Mastering Local Marketing With Service.ly

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Welcome to another episode of The Profit Roadmap, the premier podcast for field service pros looking to grow their business and stay on top of the latest trends. In this episode, we're diving into the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) with our special guest, Chris St. Jean, Co-Founder & COO of Service.ly.

In this episode, we cover:

• The importance of local SEO for field service businesses
• How to optimize your Google Business Profile
• The role of customer reviews in SEO
• Common SEO mistakes to avoid
• Tools and resources for improving your SEO performance

About Our Guest

Chris St. Jean brings a wealth of experience to the table as the Co-Founder and COO of Service.ly. 

With a background in writing and digital marketing, Chris has been in the SEO game since the early days of Google. 

He's worked with agencies, e-commerce companies, and now focuses on helping small and medium-sized businesses improve their online presence.

The Power of Local SEO

Chris talked about the importance of local SEO for field service businesses. 

He explained that while national SEO is becoming more competitive, local SEO still offers great opportunities for smaller businesses to stand out in their markets.

"Local SEO is about making sure that when people in your area are searching for your services, your business shows up," Chris says. 

He recommends focusing on three key areas:

1. Your website
2. Online business listings
3. Google Business Profile

Optimizing Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is like a mini-website that shows up in Google search results. 

Chris shared some tips for making the most of this powerful tool:

• Fill out all the information completely
• Add all relevant service categories
• Include high-quality photos of your work
• Respond to customer reviews promptly
• Use the Q&A feature to answer common questions

"A well-optimized Google Business Profile can really help you stand out in local search results," Chris explains.

The Importance of Customer Reviews

Reviews play a huge role in local SEO. 

Chris suggests making review gathering a part of your company culture. 

Here are some of his tips:

• Ask for reviews after every job
• Make it easy for customers to leave reviews
• Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative
• Consider using AI tools to help manage review responses

"Reviews are like social proof," Chris says. "They show potential customers that you're trustworthy and do good work."

Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid

Chris pointed out some common SEO mistakes that field service businesses often make:

• Not doing SEO at all
• Trying to grow too quickly (which can look suspicious to Google)
• Buying fake reviews
• Ignoring mobile optimization

"Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint," Chris advises. "It's about consistent effort over time."

Tools and Resources for Better SEO

Chris's company, Service.ly, offers tools to help field service businesses improve their SEO:

• A website builder that creates SEO-friendly sites
• Help with setting up and optimizing Google Business Profiles
• Listings in premium local business directories

"Our goal is to make it easy for small businesses to get started with SEO," Chris explains.

Measuring SEO Success

When it comes to measuring the success of your SEO efforts, Chris recommends focusing on practical metrics:

• The number of calls and leads you're getting
• How many views your Google Business Profile is getting
• Whether your overall business is growing

"Don't get too caught up in things like keyword rankings," Chris advises. "Focus on the metrics that directly impact your business."

The Future of SEO

Looking ahead, Chris sees AI playing a bigger role in SEO and he suggests that businesses should start thinking about how they can use AI tools to improve their customer service and online presence.

"AI is changing the game," Chris says. "But at the end of the day, it's still about providing value to your customers and making it easy for them to find you online."

Wrapping Up

SEO might seem complicated, but it doesn't have to be. 

By focusing on local SEO, optimizing your Google Business Profile, gathering customer reviews, and avoiding common mistakes, you can improve your online visibility and attract more customers.

Remember, SEO is an ongoing process. It takes time and consistent effort, but the results can be well worth it for your field service business.

Learn More

Want to learn more about how Service.ly can help your business? Be sure to check out their website at www.service.ly.

Related: Stand Out From The Competition with Mediagistic 

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Summon the Rawk by Kevin MacLeod

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4434-summon-the-rawk

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Published on Oct 24, 2024 at…