social media marketing – IFTS, Inc. Blog

Get The Marketing For Your House Painting Business Right – January Edition

Should I Offer Promotions or Discounts, and How Do I Market Them?

Are you the owner of a house painting business?

Do you want to get your marketing right this year?

Well, we want to help you!

Painting business owners often ask us lots of questions about marketing. They want to know how to enhance their business visibility and attract more leads. They also want to know about the best way to turn those leads into clients.

So, let’s go over 3 common questions that we get asked. More importantly, let’s also review the answers to those questions so your 2024 marketing gets you to your revenue goal.

Question 1 - How Can I Effectively Target My Local Market?

To effectively target your local market, it’s important to employ a multi-prong approach that combines both online and offline strategies.

Start with your foundation, your website.

Be sure to use onsite search engine optimization techniques, such as:

Page titles
Alt-text for images
H1, H2, and H3 tags
Website schema where appropriate

Make sure that the website is optimized for local keywords.

Need keyword ideas? You can use tools like:

These tools can tell you what people are searching for and how often it’s being searched in your area.

Next, utilize online platforms like Google Business Profile, Apple Business Connect and Bing to enhance your local visibility. Be sure to fill out your profile completely and post regularly.

After you have a solid foundation, you can move to the next level, which is social media. Engage with your followers and your community through social platforms that your prospects are using. Share before and after images, customer testimonials and relevant content to the work that you do.

You can also leverage online advertising through these platforms, as they allow you to target using specific geographic areas as well as demographics and psychographics.

After you have your online efforts started, use the power of traditional marketing methods as well to 2X your efforts.

You can:

Distribute well-designed flyers or signs in local neighborhoods
Participate in or sponsor community events
Partner with local businesses
Partner with a local charity

Don’t forget about the local database you already have – your client list! Ask satisfied clients for referrals (or if they have anything else that they need to have done).

All of these methods can contribute to a robust local marketing strategy.

Bonus Tip - Be sure to monitor and analyze the performance of your marketing efforts.

Make adjustments as needed based on feedback that you receive from your clients and the effectiveness of different channels.

By combining online and offline strategies, you will create a comprehensive approach to effectively reach and connect with your local market.

Question 2 - How Can I Differentiate My Painting Business From My Competitors?

Some people believe that all painting businesses are the same and they just look at the price.

Well, it is your job to make yourself different from everyone else and change that person’s mind.

So, how do you do that?

First, you need to focus on your hook to “reel” people in. Your hook is your unique and compelling identity.

What are your strengths?

What sets your company apart?

Some examples:

A commitment to craftsmanship
Innovative painting techniques
The speed at which you can get to a client’s house
A guarantee that you offer all clients
Any other distinguishing factor that sets you apart

Next, craft a strong and memorable brand message that communicates your hook to your target audience. You may want to create an accompanying image that illustrates your hook as well.

Once you have your messaging finalized, it’s time to start advertising it!

Showcase your brand message through content marketing. Create informative blog posts, videos or social media posts that revolve around your messaging and targets your exact audience that you want to reach.

Some additional points to highlight in your content marketing:

Your painting skills
Your industry knowledge
Your commitment to customer service

This will position your business as an authority in the field as well as building trust with future customers.

Another way to set yourself apart from your competition is to encourage and actively collect positive customer reviews and testimonials.

Be sure to display these on your website as well as your marketing materials. This can help build credibility and reinforce the quality of your services.

Question 3 - What Online Platforms Should I Use For Marketing?

Choosing the right marketing platform really comes down to a few things. You will need to look at:

Your target audience (where do they hang out?)
Your business goals (how much do I want to make and how much can I spend?)
The nature of your painting services (what value do I provide?)

Here are some effective online marketing platforms to consider:

Google Business Profile (GBP): Make sure that your business profile is optimized and completely filled in. This platform enhances your local visibility, provides essential information to potential customers, and encourages reviews.
Your Website: As we mentioned above, your website is the foundation of all marketing. It serves as your online storefront, providing information about your services, your work photo gallery, customer testimonials, hours of operation and contact details. Optimize it for SEO to increase your overall online visibility.
Facebook/Instagram: Share high-quality photos or videos of before and afters, completed projects, your team at work, engaging content and more! Let prospects put a face to the name of the business and get to know, like and trust you before they hire you.
Google Ads: You can find people with a buying intent here. They allow you to target specific demographics, locations and interests to reach potential customers effectively.
Email Marketing: Create and maintain an email list that has both clients and prospects. You can send them newsletters, promotions and updates to keep yourself top of mind and them fully engaged.
Content Marketing: Create valuable content, like blogs, videos or articles that are related to house painting and home improvement. This positions your business as the authority in your area and improves your SEO at the same time.
Review Sites: Be active on all of the review sites that you can, such as Google, Yelp, Home Advisor and more. Encourage your satisfied customers to leave you reviews. You will also want to address any negative feedback that you receive on these platforms as well.
Local Directories: List your painting company on local directories and industry-specific platforms. One tool that you can use to automate this process is Yext. This helps with SEO, enhances your online presence and helps potential clients find you more easily because you are in more places that they may search.
YouTube: Did you know that Google owns YouTube and that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world? YouTube can be powerful for reaching an even broader audience than before. Create engaging videos that show off your painting projects, client testimonials or DIY tips.
Community Engagement: Take part in local online forums and community groups. Be sure to engage with the local residents and offer valuable insights. This will help establish you as THE local house painting expert that they should call when they have a paint job.

Elevate Your House Painting Business with Strategic Marketing in 2024

In the dynamic world of house painting, mastering the art of marketing is essential for business growth. As we’ve explored in this article, the key to success lies in a well-rounded approach that blends both traditional and digital strategies. Whether you’re aiming to enhance your local visibility, differentiate your business from competitors, or choose the right online platforms, a strategic and multifaceted plan is paramount.

Effectively targeting your local market involves optimizing your website with SEO techniques, leveraging online platforms like Google Business Profile, and engaging with your community through social media. Traditional methods, such as distributing flyers and partnering with local businesses, complement these efforts to create a robust local marketing strategy.

Setting your painting business apart from competitors requires a strong and memorable brand identity. Identify your unique strengths, craft a compelling brand message, and showcase it through content marketing and positive customer testimonials.

When it comes to choosing the right online platforms, consider your target audience, business goals, and the nature of your painting services. From Google Business Profile and social media to email marketing and community engagement, each platform plays a role in enhancing your online presence and reaching potential customers.

As you embark on your marketing journey in 2024, remember to continuously monitor and analyze your efforts. Adaptation is key, and by combining online and offline strategies, you’ll create a comprehensive approach that effectively reaches and connects with your local market. Here’s to a successful year of growing your house painting business through strategic and impactful marketing!

Want help accomplishing your goals this year?

Check out our Painter Marketing 365 program!

5 Secret Ingredients: A Recipe for Social Media Marketing Success in 2023

In the fast-moving world of the internet, social media marketing has grown into a crucial tool for businesses to connect with their audiences. It wasn’t too long ago when these platforms were just for talking to friends and family. But things have changed a lot. In a recent survey, over 90% of marketers said that social media has greatly boosted their brand’s visibility. This means that if you’re not using social media for your business, you’re missing out on a big opportunity.

In this article, we’ll uncover the hidden treasures of social media marketing, just like a chef reveals the secret sauce that makes a dish extraordinary.

1. Social Media and SEO: Serving Up Important Content

You might wonder what social media has to do with making your website show up on search engines.

The idea is simple: search engines know which pages on your website get visitors. When your content gets shared on social media, it sends people to your website. This tells search engines that your website is still important, and it helps your site stay high up in search results. Obviously, more individuals are exposed to your content when more individuals share it.

It’s like having a secret spice that makes your dish unforgettable. When your website consistently receives traffic from social media referrals, search engines interpret it as a signal of relevance and credibility. Consequently, they prioritize displaying your website in search results, increasing its visibility to a wider audience.

This effect can make your website’s online presence much stronger and bring in even more free traffic.

2. Know Your Audience's Taste

Social media is a bit like a detective tool. By paying attention to the people who follow you, you can learn a lot about your target audience. Just by checking out their profiles and the other pages they like, you can figure out what they like to buy, what they enjoy doing, and which brands they prefer.

Understanding your audience’s preferences and interests allows you to tailor your content and marketing strategies to effectively engage with them. By leveraging this knowledge, you can create personalized experiences that resonate with your target audience, fostering stronger connections and increasing customer loyalty.

Ultimately, this invaluable insight enables you to stay ahead of the competition and deliver exceptional value to your customers. The more you know about your audience, the better you can make your products or services fit their tastes.

3. Creating the Best Flavor for a Strong Brand and Relationships

People don’t visit social media to look at ads. They go there to chat and have fun. So, when you talk to your audience and make friends with them, it helps you build a strong brand and connections.

Social media is not just about keeping your old customers happy but also about finding new ones. By engaging with your audience on social media, you can be the one who brings the best dish to the party.

Showcase your brand’s personality and values, and make it easier for potential customers to connect with you. Additionally, by actively participating in conversations and sharing valuable content, you can attract new customers who may not have been aware of your business before.

4. Stirring Up Your Message for a Second Chance

What if you could cook up a winning meal that hits the spot every time?

On social media, you can! You can choose who gets to see your ads, making sure they’re the right people.

And here’s the fun part – if someone almost became your customer but didn’t quite make it, you can give them a second chance. It’s like having a secret cooking technique that never fails.

By targeting specific demographics and interests, you can ensure that your message reaches the right audience, which is more likely to be interested in your products or services. Additionally, by retargeting those who have shown interest but didn’t convert, you can remind them of what they missed out on and entice them to give your business another try.

5. Affordably Appetizing

You might have thought that you needed a lot of money to do marketing on social media. But it’s not true! Making a business profile is free, and so is chatting with your fans.

If you decide to advertise on social media, you can start small if you want. The great thing about social media is that it’s fair. Big brands might have more money for ads, but anyone can make a social media account for free and talk to their audience. Social media platforms also offer affordable advertising options, allowing you to reach a wider audience without breaking the bank.

With targeted ads and analytics, you can ensure that your marketing efforts are reaching the right people and generating a positive return on investment.

So don’t let budget constraints hold you back from leveraging the power of social media for your business. You can have your marketing cake and eat it, too!

In a nutshell, social media marketing is no longer just a choice for businesses; it’s a necessity.

This smorgasbord of hidden secrets about social media marketing shows how it can boost your SEO, help you understand your audience, create strong brand connections, allow for targeting the right people, and not cost a fortune.

If you need help with your social media journey or want professionals to assist you, feel free to contact us at IFTS!

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for House Painting Companies in 2023: Help Your Brand Stand Out In The Search Results (SERPs) Part 1

Does your painting business’ website show up where you want it in the Google search results for ALL potential clients?

If not, this article is for you.

We will review what SEO is, why it’s important and the steps that you can take to improve your ranking.

Unveiling the Significance of SEO: Boosting Your Painting Business Through Effective Strategies

The success of your business largely depends on how well you rank online. To achieve this goal, it’s essential to prioritize the right SEO techniques that will boost your marketing efforts and drive growth. With these strategies in place, there’s no limit to what you can accomplish!

Google processes over 5 billion searches everyday! One out of five queries originate from mobile devices. In fact, more than half of mobile queries are “near me” searches. For the desktop inquiries, which make up the other 80% of searches, roughly twenty percent have local intent.

This trend highlights the importance for businesses to optimize their online presence and ensure they appear prominently when potential customers search nearby.

Its evident that local search behavior has immense potential for generating new house painting leads! By crafting a targeted campaign focused on consumers in specific areas and implementing effective marketing techniques you can enhance your visibility online. This will ultimately lead to increased chances of attracting fresh customers who may not have known about you otherwise.

Strategy 1 – Business Listings: Enhancing and Tracking Key Elements

By optimizing your Google Business Profile Listing correctly, you could potentially reach the top of organic SERPs within the local results section for your niche.

However, don’t limit yourself to just focusing on your Google Business Profile alone when it comes to improving your local SEO campaign. Optimizing your business listings on social media sites, Yelp and other major listings is crucial for attracting customers.

To achieve this, you will need to claim, optimize, verify, manage and sync all relevant information about your company across these platforms.

(Need help with this? Our services will ensure that potential clients find accurate details about what you offer when they search online. Don’t miss out – let us handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on running a successful painting company! Email si@iftsdesign.com to find out more)

So, what do you need to sync across all of your listings?

Business NAP (Name / Address / Phone Number)

Make sure that your company’s name, address and phone number is written exactly the same across all listings and your website.

As an example, if your address is “123 North Smith Street,” don’t have your website say “123 N. Smith Street” and the Google Business Profile say “123 North Smith St.” Choose one version of the name/address/phone number and stick to it.

Your Painting Business’ Website

Having a link to your official website is crucial. This gives Google and other search engines a link to follow, which gives them relevant information about your company. It also allows customers looking at your citation to go directly to your site.

Business Hours / Description / Categories

All your listings should have the same hours, description and industry categories. If they don’t, the search engines will be confused about which is the correct and most relevant data about you. This could result in a lower result for your website in the results.

Images / Videos Of Your Painting Jobs and Team

Including high-quality images and videos can set your citation apart from others in your industry. It will maximize your visibility and sometimes, will make your citation larger than others, which catches the eye of the person browsing.

Online Reviews

While you can’t optimize your reviews, technically speaking, it is still essential to keep a close eye on them. Regularly checking up on new listings for fresh feedback is important. So is flagging any spam or inappropriate comments.

Bad review? No problem! Responding professionally when dealing with dissatisfied customers who may have had negative experiences shows that you care about the client experience and gives you a chance to fix the issue.

This approach helps ensure that everyone has an opportunity to share their thoughts while also maintaining the integrity of online review platforms overall. By staying vigilant about these matters, painting businesses like yours are better equipped than ever before to address concerns head-on and ultimately improve customer satisfaction levels over time!

Strategy 2 – Local SEO: Attract More Clients Near You

Want to improve your local presence online? Start with your website!

Using multiple SEO strategies to optimize your website is crucial to getting more local house painting clients.

Here’s a great way to start this process:

Website URLs, Page Titles, and Meta Descriptions

When Google and other search engines crawl your site, it’s important to have these elements filled in and optimized.

[Side Note – If your website is created in WordPress, you can use the Yoast plugin to take care of all of these]

The website URL is the website address of the page www.yoursite.com/page-name. You’ll want to be sure that the page-name element contains keywords and your local town name.

The page title is the name of the webpage that appears in the tab on your browser. A good format for naming your webpages is “Keyword 1 – Keyword 2 | Company Name.”

The meta description is the short paragraph that appears below the website name in the search engine results. Google does not look at this when determining page rank, but your client is going to read it. Put the most relevant information in there for them.

Contact Information and Business Hours

Just like with the citations, you want to be sure that your website clearly lists the hours and how to contact you. Make sure that this information is consistent with the citations as well.

Landing Pages

Want to attract clients from multiple areas?

Have a landing page that is optimized for each location. However, one important thing to note – these pages cannot have the exact same text on each page. Be sure to customize it to that town or be penalized by Google.

Blog

Having a blog is a great way to improve your SEO!

You can showcase your latest projects, highlight an employee, inform your clients and prospects about a frequently asked question, or talk about events that are happening in your town. Each one of these allows that specific blog entry to be optimized to a set of keywords that are relevant to your local area. More about this in the next post…

To Be Continued…

Ready to get started? Implement the two SEO tactics above.

In our next post, Strategy 4, Strategy 5 and Strategy 6 Will Be Revealed.