Online Marketing

What to Do about a Bad Online Consumer Rating

August 12, 2011

Remodeler Headache #52
Unless your company is near-perfect and lucky, one day you will have a dissatisfied client who will let the world know of their dissatisfaction with your remodeling company online via a bad or very poor rating. While in some ways this is worse than having someone bad mouth your company to their friends and coworkers, it is better than that in several respects:

1. Once you know the homeowner is dissatisfied, you have the opportunity to contact them and see if there is something you can do to improve their satisfaction. Perhaps you didn’t even know they were unhappy and can easily remedy the problem. Once you have fixed the problem, you can ask them if they would consider adjusting their rating.

2. Several good online consumer ratings will generally neutralize one bad online rating. Most people who see online ratings expect to see, even for the best companies, a small percentage of bad online ratings. In fact if you have only good ratings it can make your ratings look like they have been artificially influenced. So if you are lucky enough to have 10 online ratings with four and five stars, and one rating with one star or two stars, it’s not a big deal.

People will just assume that the bad review came from a malcontent. However, they may read the reason why the person was unhappy in the review and be concerned about that reason. In that case, you just want to make sure that you have a good explanation ready for why the problem occurred and how you tried to resolve the matter should any future prospect inquire.

If you have any questions about this post or other remodeler or contractor marketing questions, please contact us.

: consumer rating, Marketing Strategies, online review, remodeler marketing, reputation management

Remodeler Marketing 101: Site Maps

July 18, 2011

by David Alpert

Most remodelers nowadays know what a site map is when it comes to their website and remodeler marketing. It is a page that has hypertext links to all the pages on your remodeling company website. But did you know you really need two and possibly three types of site maps to do the most good?

The first site map, the one people use, needs to be simple, straightforward, and well-organized. The second site map, sometimes called an XML site map, is for search engines and search engine optimization. This site map tells the search engines what pages you think are most important, least important, and how often the search engines should check for updates on a given page. The last type of site map is of value, for search engine optimization purposes, if you have videos on your website. There is a special format for video site maps that tells the search engines what they need to properly index videos on your website. The fact that you have videos on your website also helps your site in search engine optimization by improving its ranking… At least as long as videos are not on all websites.

If you have any questions about this or other remodeler or contractor marketing questions contact us.

: Online Marketing, Remodeler and Remodeling Contractor Marketing, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Strategies and Tactics, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Websites, Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

: Marketing Strategies, remodeler marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), site map, video site map, XML site map

Online Consumer Ratings Update

July 1, 2011

by David Alpert

Up until recently, Google Places would bring in consumer ratings from other search engines. So if someone looked you up and saw you had five reviews on Google Places, it could be that two of them came from a website like Yelp. This made it less important that homeowners provide you with good reviews on any particular consumer ratings website.

Now it is important for you to have a strategy for online consumer ratings relative to where people post their rating.
Since consumer ratings, both quantity and quality, help determine your ranking on rating websites such as Google Places, you may want to direct your satisfied clients to provide you a review on Google Places. Or, you may wish not to recommend where people review you, unless they have no idea where to provide a consumer rating. The theory behind not directing people to a specific ratings site is that your clients will go to the sites where they would normally go to seek other consumer ratings for other businesses. In some parts of the country, Google Places might be the dominant ratings destination, whereas in others it might be Yelp or Angie’s List or some other rating site.

Our suggestion is to simply ask people where they would likely rate you, and if they do not know, then you can suggest a source to them. Once you know you have good ratings at a particular site, you can suggest on your remodeling company website that people go to that source to find reviews about you.

If you have any questions about this post or other remodeler or contractor marketing questions contact us.

: Online Marketing, Remodeler and Remodeling Contractor Marketing, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Strategies and Tactics

: consumer rating, Marketing Strategies, remodeler marketing, reputation management

PPC versus SEO or PPC and SEO For Remodeler Marketing

June 13, 2011

by David Alpert

PPC (Pay per Click) marketing and SEO marketing are often seen as competing marketing tactics. While it is true that some remodeling companies select one or the other, in an ideal remodeler marketing world, you would use both PPC and SEO and use their strengths in a complementary fashion. (In most cases this is also the most cost-effective strategy, although not cheap.)

The benefits of PPC for remodeler marketing are that it is highly localize-able, controllable, quick to roll out, and you only pay for clicks. However, you still have to do keyword research, write ads, create landing pages that are similar to what you need for SEO remodeler marketing, tweak and modify the program over time, and of course you could end up paying for a lot of clicks that generate no leads. Therefore, when doing PPC, it is extremely important that you also do website optimization to make sure that your landing pages and website make the best use of every click you pay for.

The benefits of SEO for remodeling company marketing is that it is long-term, you don’t have to pay for clicks (especially ones that don’t turn into sales), and it can be less expensive for similar or better results. Furthermore, remodeler SEO efforts build upon themselves so that the longer you use SEO, the better your results. SEO also lasts longer than a pay per click program which is either on or off. Perhaps most importantly, SEO results show up in organic searches, where most people prefer to click, rather than sponsored links and ads.

In that ideal world of remodeler marketing, one would kick-start an online marketing program with a PPC marketing program while at the same time developing and executing an SEO marketing program. If done properly, you will be able to determine which keywords yield high organic rankings via SEO and therefore for which you can stop using, and paying for, PPC. As the SEO program for your remodeling firm continues, you can build your rankings for many of your keywords with SEO and stop paying for those keywords in your PPC program.

Eventually, you may find that there are some important keywords that, no matter what you try, you cannot feasibly rank high in the organic listings using SEO. For those words, you can continue a PPC program and therefore get the benefits of each – SEO and PPC – most cost-effectively when marketing for your remodeling firm.

If you have any questions about this post or other remodeler or contractor marketing questions, please contact us.

: Online Marketing, Remodeler and Remodeling Contractor Marketing, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Strategies and Tactics, Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

: Marketing Strategies, pay per click, PPC, remodeler marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

The Widely Misunderstood Google Analytics Bounce Rate

May 1, 2011

by David Alpert

Consider this: a specific page on your remodeling company website has 100 visitors. 99 of the people came to the page from within your website and after visiting the page moved to other pages on your website. However, 1 person came to that page because they found it on a search engine. They came to your site directly to that page and then left from that page.

What would be the Google bounce rate for that web page? Would it be 1% ? (99 people visited the page and continued viewing your site.) No. It would be 100%. That page on your website would have a 100% bounce rate. All because one person visited that page from “outside” your website and then left your website without exploring your site more!

So, if you look at Google Analytics and see that the specific page on your website has a 100% bounce rate, should you panic? Not necessarily. It depends on the page. If the 100% bounce rate is for a “landing page” you created, then a 100% bounce rate is a BIG problem. It means that all of the people who were coming to that landing page from outside your website are leaving before they explore the rest of your site. That is bad.

However, if the page with the 100% bounce rate has information on it like a staff member’s name, the site visitor may have found that page while doing a search for a different person with that same name. And if that page is not a landing page, nor is it particularly important, a high bounce rate to that page would not be a problem.

As it was explained to me, Google calculates its bounce rate the way it does mostly because of Google Adwords. When a Google Adwords link is clicked and someone goes to your website, you are paying for each click.

So you really want to know that people going to the page you just paid for them to go to are staying on your website and not bouncing from the site. When you think about it from that perspective, the seemingly counter-intuitive percentage calculation makes sense. Once you understand how the bounce rate is calculated and what it should be used for, you can start making better decisions about your remodeling company website.

If you have any questions about this post or other remodeler or contractor marketing questions, please contact us.

: Online Marketing, Remodeler and Remodeling Contractor Marketing, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Strategies and Tactics, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Websites, Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

: Google Adwords, Google Analytics, Google bounce rate, remodeler marketing, remodeler website

Search Engine Optimization vs. Website Optimization

March 2, 2011

by David Alpert

We frequently find that remodelers seeking marketing assistance are unclear about the differences between Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Website Optimization. Both of these remodeler marketing practices are important and, though related to each other, they are not the same. It is important to understand that they are not the same and how they are different.

Search engine optimization, commonly called SEO, is a process in which changes are made to your website and “back links” are created to your remodeling company website from other websites that help increase your search engine ranking for certain search terms. Often times this can mean increased traffic to your website from other sites and to “landing pages” on your website specifically designed and written to capture traffic for specific keywords. However, ranking high in Google and increased traffic to your remodeling company’s website does not necessarily mean increased sales. The ranking and traffic increase are only truly valuable if the search terms you are using are ones that will attract the right type of visitors.

Website optimization is a process in which your remodeling company’s website, including its landing pages, is optimized so that visitors to your website take the actions you desire. This might be to sign up for your remodeling company’s e-newsletter, request a white paper, or contact you about a project. If you are getting the right type of traffic, but your website is not doing a good job of “converting” these visitors to leads, then your website needs to be optimized. The overlap between SEO and website optimization are the landing pages created for the purpose of SEO which must also move the visitor to take the next step towards the desired action. Arguably, the landing page can be the responsibility of either the SEO provider or the website optimization provider or both in terms of making sure visitors go beyond that one page.

If you have any questions about this post or other remodeler or contractor marketing questions, please contact us.

: Online Marketing, Remodeler and Remodeling Contractor Marketing, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Strategies and Tactics, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Websites, Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

: landing page, Marketing Strategies, remodeler marketing, remodeler website, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), website optimization

Help Them…Don’t Sell Them – Smarter Remodeler Marketing

February 9, 2011

by David Alpert

More and more homeowners today resist being “sold to,” but are happy to buy from remodelers who help them make informed purchase decisions. This used to be a characteristic of Gen X purchasers, but as Boomers became more careful in the way they shop, research, and spend their money, they have also taken on this purchasing characteristic.

One of the ways this affects remodeler marketing, and especially web related marketing, is that it is more and more important to provide useful and helpful information on your website, by e-mail/ e-newsletter, and via social media rather than by a “hard sell” about how great your company is. Of course, you don’t have to ignore that you are a good company or withhold information of your achievements, but it is better for the homeowner to reach the conclusion you are great on their own by reading about your company, experiencing your helpfulness, and seeing your photos.

There are a number of ways to help homeowners come to an informed decision about selecting a remodeler. Since you also want to establish yourself as an expert so that they can trust your company to do a good job, one remodeler marketing strategy is to share your expertise in solving problems for homeowners. This method can include examples of how you solved difficult remodeling challenges, how they can go about preparing for a remodeling project, how they can select the remodeler, information about new materials that they may want to consider, and a whole host of other approaches.

If you have any questions about this post or other remodeler or contractor marketing questions, please contact us.

: E-newsletter and Newsletter Marketing, Online Marketing, Remodeler and Remodeling Contractor Marketing, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Strategies and Tactics, Social Media

: e-newsletters, Marketing Strategies, remodeler marketing, Social Media, web marketing

Is Remodeling Firm Shopping an Online Activity?

October 19, 2010

by David Alpert

I was asked to comment on a recent Pew Internet study report* about online product research by Americans and its implications for remodeling firm marketing. My take on the research report is in line with other reports and information I have reviewed on consumer buying trends and our experience with our clients.

The Pew report states that “58% of Americans have researched for a product or service online”. That, though, does not reflect more interesting data on how those who are likely to be your target customers are using the internet for research of products and services. For example, according to the report, among “internet users” 78% not 58% say they at least occasionally conduct product research and 32% say they have posted online product comments (think references, word of mouth, your reputation online). 46% of those in the survey reported using sites such as Facebook or LinkedIn, up from 5% just 5 years ago.

Adults over 65, who were part of the survey, researched significantly less on the internet than did those 30-64, which means your primary target for remodeling projects, which is often in the 30-64 age group, uses the internet more than the average for research (80% and higher). Those in higher income brackets do more research online than those in lower income brackets, 83% of broadband users report doing online research compared to 67% of non-broadband users. Those with some college or college degrees research more online than high school graduates and much more than those with just some high school education.

While the Pew report was not measuring the way people looked for and researched remodeling firms, I don’t see a reason why the research habits of the various groups and subgroups in the study would vary for home remodeling purchases compared to other services and perhaps products. And…in almost all cases, when there was a group that used the internet for research more than another, it was a group that more often than not fit better into a likely-to-ideal remodeling prospect profile. My take on the percent of prime prospects for remodeling is that over 80% of them use the internet for research and, I expect, for remodeling services as well. This indicates to me that remodelers’ must have websites and should seriously consider search engine optimization, social media, and local search marketing as part of their remodeling firms marketing efforts.

*The study was by Pew Internet, Pew Internet and American Life Project, a project of the Pew Research Center and was called “Online Product Research 58% of Americans have researched a product or service online”. Dated September 29, 2010.

: Local Search Marketing, Online Marketing, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Strategies and Tactics, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Websites, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media

: How homeowners find remodelers, Local Search Marketing, Marketing Strategies, Marketing Tactics, Online Marketing, remodeler marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media, websites

SEO, Social Media, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn

October 17, 2010

by David Alpert

Having attended the Remodeling Show in Baltimore a few weeks ago and then the Remodelers Advantage Business Summit 2010 in Kohler Wisconsin last week, one of the clear messages that kept coming up speaker after speaker and also in side discussions was that search engine optimization (SEO) and social media like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are now part of how remodelers must market themselves. Not mentioned as much is also how local search is part of the mix as well.

There is no question that SEO, Social Media and Local Search are useful tools for marketing. There is no question that many traditional remodeler marketing tools have become less cost effective in the past few years. There is no question the way people buy, interact with each other and communicate has changed dramatically. The challenge for most typical size remodeling firms is being able to find the way to use these new marketing tools cost effectively and maintain the level of effective marketing they need.

SEO and social media can be time intensive and require knowledge and skill sets most remodeling firms don’t have in-house. But then again, remodeling firms rarely had the in-house staff skills to develop and execute marketing efforts like ad campaigns, direct mail programs, jobsites signs and vehicle graphics, websites and a whole lot more in the past. With ads and mass mailings generally being less productive, those budgets can be reassigned to the new types of marketing efforts. Marketing budgets for remodelers of all sizes and types have to readjust to the realities of today’s marketplace and on-line marketing costs.

We believe one of the secrets of making SEO, websites, social media, local search, e-newsletters, blogs and other new marketing tools work is to integrate them and have a broad strategy. Integrated marketing communications has always proved to be more cost effective than standalone efforts and with SEO, websites, social media, local search, e-newsletters, blogs it is just as true. In fact integrating all of the new marketing with the traditional marketing efforts that are still effective will further leverage your marketing investment.

: Local Search Marketing, Online Marketing, Remodeler and Remodeling Contractor Marketing, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Strategies and Tactics, Remodeling Contractor Marketing Websites, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media

: Local Search Marketing, Marketing Strategies, Marketing Tactics, Online Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media, websites

Online Marketing

What to Do about a Bad Online Consumer Rating

Remodeler Marketing 101: Site Maps

Online Consumer Ratings Update

PPC versus SEO or PPC and SEO For Remodeler Marketing

The Widely Misunderstood Google Analytics Bounce Rate

Search Engine Optimization vs. Website Optimization

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