When was the last time you used the Yellow
Pages to look up a business? When looking for a home inspection company to
hire, most homeowners and realtors search the internet instead, and often judge
whether or not to do business with your company based on your website or lack
thereof.
If you are a small company, you may doubt
the necessity of having a website, but even a simple 3 to 5 page site can help
engage and convert interested business prospects. Consider the following
benefits of having an online presence for your business.
1.
Potential new clients will
be able to learn more about you. A website can
be an easily accessible resource where referrals can learn more about your home
inspection services. Rather than calling to follow up, leaving voicemails and
playing phone tag, potential new clients will be able to simply search your
business online.
Make sure to
clearly state your name and the inspection services available on your website’s
homepage. According to John Zhuang of Web-design and SEO-optimization firm
Winning Interactive, a clear description will attract visitors’ attention
within 2 to 3 seconds and encourage them to stay on your website longer.
2.
Find and connect with new
clients. Many home inspection companies rely on
word-of-mouth advertising from past clients to book new jobs. A website,
however, can help expand your client base to realtors and homeowners searching
for inspection services online. Through search engine optimization,
your site will appear when a keyword related to your website is searched.
Once they’ve
landed on your website, make sure interested visitors know how to get in touch
with you via phone or e-mail. The best place for contact information is the top
left or right corner of your home page, according to Entrepreneur.com.
3.
Making updates on a website
is easier and less expensive. Advertising your
services with a lawn sign, on your vehicle or through the mail are great ways
to gain more exposure. However, updating the text or design of a marketing
piece and then paying to print new material can add up. With software like Adobe Contribute, you
can make simple edits to your website yourself for a much cheaper cost.
Ron Wright,
founder of business Web design and online marketing firm Accentix, suggests
incorporating a regularly-updated blog or connecting in social media feeds to
keep content from getting stale.
4.
Your company will look
professional and established, while extending your brand. A website can help your business make a positive first impression by
letting visitors know you are stable enough to have a dedicated Web presence.
If potential clients’ questions can be answered in an attractive, well-written,
easy-to-use website, they are more likely to form a good opinion of your company.
Customer
testimonials will also help potential clients build trust in your brand, so ask
those who have had a good experience with your company to write a review for
your website.
In 2013, your home inspection business
simply can’t afford to be invisible online. Although a website will require
extra time and money to create and maintain, you will soon find that having a
good website is well worth the effort!
Sources:
The above article was written by guest blogger, Marie Bumbalough. Marie Bumbalough is a home improvement content wrangler for Protect Your Home and covers topics from home security to heating and cooling.
"Happy Inspecting"
Canspec Home Publishing
