Posts Categorized: SEO

Apple’s Business Connect Puts Your Local Business on the Map

Posted January 12, 2023 by Lokal Media House & filed under Industry News, SEO.

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If you own a local business service or brick-and-mortar business, then you should definitely check out Apple’s Business Connect (ABC) feature.

Localized marketing is a booming industry that’s showing no signs of slowing down. For example, more than 1.6 billion local Google searches happen every single day. With so much growth comes new opportunities for businesses that are looking to enter this space.

In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Apple’s latest digital release that has the power to change the game for local marketing.

What is Business Connect?

ABC for Home Services is a feature built into the Apple ecosystem that helps home services and trades contractors integrate their business with the Apple ecosystem. It’s basically like Google Business Profile (GBP) but for Apple Maps. This is incredibly important for brands who want to grow their business through paid advertising, SEO, and social media (which we all know is the fastest, clearest path to predictable income).

ABC is only available to entities that sell goods and services directly to consumers through the internet. If you’re looking to get in front of your biggest audience of potential customers, this is a must-have for you.

Why is Business Connect Important for Local Businesses

Localized digital marketing is exploding. As more and more consumers turn to the internet for home services and their local franchise businesses, the market has grown exponentially. So if you aren’t staying on top of the latest trends in geo-targeting and smarter-not-harder-marketing, you could fall behind – quickly.

Essentially, Business Connect makes it so that when someone searches from their mobile device (which accounts for the majority of all web traffic; Apple users contribute to about 45% of all mobile traffic), they’ll be able to find your business and interact with you. It has some incredible features so customers can book with you immediately, see your business hours, navigate directly to your website, and host reviews. This was just released, so now is your chance to get ahead of your competitors!

How to Use Business Connect

If you want to integrate your business with the Apple ecosystem to win the digital marketing game (and trust us – you should), then you need to sign up for Business Connect. Once you’ve signed up, you can log in to the Partner Portal to begin setting up your Business Connect account. It’s FREE.

It’s a very easy process, and it only takes a few minutes.

Once your Business Connect account is set up, you’ll have access to a variety of features that can help you grow your business including in-app marketing, push notifications, and a customer journey that helps you track customer interactions. When creating a push notification campaign, you’ll also be able to choose which channels you’d like to target. You can choose to include customer services, e-commerce, or push notifications that target users within certain countries.

The best part is that ABC offers analytics directly within the app so you can better understand your customers. You’ll be able to see what people searched before tapping into your location. This is super valuable because you can use this data to further refine and supercharge your digital marketing strategy.

The Bottom Line

ABC is imperative to embrace so you can keep outranking the competition. Before using these features, however, you should take a few things into consideration. Give us a call today to see how we can help you get up and running quickly with Apple Business Connect.

Home Services: Our Top SEO Tips for 2023

Posted January 5, 2023 by Lokal Media House & filed under SEO, Tips & Tricks.

If last year taught us anything, it’s that digital marketing is a MUST for home services businesses. Why? Because people need your help, and they need to be able to find you.

Full stop.

Why the time is now for SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is by far the most effective tool for making sure you come up first on Google and other search engines. And honestly, it’s the best-kept secret for all of the home service companies we see killing it out there while others struggle to keep up with the work they already have. If you’re ready to break into the next level of your business, we’re sharing our top SEO tips to help you get on track this year (and blow your competition out of the water). Let’s dive in!

#1 Be Specific

As soon as customers visit your website, the purpose of your website should be clear to them. Don’t confuse visitors with content about anything else if you offer home services. Specificity in your content will also help you choose the right keywords.

#2 Write Content for Humans

Your content should deliver valuable information to your site’s visitors. You can employ SEO tactics and use relevant keywords, but the old tactic of stuffing keywords to engage search engines doesn’t work anymore. Your first goal is to capture a customer’s attention and offer something relevant.

#3 Use Keywords Where They Matter

Start by identifying the keywords that will drive customers to your site. An easy way to do this is to think about what you personally would type into the search bar if you need help. There are a ton of tools that can help you find the right keywords you can add to your website, blog content, and even your social media. With video taking the lead this year, it’s important to think about using your keywords across channels to capture the most engagement and views.

#4 Remove Anything that Slows You Down

Your site has about three seconds to load before people click away and don’t return. If your website loads realllllyyy slowly, Google will notice and won’t send customers to your site as readily. Streamline your web pages to eliminate large graphics, extra plug-ins, and formatting that doesn’t do well on multiple devices. This is good advice for pretty much everything, in our opinion, and especially important for your SEO.

#5 Make Your Meta Descriptions Unique

Okay, if you’re already earning your degree in SEO basics, this one is important. Your meta description is the copy that appears after the title of your page or blog on Google, and it helps give a little more insight to entice that desired “click.” Each meta description should be a unique snapshot of what customers will find on that page. A well-crafted meta description helps your website rank in search engines and will incentivize people to explore your site.

#6 Create Keywords for Your Images

Imagery and video will be more important than ever this year, so an uncommon tip is to create image keywords for any imagery that lives on your website. It helps because many people find your website via image search, so being more intentional about the image title, description, attributes, and file name in the back end of your site can make a world of difference. We can show you how!

#7 Make Sure Your URLs are Easy to Read

This one can really help you. Keeping your URLs under 60 characters is an insider trick to making sure the search engines know exactly what your page is about so you’re more likely to show up first in a search. Plus, it’s just easier for everyone to understand where they’re going.

For example, which would you click on first? https://innovativeplumber/pages/listing/123/contactus.htm or https://innovativeplumber/contact?

Our bet is that you’d be more likely to click on the second one (and the latest marketing research is showing that most other people would too). So keep it simple!

#8 Link to High-Quality External Websites

If you’re writing a blog, it’s important to include a few links to high-quality content for your readers. Not only are they typically the most helpful resources that add a ton of value to your content, but external links also help give you credibility and incentivize high-quality sites to link back to you in return. Try only sharing links to relevant, trustworthy sites. For example, linking to a respected leader in your community is more effective than linking to a Facebook group. You get the idea.

#9 Add Helpful Internal Links

If you’ve captured the attention of a prospect through a page or a piece of content on your site, you’re already winning. To keep them engaged even longer, include some internal links that give them more helpful information to read or take action in some way on another page. For example, you might always include a link to your Contact page or point back to your services so you can earn their trust (and more points with search engines).

#10 Keep Your Content Updated

With the rise of AI and more and more businesses optimizing their content for SEO, it’s more important than ever to create unique, creative, and original content that stands out from the millions of words published online each day. A great way to do this is to include content that tells a story, and your blog/social media is the perfect place for this. Share stories from your customers, write about your own entrepreneurship journey, or include content that feels grounded in the present and truly helps the customers you want to serve

Why Is My Air Conditioner Dripping Water?

Talk about how when you see water dripping from your AC unit on the inside of your house that it’s probably a clogged condensate drain line. List ways to clear the line and when to call a professional.

Should I Replace or Repair My Home’s Heating System?

Your home furnace has a life expectancy of about 15-20 years. Is it worth spending money on repairs or is it better to invest in a new furnace?

The Top Benefits of an HVAC Zoning System for Your Home

Discuss what home zoning is and the top benefits of having an HVAC zoning system. Save money, increased efficiency, and customize the temperature of each room for individualized comfort.

Tips for Preparing Your HVAC System During Bad Weather

When winter storms roll in, you’ll want to protect the outside portion of your HVAC system. List the necessary steps needed to weatherize the unit.

How Your Air Conditioning Unit Can Help Alleviate Allergies

If someone in your household has allergies, your AC unit can help relieve symptoms. The system acts as a dehumidifier, the filters trap dirt, dust, pollen, and impurities.

Should I Consider Having a Backup Generator?

You don’t want the food in your refrigerator to go bad, lose the internet, or be deprived of hot or cool air during a power outage. Discuss stand-alone or whole-home backup generators.

Why Is My Furnace Blowing Cold Air?

There are several reasons why your furnace is blowing cold air when you’re trying to heat your home. List several reasons — dirty filter, pilot light issues, etc.

Can I Use a Ductless Air Conditioner for My Sunroom?

Sunrooms can get too hot or too cool as the seasons change. Discuss how a ductless air conditioner can help keep the sunroom comfortable and usable year-round.

What Are the Different Types of Filters for My Air Conditioner?

You can put several styles of air filters inside your air conditioner. Discuss the various types and the benefits of each style. Fiberglass, pleated paper, spun glass, electrostatic filters, etc.

How Often Should I Have My Ductwork Inspected and Cleaned?

Talk about what your HVAC system’s ductwork is and how important it is for the efficient heating and cooling of your home. Ideally, you should have a professional inspect, clean, and repair your ductwork every three to five years.

Get Help with Your Content Marketing

Coming up with content marketing ideas may seem daunting for your HVAC business. However, with these 10 blog ideas, you’re on your way to helpful content marketing.

You’ll gain valuable trust from your existing customers, be an authoritative voice for those seeking information about HVAC issues, and increase SEO visibility for your business.

Get in touch with our team for more details on how to make content marketing work for you.

Why You Still Need SEO (Even If You Don’t Sell Anything Online)

Posted November 4, 2022 by Lokal Media House & filed under SEO.

A major misconception is that you don’t necessarily need local SEO if you don’t sell products online. Nothing could be further from the truth!

A foundational component of a healthy digital marketing strategy is Search Engine Optimization or SEO. It is essential for service-based businesses because it helps make sure that people who are looking for your services can actually find you.

If your business has a website, which it most definitely should, understanding how to build it out so that you show up first when someone searches for you is key to your success.

With that said, here’s a deeper look into SEO benefits, why they matter, and how you can embrace them to get better leads in your local area.

Prioritize Local Rankings and SEO

Simply put, your search engine ranking is how close you are to the top of the Google search results (or other platforms) when people search for your services.

For example, if someone searches “Plumber near me”, you want to make sure you’re positioned to show up right away so you’re the first one they call. Even better if you have a steady stream of positive customer reviews on your Google My Business page.

You do this by creating content with well-researched and cleverly placed keywords that put you ahead of your local competition in your local area. Being at the top of the list leads to more clicks and, ultimately, more customers.

If you have a home services company, you might consider creating content that relates to the region you serve and provides valuable information to your potential clients. When they find you to be a local, trusted advisor and helpful in answering their question, they naturally feel comfortable working with you.

This sequence of events happens because you used SEO and improved your search engine ranking.

Boost Your Professionalism and Credibility

A solid SEO keyword strategy can help make sure you’re using the verbiage and tone your visitors will immediately resonate with, boosting your professionalism and credibility right off the bat.

To go a step further, it helps tremendously to have a modern, intentional website with clear calls to action and simple, effective language so qualified prospects know exactly how they can work with you. And none of this matters if they can’t find you when they’re searching for you!

Ensuring your SEO helps you rank highly on search engines means more business for you.

Improve Customer Experience

A proper SEO schema can help ensure that your customers and clients can easily find your services, helpful articles, and contact information so they can get in touch with you.

We’re in an increasingly digital world, and an optimized website helps your company provide the best experience throughout your customer’s journey.

What’s more, you can improve your brand reputation and search engine ranking with the help of an automated review tool that immediately follows up with your customers to ask for (and publish) 4-5 star reviews. Google crawls your reviews to make sure you’re a credible source, so having as much great feedback as you can on your listings can both improve your current customer experience and get you more leads.

Are you a home service professional needing help creating a website or a local SEO strategy so you can get more leads and reach?

Everyone on our team at LMH Agency is passionate about supporting the trades and making sure you’re able to gain the traction and predictable income you deserve for everything you do for the community. Give us a call today or get in touch with us, we’d love to help you!

Marketing Essentials for Plumbers and Contractors

Posted July 15, 2022 by Lokal Media House & filed under Paid Ads, SEO, Tips & Tricks.

As plumbers and contractors, you’re in a competitive industry where homeowners often have a plethora of local service providers to choose from. That’s why it’s essential for you to stand out, and we’re here to help.

Smart marketing strategies can make the difference between rapid growth and lackluster results when your business is in this industry. Make sure these essentials are in place to give your company the best chance of success.

Effective Website Design

A well-designed website lends legitimacy to any company. In the United States, a whopping 99% of people report searching online for local businesses.

Thirty-five percent conduct these types of searches multiple times a week, and 21% search for local businesses daily.

A website optimized for SEO helps to ensure that you can get your business in front of homeowners who are actively seeking your services.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the process of incorporating appropriate keywords and content into your website to increase its search rankings on results pages. As plumbers and contractors, SEO will include words related to the specific services offered as well as the area that the company serves.

Phrases like “plumbing repairs in Nashville” or “Louisville faucet installation” are important when marketing a plumber or contractor, as these are the terms customers are most likely to use when they’re actively looking for someone to hire.

Google Business Profile

A Google Business Profile is a powerful tool that will increase SEO while giving your plumbing company even more legitimacy. You should always create or claim your Google Business Profile. After establishing ownership, you can update details such as services offered, service area, location, and hours. The business profile also provides a place for customer reviews so you can begin collecting testimonials.

Social Media Presence

A social media presence can provide access to billions of active daily users. Social sites offer the perfect platform for communicating with your customers. This is the ideal spot for sharing promotions, hosting contests, and answering questions. Companies that support community events or fundraisers can use social media to increase awareness of these activities as well. Social sites require ongoing attention to perform effectively, so you must make sure that someone is posting and responding to comments daily.

Paid Advertising

Paid advertising gives a little boost to the organic marketing efforts that form the core of your promotional efforts. This form of advertising is one of the most popular models for plumbers and contractors. By carefully conducting A/B tests and analyzing results, you can identify the tactics that yield the greatest ROI. It’s important to track not just clicks, but also conversions. Seek the campaigns that lead to the most actual sales and push these harder in the future.

These basics will form the core of any plumber’s marketing strategy. With a website, social media presence, SEO, Google Business Profile, and paid advertising in place, you can position your local company for success. Contact LMH for assistance with these strategies and more. We’ll be more than happy to support you.

10 Home Services Marketing Tips

Posted May 20, 2022 by Lokal Media House & filed under Paid Ads, SEO, Social Media, Tips & Tricks.

Marketing your home services businesses is different from marketing brands with a national or global reach. When your business is targeting in-person services in a specific locale, you need equally targeted marketing campaigns to successfully reach and expand your audience. Try these tactics.

1. Maintain Your Google Business Profile

Google Business Profiles are one of the first things customers see when searching for home services in their area. Carefully optimize this profile to include a comprehensive listing of services, complete details on the service area, and more.

2. Incorporate SEO

Target locally optimized keywords to reach leads who are actively looking for relevant home services in their area. Phrases like “plumbing repair in Des Moines” or “AC maintenance Boston” help target the right searches.

3. Streamline Your Website Design

A well-organized website is crucial for effective home services marketing. Include your company’s contact information at the top of every page. Make CTAs clear and actionable on every page, and provide detailed information on services and solutions provided by the company.

4. Invest in Paid Search

Pay-per-click advertising can boost business placement on relevant searches. Evaluate each PPC campaign for ROI to gradually hone these into the most effective advertisements.

5. Create a Social Media Presence

Social media sites facilitate interaction and relationship-building with local customers. Post seasonal home maintenance advice to establish your company as a reliable resource for homeowners in the area. Share promos, specials, and contests via social sites as well. Always respond promptly to interactions.

6. Solidify Your Branding

Create a cohesive brand. This should include a recognizable logo, a distinct palette of two or three colors, and one or two typefaces. Use these across all home services marketing materials to solidify brand recognition.

7. Incorporate a Live Chat Feature

Add a live chat feature to the business’s webpage to grab and convert leads while they’re most interested in your company’s services. Failure to connect effectively at the first moment of interest can cost you sales while having an easy way to connect will help immediately convert leads to scheduled customers.

8. Craft an Email Marketing Campaign

Create an automated email marketing campaign that’s tailored to each customer’s journey. Schedule annual offers for tuneups when maintenance is due, or promote replacement units when the customer’s current installation is nearing the end of its life span.

9. Use Direct Mail Marketing

Direct mail marketing can complement an active online presence perfectly. Include a QR code on postcards to convert these traditional campaigns into easily trackable online leads. Drop postcards to relevant zip codes to increase sales in targeted areas.

10. Solicit Customer Reviews

Send thank-you cards to customers and request reviews on relevant sites such as your Google Business Profile. Positive reviews increase legitimacy and encourage sales from future leads. Implement one, some, or all of these strategies to increase sales for a home services business. LMH Agency can assist with a variety of marketing services in this industry, carefully tailoring each campaign to the unique needs and prospects of that individual business. Reach out to get started now.

Best Practices for Getting More Solar Clients

Posted May 24, 2022 by Lokal Media House & filed under Paid Ads, SEO, Tips & Tricks.

Your solar business is in a rapidly growing space, where competitors are continually expanding into or popping up for solar services. It’s crucial for your solar business to identify effective marketing strategies so you can connect with the right niche and convert interested businesses and homeowners into solar enthusiasts who are ready to install and grow their own solar installations. The following best practices will give your solar company a solid foundation for your marketing activities.

Build a Branded Website

Best Practices for Getting More Solar Clients - LMH Agency

Solar installations are trending simply because solar panels become more affordable and accessible. Though interest is high, many potential solar customers are still uncertain about the ins and outs of solar installations. Your solar company can build brand awareness and establish itself as a valuable thought leader in the industry with an informative and well-designed website. Best practices for your solar website include:

Creating organized content silos for different types of information so consumers and search engines can easily navigate the site.
Providing informative and easy-to-read content with facts, statistics, and actionable recommendations.
Including CTAs that explain exactly how customers can take advantage of solar installations and what they stand to gain.
Featuring consistent branding with a simple color scheme, one or two fonts, and an attractive logo.

Incorporate Targeted SEO

Solar businesses need marketing that targets both their services and service area. You must identify the best keywords and phrases and incorporate these throughout your websites in the form of landing pages, URLs, and blog posts. Videos are another powerful SEO tool. These are especially effective for solar companies that have some intriguing content to show pertaining to installations.

You can also boost SEO by making wise use of the Google Business Profile tool. Every solar business should create or claim a Google Business Profile for the company. You can then specify services, identify service areas, provide contact information, and link to your website. It’s even possible to make posts directly through the Google Business Profile which will further boost Google search engine success, particularly in your company’s locality.

Use Paid Advertising

Paid search engine advertising is typically available through a pay-per-click or pay-per-thousand impressions model. Ads that target a well-defined local audience can lead to more conversions by keeping your business at the top of results pages when users look specifically for solar installation or repair services in your area.

Paid social media advertising is another area worth considering. Paid ads on a site like Facebook can reach millions of potential customers. Facebook offers several levels of targeting to help businesses reach potential customers based on location, interests, and other demographics. With a well-constructed website, effective SEO strategies, and some well-placed advertising, your solar business can successfully establish its presence in this industry and begin building a satisfied client base. LMH Agency offers all the marketing services your solar company needs to get started.

5 Ways to Market Your Local Remodeling Business

Posted May 12, 2022 by Lokal Media House & filed under Paid Ads, SEO, Social Media, Tips & Tricks.

Marketing a remodeling business requires a thoughtful approach to web design, social media posts, SEO, and paid advertising. These highly localized companies must reach a relevant audience without wasting precious ad spend on individuals who are outside the service area or interested in the wrong services. Try these tactics to enhance your remodeling business’ marketing.

Enhance Web Design

A whopping 85% of consumers indicate that a quality website is important for businesses. In the remodeling business, this is especially true, as the right portfolio can easily make or break a sale. Your remodeling business should maintain an extensive collection of project photos so prospective customers can scroll through before-and-after shots and get a clear idea of what you can do. Other essential website features include:

Detailed information on the services offered.
Visible contact information at the top of the page.
Clear branding featuring your company’s logo, colors, and typography.

Incorporate Search Engine Optimization

Proper SEO can vault your remodeling business into one of the coveted first-page spots on SERPs (search engine results pages). SEO is a complex process that involves selecting the right keywords and links and incorporating them throughout the page in a natural manner.

For a remodeling company, this will include detailed phrases pertaining to the specific services offered and the company’s service area. A thorough SEO marketing strategy addresses page titles, subheadings, meta descriptions, content, images, videos, links, and more. Claiming and optimizing your company’s Google Business Profile is an essential part of boosting SEO as well.

Invest in PPC Advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising places your company’s website at the top of relevant searches. To develop an effective PPC campaign, you must consider the exact keywords that you want to compete for. Remember, broad keywords not only cost more, but they’ll also deliver less lucrative results. It doesn’t help to reach a national audience if the business only serves customers in the Chicago area. You can also exclude words from PPC campaigns so phrases that are similar but irrelevant won’t direct searchers to the business’ page.

Create a Social Media Presence

Social media offers a high-traffic platform for businesses to interact with customers. Your remodeling company can easily keep its social sites active by posting photos before, during, and after a project. Beautiful remodels can organically garner comments, likes, and shares, boosting recognition for the business.

Seek Customer Reviews

Customer reviews on pages like Facebook and Google Business Profiles lend a lot of legitimacy to businesses. Customers can share not only their experiences but their photos as well. Many shoppers feel these posts are more reliable than what the business shares itself. Consider making a personal follow-up with customers once the job is complete and soliciting reviews from those highly satisfied homeowners. Working with an experienced professional can streamline the process of setting up online marketing campaigns. LMH Agency offers a wide range of marketing services tailored to remodeling businesses. This includes personalized strategies for SEO, social media marketing, web design, and paid advertising campaigns. Contact our team today.

8 Absolutely Hilarious Plumbing Memes

Posted April 18, 2022 by Lokal Media House & filed under SEO, Social Media, Tips & Tricks.

Between the tough physical labor and irregular work hours, plumbing can be a challenging job. Just like with other professions, it’s important that plumbers take time every day to rest, relax, and have a laugh. Here are eight of the most hilarious plumbing memes you and fellow plumbers everywhere can find relatable.

1. When Customers Disagree About What “Clean” Means

Image via Speed Clean

Unlike other jobs where people get to work in peace, plumbers repeatedly subject themselves to entering strangers’ homes. A cluttered house (and everything inside it) can make for uncomfortable scenarios, especially if you’re tasked with moving people’s personal items out of the way.

2. A Plumber’s Plea

Image via Pinterest by Morris-Jenkins

It’s an age-old rule of home-plumbing care: never throw oil down the drain. And yet, time and time again, plumbers near and far must make their way over to the homes of disgruntled customers. Pouring oil down the sink can have an environmental impact and leave residue in pipes, causing clogs. In short: it’s not worth it.

3. Not It!

Image via funnyjunk by xxelmarcocfcxx

If an issue is complex enough, a customer might wonder whether they require the expertise of an electrician or a plumber. If everyone’s puzzled, it’s safe to say the situation is pretty dire—like the one in this meme. While you certainly see a lot as a plumber, an electrician’s advice is often the missing project component.

4. When “Cutting The Water” Has a Double Meaning

Image via 9gag by Awesome

The phrase “cut the water” takes on two meanings in this meme. As a plumber, you know that “cutting the water” is just an expression for shutting off the water flow in a building, usually a client’s home. However, there’s no arguing this person isn’t cutting the water, right? It’s one of those plumbing memes that hits just right—equal parts pun and plumbing reality.

5. A Pain in the Drain

Image via Shamrock Plumbing

The term “backseat driver” can take on an entirely different meaning for plumbers like you. It’s not uncommon for customers to provide their two cents on how plumbers should do their job, along with constant claims of how they “could have fixed it” on their own.

6. “It’s Ah-me! A Bad Plumber.”

Image via imgflip by ozman123

Okay, it’s clear that Mario may not be the foremost authority on plumbing skills and procedures. After all, he mostly saves Princess Peach from peril. That being said, could you name a plumber with more name recognition?

7. When the Customer Wants an Impromptu Therapy Session

Image via FieldPulse

As a plumber, you wear a variety of hats, and sometimes that hat translates into “this person is a trusted confidant” for customers. It can be a little distracting to absorb a person’s personal baggage, but you already know socializing is part of the job.

8. A Plumber’s Best Friend

Image via PictureQuotes

Being a plumber can have a lot of benefits, and by far one of the best ones is the ability to meet and interact with customers’ pets. What person wouldn’t want a cuddle puppy snuggled on their lap while they work? Even though a career in plumbing can be stressful, it’s safe to say that these memes help bring out the lighter side of the profession. Check out our blog today for more hilarious content about the work world from LMH Agency.