by G.K. Sharman for Atlas Roofing.
In our modern digital era, no marketing plan is complete without a good online strategy. Winter is the perfect time to make sure you have a strong website backed up by a solid, effective social media strategy across a variety of web platforms. In part two of our Winter Business Strategies series, we will look at some strategies for strengthening your online and social media presence.
Can Customers Find You Online? GE Capital Retail Bank found that more than 80 percent of consumers do research online before making big purchases. If you want to be found online, your business has to be part of the world’s largest search engine – Google. A Google My Business page can help improve your local search rankings. Google My Business is a free, easy-to-use tool that helps companies manage their presence across Google, including Search and Maps. Verifying and editing your business information helps customers find you and learn the story of your business.
Also effective is Google AdWords, an online advertising service that lets companies display elevated listings with a “paid ad” callout to web users. A popular AdWords offering is the Pay Per Click, or PPC campaign. PPC allows you to target your online advertising and see an increase in leads. Contractors can bid on industry-related keywords such as "leaking roof," "shingle repair" or "roofing repair," so when customers search for those terms, ads from PPC contractors come up first in Google's "paid" section.
Is Your Website Working For You? Your website is the hub of your online business activity, your 24/7 electronic brochure for the world. It needs to be clear, easy to navigate and up to date. Here are some ways to make your site more useful and user-friendly for potential customers:
Managing Your Social Media Social media is the new word of mouth. Winter is the time to optimize your social content and consider different campaigns to boost your exposure and manage your reputation online.
Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram give you an avenue for connecting with your consumers. You can run promotions, share your latest projects, repost homeowner blogs from Asphalt-Life.com, and bond with homeowners over cat videos (yes, this is still a thing). Homeowners want to know the people behind the business. The more relatable you are, the easier it will be for homeowners to come to you when they need roofing work
Boosting posts is an efficient way to reach a broader audience. You can target specific interests and locations to place your ad on the social feeds of thousands of users who would not otherwise see your ad. Because boosting is charged by the impression, you pay only when someone sees your post. It’s also inexpensive, so contractors can easily add boosting to their monthly budget.
Posts can only be boosted from your business page. Go to the post you created and click Boost Post in the lower right corner. Choose your audience and budget based on how many people you want to reach and how long you want the boost to run. Boosts can appear on Facebook and Instagram. Visit the Facebook Advertiser Help Center for additional details on ads, ad creation, boosting, billing methods and more.
Manage Your Online Reputation
Because the Internet is such a major resource for homeowners, make sure you protect your online reputation. Consumers often use business directories, most famously Yelp, to voice their displeasure. Their comments may not be valid, but how you respond can appease disgruntled customers and make you look good to others who come across the post.
Don’t wait until you have a problem. Plan ahead with these strategies for maintaining your good name:
Optimize Your Online Efforts Planning your online strategy can be done in a warm office and pay off all year long. As with any business efforts, remember to be consistent and to set goals and benchmarks so you can measure your progress.
Learn more about the Atlas Roofing at www.atlasroofing.com
Editor’s note: This article first appeared on the Atlas Roofing Asphalt Life blog and can be viewed here.
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