Only 49% of small businesses invest in SEO to improve their business’s visibility. This means that more than half are ignoring a tried-and-tested strategy for reaching a wider audience, boosting brand awareness, generating leads, and growing revenue.
If you are a roofer, plumber, HVAC technician, landscaper, mover, pest control specialist, or you operate a field service business, you can’t afford to ignore the power of SEO. Yes, word of mouth is important, and it will get you new clients, but SEO, when done well, opens the doors to limitless opportunities.
Here are five reasons why field service businesses should start taking SEO seriously.
You Are Missing Out on Your Local Customers
When the modern consumer wants a service, their first instinct is to conduct a local search on their smartphone, make comparisons and contact the service that fits their needs. In fact, 95% of mobile users have used devices to perform a local search, and more than 60% of them called the business after searching.
If you have no online presence, or your site isn’t appearing on the first page of Google when you search for the service you offer in your location, you are giving business to your direct competitors. Without SEO, Google can’t tell where you are based and can’t showcase your business to the people seeking the services you offer. For instance, if you are a roofer and you are looking to build a robust online presence, read more here to develop an effective SEO strategy.
You Are Losing Credibility
Consumers don’t just search for local services to find services. Sometimes, they search for companies to learn more about them. Maybe one of your loyal clients recommended your company to a friend, and that person wants to do some research about your brand before hiring you.
If that potential client types your company name on a search engine, but you’re nowhere to be found on the search results, it raises suspicion about your company’s reputation. That person will probably look for help elsewhere. But when you fully optimize your site, customers can find you fast, ask you important questions, and go through your reviews before making up their mind.
You Are Missing an Opportunity To Take On Bigger Businesses
You probably have some big competitors that are well-known in your industry. But are you aware that proper SEO can help you draw customers away from these big businesses? Most of these huge businesses try to target multiple people in a large geographical region.
But with good SEO, you can easily gain the upper hand. Narrowing down and targeting customers from smaller areas will help you appear ahead of these established competitors in search engine results. All you need to do is localize your content and deals, and people in your region looking for what you offer will find you before they come across your well-known rivals.
Google’s Updates May Put You Out of Business
Google rolls out algorithm updates several times a year. These updates control which search results will appear first whenever a search query is made. While some of these updates have minor effects, some cause significant disruptions that can render your online efforts ineffective.
If you have a strong online presence but aren’t following the best SEO practices, the next update may catch you by surprise when you realize your business is nowhere to be found online.
Your site may be blacklisted, and it may take months to earn Google’s trust back. This means your website’s search visibility will take a hit, affecting your conversion rate and bottom line. Since SEO technology is continuously evolving, you need to be aware of the latest developments and implement the necessary changes to remain competitive.
Use SEO To Build Your Brand
Without an SEO strategy, you’re effectively giving your customers to other businesses. You’ll have trouble increasing your website’s traffic, building brand awareness, earning trust, and finding clients. To grow a strong online and offline presence, and take on the bigger businesses in your area, don’t ignore the powerful impact of an effective SEO strategy.
