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Author: Stacey Ivol

How to Create a Landing Page on Your Website For Your Painting Business

Spending money on digital advertising but not receiving the desired results – more leads?

This issue can sometimes be caused by problems with your Landing Page.  A landing page is the webpage that you direct people to after clicking on your advertisements. 

If you want to generate more leads for your painting business, you need to create a well-designed landing page with laser focus. In this article, we’ll discuss the fundamentals of what a landing page is and offer advice on how to improve each element to boost conversions.

So, What Exactly Is A Landing Page?

A landing page is a dedicated web page built for the sole purpose of receiving visitors from advertising campaigns. When someone clicks on one of your digital ads, they will “land” here.

This is a single page that explains to potential clients why they should hire you for a certain project and how to get started. There should be only ONE action that they are able to take on the page.

What Conversion Factors Should Be Considered When Creating A Landing Page?

Although homepages are still crucial, they are often meant to cover all that you do. They’re also made to let site users dig deeper into your company in various ways.

With a landing page, you are able to control how visitors arrive on your site and direct them to do ONE THING.  When someone is searching for an exterior painter and clicks on an ad, they should be directed to a page that details the exterior painting services that your company offers. If an ad for handyman services is clicked, the user should be sent to a page with detailed information about handyman services. 

If you want a greater lead conversion rate, sending visitors to a landing page is your best bet.

Here are seven best practices for developing a conversion-optimized landing page for your painting company.

#1 - Have Only One Call-To-Action (or CTA for short)

Simply put, your call to action (CTA) is the desired next step for your site’s users. You should make the CTA highly visible immediately by placing it at the top of the page. 

PRO TIP: For optimal results, have your CTAs be buttons of a consistent color throughout your landing page. Each button’s text must be an EXACT replica of the others.  These buttons should stand out, so make sure that they are a contrasting color to your site color scheme.

If you want a visitor to take action after clicking on your ad and getting on your page, don’t overwhelm them with options. Make sure the goal is crystal clear and easy to understand.

Make sure that your landing page consistently encourages your target action, whether that be a phone call, a scheduled consultation, or a subscription to your newsletter. Try to narrow your attention to a single step that they should take. Having too many options available can make decision making more challenging.

Be sure to provide a call to action (CTA) at the conclusion of each paragraph to help direct readers to take the next step. You shouldn’t leave your audience looking for what to do.

#2 - Make Your Ad Wording Match The Wording On Your Landing Page

Landing Pages require that you be consistent. Obviously, your ad must have interested the visitor enough to click on it. People will click on an ad because it addresses an issue they’ve been thinking about or because it came up at just the right time. 

The term for this is “Ad Congruity.”

PRO TIP: Google will decrease your cost per click if the advertisements you’re running are relevant and consistent with the landing page.

Inconsistency between advertising and website content can turn off potential customers. For example, offering a free consultation for interior painting services in an ad but only discussing cabinet painting on the landing page. If your landing page is not perfectly tailored to your ad, you risk losing more visitors and leads than you gain.

#3 - Emphasize Value

Everyone who lands on your page is thinking about hiring your painting firm. They’ll decide if they think you can really help them out. This is where you need to focus on your clients’ problems and not yourself.

To get a conversion, you need to provide your site visitors something they really want.

There is a limited window of opportunity to persuade site visitors that they have arrived at the answer to their problems. Do your best to focus on what’s in it for them as you try to sway them into working with you. Describe in detail how you will manage their project stress-free from start to finish.

You need to prove your worth as a house painting business to them.

PRO TIP: reframe the conversation so that it’s about the client. Use “you” and “your” in place of “we” as much as possible.

#4 - Landing Page Length Matters

How long your landing page is will depend on what you want to achieve. Do you want people to fill out a form when they visit your site? You want them to call you? Or just to teach them something in a download?

For example, if you want a visitor to call you instead of downloading a house painting brochure, you may need more content. This is because It takes a lot more work to pick up the phone and make an appointment for an estimate than it does to send an email address to find out more. So, you’ll need to give them more information to show them why your company is the best choice and that you are deserving of their time.

#5 - Use A Video For Extra Persuasion

This study shows that having a persuasive video on your landing page can help increase conversions by 86%.

Now, putting any old video on your landing page won’t help you get ahead faster. Adding video can be a real power move, but it could also keep people from clicking on your CTA. This video needs to go with the rest of your landing page and tie everything together. Keep it short and to the point, but don’t make it your landing page’s main focus.

The best place for a video is in the middle of the page, above the fold. Here, it won’t take away from your call to action or value proposition, but it will show that you have more to offer as the visitor scrolls down the page.

#6 - Feature Social Proof

Your clients will be the best source of social proof. Include quotes and testimonials from real customers who talk about their experiences with your business. When you talk about yourself, it’s usually seen as marketing fluff, but when someone else does it, it’s more powerful.

Did you know that 79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation from a friend or family member? Putting these reviews on your landing page will give potential painting clients the proof they are looking for.

PRO TIP: Use reviews from third-party, trustworthy sites like Google or Facebook. These look a lot better than just using text from a client on your website.

#7 - Optimize Your Forms For Conversions

Conversion rates can be made or broken by how many fields are needed. You need to get as much information as possible from a potential client so that you can follow up with them. However, if you ask for too much information, it will hurt your conversions.  People don’t want to fill out a lot of fields.

We recommend using the following fields on your landing pages:

  • Name

  • Email

  • Phone number

  • Message (describe project)

By giving visitors the option to leave a message, they can talk about their project and get in touch with the person who will be in charge of it. This will give you a chance to get ahead of the game and find out what they want before you set up an estimate.

Landing pages are the best way to turn as many visitors as possible from online advertising campaigns into customers, and you now know everything you need to know to get started!

Still not sure where to begin? Let us help you. Send me (Stacey Ivol) an email at si@iftsdesign.com or give IFTS, Inc. a call 412.715.6266 for a FREE consultation.

Blog Post and Content Creation Tips for House Painting Companies

They say that when it comes to SEO that “Content is King”, but how exactly does that apply to house painting businesses?  

Well, you are about to find out!

Good website and blog content is a prerequisite for good online traffic, which should turn into leads.  But, how do you know what to write about?

FINDING THE RIGHT TOPIC

There are many strategies for choosing a relevant topic to write about.  We are going to cover 4 popular ones.

Strategy 1 for finding a topic - Check Answer The Public for popular topics

All you have to do is enter a keyword or phrase into their search box and it will return a bunch of popular ideas about your topic.

In the example below, we used “house painting” and look at all of the different subjects you could use:

Strategy 2 for finding a topic - Use Semrush

This is a tool (that has a free version) which will tell you how popular a search term is.  It will also give you common questions that people Google about your search term.  

Check out the example below.  We used the same term “house painting” and these are the free results that Semrush gives us about our topic:

Feeling stuck or not sure what to write?  The Semrush results also include the top 10 pages that rank for your keyword.  Open them up and do a little “spying” on your competition to see what they are writing about.

Strategy 3 for finding a topic - Use Ahrefs

Ahrefs is a tool that is very similar to Semrush.  You can find the popularity of a keyword, relevant questions that are on topic, competitor links and more.

Strategy 4 for finding a topic - BuzzSumo’s “evergreen score”

Buzzsumo’s evergreen score can show you popularity trends of a subject.  You can see if the content is long lasting or if it was short lived.  You may be able to grab some ideas from the longer lasting posts.

Once you have a topic chosen, you’ll need to decide how to present your information. 

FINDING THE RIGHT BLOG TEMPLATE

There are many common blog templates that you can use.

Blog Template 1 - Expanded List Post

The list posts template consists of a compiled set of tips/tricks that readers can implement in a variety of settings.  The only difference between a standard list post and an expanded list post is the adding of further information for each item on your list.

Here’s an example: Power Washing Tips & FAQ

Blog Template 2 - Case Study From Your Business

Your Case Study Post offers a solution to a challenge that the audience you are trying to reach frequently encounters. By showing that you can fix this problem, you are quickly regarded as a knowledgeable authority on the subject. There is just one caveat to this. You have to demonstrate that your solution is effective.

Here’s an example: Stain or Paint A Deck: Best Practices

Blog Template 3 - Tools We Use

This provides a rundown of several resources that can be utilized in a particular field. It is not restricted to tools; rather, it can be a strategy, a practice, or even a life hack in addition to a tool. As long as the list provides value to your user, you have latitude in what all in can encapsulate.

Here’s an example: Painting over and/or removing wallpaper: 3 Rules, 6 Steps

Blog Template 4 - The Ultimate Guide

It’s like having all of the answers for your reader in one place. This is the bible, the ultimate manual.  The user may get all the data in one convenient location. These types of guides are often used to get backlinks to your website.

Here’s an example: Grow Your Painting Business by A Factor of 10 With These 5 Steps

Blog Template 5 - The Complete List

A complete list is comparable to an ultimate list in that you just compile all of the information—every suggestion, item, tool, technique, strategy, example, and case study—into a single article.

Here’s an example: The Complete Guide to Online Reputation for Small Businesses: How to Grow Your Business, Improve Your SEO & Get Found Online

The last thing that you need to choose is your headline.  

CREATING THE RIGHT HEADLINE

Headlines are the most important part of your content because they get people to actually click and read the blog.

Some helpful tips for writing your headline:

  • make sure that it is no longer than 18 words long
  • include your main keyword in the headline
  • make it interesting by adding [brackets] or (parentheses) around a phrase
  • use “emotional” words to invoke a response (this includes things that will make the reader happy, sad, angry etc.)

Now that you have chosen your headline, topic, and template, it’s time to start writing that blog for your painting business!

Let’s start at the beginning, it’s a very good place to start (or so says Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music).

Your introduction should be short, catchy and to the point.  Common ways to pull people in are:

  • ask a question
  • make a statement contrary to popular belief
  • state a fact with a weird number in it

You’ll want to keep your introduction around 4-7 sentences.  Pull in the reader and tell them what they are going to learn.  To see an example of this, look no further than the beginning of this article.

It starts with a question to draw you in and then tells you about what you are going to be reading about.

After your introduction, you will transition into the meat of your blog and cover your topic in depth.  Most articles that rank well on Google have at least 1000 words and are formatted for SEO.  For more on SEO, check out this IFTS article.

While you are writing, remember to keep these tips in mind:

  • use short paragraphs because people typically skim, so it’s best for your content not to appear as a wall of text
  • use section sub headers to divide the information into digestible chunks that are easier to read
  • use the active voice when writing (here’s a little info to help you remember active vs passive voice from middle school…don’t worry, I had to look it up too)
  • use a font about 14 pts so the text is easy to read on all devices
  • people are visual creatures, so any time you can include a picture, chart, infographic, screenshot, video – the better

The final paragraph will be your conclusion, which is your second most important section next to the introduction.  The intro gets people to read, the conclusion gets people to stay on your site or buy your service.

A good strategy for writing the conclusion is called TAC.

T – Transition

A – Ask

C – Call to Action

The TRANSITION to the conclusion is how you want to end your blog information.  Then, you’ll want to ASK your readers a question, normally about a problem that you can solve.  It’s best if the problem relates to what the main blog text is about.  Finally, you’ll want a CALL TO ACTION, where you tell them to get in touch about the problem. To see an example of this, check out the ending of this blog.

A really easy way for house painting businesses to create content is with the “Case Study” template.  Use before and after pictures/videos from a job that you recently worked on.  Talk about the issues that the owners were having and how you solved it with your services, using your visuals as proof.

A case study really lends itself to being local SEO-friendly because your keyword phrase would be “house painting in [location]” or “Cabinet Painting in [Location]”.

FINDING THE RIGHT HELP

If this sounds like something you would be interested in having someone else do, let us know!  IFTS specializes in helping house painters create quality SEO-friendly content for their websites to get more leads.  Call 412-715-6266 or send an email to si@iftsdesign.com to get started.

How To Set Up A Google Business Profile

Want to know the best free way to promote your business online?

Google Business Profile!

Google Business Profile (previously known as Google My Business) is a free and simple tool for companies to manage their online presence across all Google services, such as Search and Maps. 

You can connect with your clients using Google Business Profile, keep your company profile up to date, provide pictures of your office/staff and keep track of how Google users interact with your company.

Businesses can now directly claim their profiles from Search and Maps, which is a brand-new feature that comes with the new name.

Google announced a name change for the platform in November of 2021, something that didn’t come as a surprise to many because this is not the first time Google has changed the name.

Read on to learn about the new changes to Google Business Profile and how to set up your profile with some optimization tips for each section!

New Changes for 2022

Access Options

The decision to discontinue the GMB app in 2022 and urge company managers to view their accounts through “an enhanced experience” on Google Search or Google Maps is a significant step. This option has actually been accessible for some time; all you need to do is type in a search for your company name, or, if you’re signed in, the term “my business,” and then click on the profile that pops up. If you’re a business with only one location, this could be an easier way to access your profile.

Setting Up Your Google Business Profile

To get started, you need to sign in or create a Google account.

If you don’t have a Google account, head over to the create an account page. If you already have a Gmail address, then you can use that to sign in.

Claim Your Google Business Profile

A quick way to see if your business already has a GMB listing is to do a search on Google. If you see your business pop up, great! If not, don’t worry, you can easily create a new listing.

If you do have a listing, but it’s unclaimed, you’ll want to claim it as soon as possible. An unclaimed listing means anyone can edit your business name, address, and hours- which isn’t ideal.

To claim your listing, head to the Google Business Profile homepage and click on “manage now” in the top right-hand corner.

If you don’t have a listing, you’ll be prompted to create one.

Enter Your Business Name

When creating your GMB profile, you will be prompted to enter a company name. Ensure that this information is correct in order for clients to locate your business. Your profile name, as well as the name that appears on your signs and logo, need to be consistent with one another.

Phone Number

It is crucial to have a company phone number in order to receive business. If customers can’t reach you, they may go to a competitor.

Address

How will customers locate you if you don’t have an address? Make sure to enter your address as accurately as possible. All abbreviations on your website, social media presence, and elsewhere should be consistent. The difference between “street” and “ST” may not appear to be important, yet it might result in your account being marked for inconsistency.

Website

By linking your website to your Google Business Profile, you may generate more leads while giving potential clients access to your contact information and a detailed description of what you offer.

Hours

Simply specify your business’s open hours to complete the hours section. Customers will know when to call, when to visit, and when you may be reached for business inquiries.

Profile Images

Photos are an excellent way to show potential customers what they can expect when they visit your business. Showing photos of your business’ interior and exterior will give searchers a realistic idea of your business’ space.

Photos of the people involved with your business can also be uploaded to show potential customers the faces behind your business. These could be pictures of employees, team members, or even yourself!

Including high-quality images is essential to building trust with potential customers.

Here’s what to include:

  • Pictures of the inside of your business
  • Photos from outside of your business
  • Images of those who work there

Business Description

This is possibly the most significant component of your GMB profile is the description. You want this to be enlightening and SEO-friendly (search engine optimized). An effective strategy for this is to respond to frequently asked questions about your company and include keywords that your website targets.

For instance, describe what you do, where you are located, and the people you work with.

This area has a character limit of 750, therefore we advise using every last one of them.

Service Categories

Categories describe your business. They expose you to people that are looking for your products or services.

Google gives business owners the option to choose up to nine other categories in addition to a primary category that best describes their company.

For example, as a painting company, these categories may include:

  • Painter
  • Painting
  • Painting company
  • Painting contractor

Keep in mind that the categories you select will have an impact on your organic search results. Ensure that these are as accurate as possible and reflect your company’s interests.

Logo and Cover Image

The minimum size for your logo is 250 × 250 pixels; make sure it’s not too big or too little, and that it’s square. Your logo is how customers identify and relate to your company. 

In addition to providing your company logo, you must also submit a cover photo. This has a minimum size of 480 x 280 pixels and a maximum size of 2120 x 1192 pixels. When submitting your cover image, make sure it’s in JPEG or PNG format to ensure the maximum quality resolution for your profile.

Ask and Answer a Question

As a business owner, you may use Google to ask and answer common questions. For example, as a painting company, you may ask, “Do you offer power washing?” “Can you paint my deck?” or “How do I contact you?” These questions and answers give users hassle-free responses without the need to contact your company ahead of time.

Reviews

Reviews on Google provide valuable information about your business to both you and your customers. Business reviews appear next to your listing in Maps and Search, and can help your business stand out on Google.

To get reviews on Google, encourage your customers to spread the word about your business by following these best practices:

  • Encourage your consumers to post reviews. Inform them that leaving business reviews on mobile devices or desktop computers is quick and simple.
  • Respond to reviews to gain the trust of your customers. Customers will see that your company appreciates their feedback and will be more willing to post additional reviews in the future.
  • Verify your business so that it can exist on Maps, Search, and other Google services. Only companies that have been verified may respond to reviews.

As previously stated, clients may post reviews based on their interactions with your business. You will be able to respond to these reviews after your account has been verified. Keep it short and courteous, and thank your reviewers regardless of their feedback.

Check out this article for further information on how to deal with both positive and negative reviews.

Verify Your Business

Verifying your business allows it to appear in search results and maps for customers. This will also enable you to reply to reviews, as well as provide other management benefits. Visit this page for more information about business verification.

Get Started Today!

You can help your customers find you, interact with your business, and learn more about what you have to offer by creating a Google Business Profile. Additionally, your Business Profile makes it easy for customers to reach you and creates a lasting impression after they’ve viewed your website or interacted with your business on Google.

Have questions about setting up or improving your Google Business profile? Contact IFTS today at 412-715-6266 and we will get you started with a free 13-point profile assessment.