the most consistent, high-quality traffic to your website.
Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is not just about including specific keywords or phrases on your website; that's just one layer. Using keywords and geo targets in your headlines will help search engines categorize your website pages and keyword-rich content will help the search engines understand your business. But it's no longer the key to search ranking.
Google considers itself a "recommendation" engine. Its mission is to "organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." Now, instead of just matching keywords typed into a search box to keywords on a page, Google uses machine learning to analyze the search query and determine whether the user is trying to find something, learn something, buy something, or is simply conducting research.
It adds another layer to on-page optimization for SEO experts: understanding and developing page content that aligns with search intent.
And, if you're in a competitive industry like HVAC, plumbing, roofing, or any other trade, you'll need to support your on-page SEO strategy with blogs, link building and backlink management, and localized geo-targeted content. This type of comprehensive local SEO package will give your business the visibility, traction, and traffic it needs to dominate your local market.
3. Building Block 3: A fully optimized Google Business Profile with positive reviews
Reading Google reviews is an important step in the decision-making process.
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free tool that's key to getting your business listed in Google Maps. Typically optimizing your GBP is one of the few SEO tasks a business owner can effectively do in-house.
When your GBP is fully optimized with the correct category, accurate contact information, photos, directions, and hours of operation, and linked back to your website, it sends a powerful trust signal to Google. A fully optimized GBP helps Google index and rank your business, and for potential customers to find your business first. But the most important thing you can do to optimize your GBP is to get Google Reviews from your happy, satisfied customers.
98% of home service customers read online reviews for local businesses.
57% of those will only use a business with 4 or more stars.
The first place most people go to search for a local business is Google. For many customers, Google’s review rating is the deciding factor for choosing who they do business with.
And - when you're in a highly competitive industry like HVAC, plumbing, restoration, or roofing, it’s imperative you develop a review management strategy - not only to get more reviews but also to respond to them. This plays a critical role in helping your business attract high-quality local leads and grow your business.
