Optimize Your Water Damage Restoration Company’s Google My Business Page
In order to remain competitive in your area as a water damage restoration company, you need to have an updated Google business page. When someone near you performs a simple search for water damage repair in their city, you want them to have accurate information about your business at their fingertips.
Optimizing your company’s “Google My Business” page is quick and easy and one of the more powerful things you can do to boost your company’s SEO. Ready to get started? Follow these 7 steps to setting up and optimizing your Google business page.
#1. Getting Started
First things first, you need to set up your page. Begin by visiting the Google My Business website and clicking on the “Start Now” button in the top right corner. Next, you will be prompted to fill in basic information about your business. It’s important that you complete this portion completely and accurately.
Information like your phone number, business name, and address need to match what you have listed on your homepage and connected to you social media accounts. Additionally, the phone number you have listed has to be a local number. Skip using your toll-free number in this listing, this is all about boosting your business’s ranking in local listings.
#2. Categorize Your Business
Next, you will be prompted to choose a category for your business. Choose the most specific category available, as this is important to determining what type of searches will you show up in and how you rank among the results.
For instance, if you were to choose home contractor as your category, it might be technically accurate but it is also a vague category. You will quickly find yourself competing with a lot of businesses in your area who don’t even offer the same services you do. Instead, if you are listed as a water damage restoration contractor, your business page is more likely to show up when people are searching for the specific services you offer.
#3. Upload High Resolution Images
Once you’ve filled out everything you can about your business, upload high resolution images to your Google My Business page. Images that are relevant to the work you do will help your business to stand out from the other search results.
Don’t just upload any photos. If possible, hire a professional photographer to have pictures taken of your offices and your crew. You can also upload your logo as one of your photos.
#4. Write A Description
Spend some time writing a concise but detailed description of your business. Explain exactly what you do as a water damage restoration specialist, what areas you serve, and who you service. (Residential, commercial, or both?) If you are dealing with writer’s block and struggling to get started writing a description, begin by trying to answer the question of what problems you solve as a water damage restoration contractor. Once you’ve communicated that in a sentence or two, the rest is just adding in the details.
#5. Boost Your Reputation Through Reviews
Your Google My Business page can be greatly improved with reviews from previous customers. Each listing on Google includes a star rating and the opportunity for your potential customers to read business reviews. Today’s homeowners rely heavily on online reviews to choose contractors to repair their home.
Don’t be afraid to let your satisfied customers know how much a positive review means to your business. This can be done by including information on how to create review in follow up emails or final invoices. Some business owners choose to have promotional materials made that include directions on how to write a review on Google.
#6. Avoid Making These Big Mistakes
Google has a set of strict rules that determine how a business does in their search engine. Although some mistakes will only effect your place in search results, some mistakes can actually result in a suspension from Google listings.
Avoid engaging in keyword stuffing, or awkwardly inserting keywords into the description of your business or your business’s website. Make sure you only have one business listing and that listing is attached to the physical address of your business.
#7. Optimize Your Website
Your Google My Business page should be attached to your business’ website. And, if you really want to strengthen your ranking in local Google listings, you need to make sure you have a strong website, too. Google is looking for websites that include keywords that are relevant to the services you offer and are full of content to is relevant to your local community.
At More Floods, we help water damage restoration specialists all over North America perfect their online marketing strategies. To learn more about the resources we have created for our network of professionals, click here or call 1-866-667-3356.