Landscaping may seem like an industry that best remains physical. After all, most of the services happen in yards — tangible and real. However, so many things are happening online now. Even your landscaping company will need to adapt to the times and create an online presence. This strategy is how you find and gain new customers.
So, how exactly do you gain new clients and projects online? What aspects of marketing in the digital space should you consider? MowTown Blades has shared a comprehensive guide to answer these questions. We’re going to discuss small business digital marketing to help you take the first step into the online world. Let’s dive in.
The Importance of Digital Marketing Today
Small business digital marketing is any marketing done online. In the past, people relied on word of mouth or posters to advertise their landscaping businesses. However, more and more people are using the internet to find the services they need. Digital marketing allows you to become visible in this online space. This way, you won’t get left behind by your competitors. Homeowners and businesses that need your services will have an easy and convenient way to find and communicate with you.
Aside from the increase in visibility, digital marketing helps you reduce your marketing overhead. Having to publish print ads can be costly. Even with the added expense, these traditional methods are not effective. Digital marketing helps you take advantage of free tools and platforms to reach your target audience. Plus, services like paid ads allow you to focus on people who are most likely to need your services. This advantage helps ensure that you’re not wasting money on marketing efforts.
The final benefit of having an online presence is customer experience and retention. A website or a social media page serves as a place where your clients can reach out and talk to you. Having real-time interactions helps immensely in case someone is facing issues with the project. Your prompt response can help build strong relationships that lead to loyalty. The more loyal customers you have, the more likely you’re going to get referrals.
Creating a Website and Social Media Pages
There are two main ways to create an online presence: creating a website and dedicated business pages on social media websites.
Website
Your website serves as the digital storefront of your landscaping company. You have a central hub where customers can perform many actions.
- Learn about your company and team
- Check out the landscaping services you offer
- Read reviews and testimonials
- See before and after photos of your projects
- Reach out to your team for a service quote or project consultation
Establishing and maintaining a website takes some work and some resources. You will need to find a website builder like WordPress or Wix where you can host and design your website. Plus you will need to create content and graphics to use on your website. Working with a digital marketing company offering web design and hosting services can help streamline these steps.
Social Media Pages
Landscaping businesses that don’t want to commit to a website can use social media pages instead. These platforms are not only used by almost everyone but they also have tools that help you create a strong online presence.
- Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn allow you to post text and images about your business and services.
- Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube let you post images and videos, which you can leverage to share your process and before-and-after clips.
- All these platforms allow customers to engage with your business. Whether they’re sharing your content or messaging your inbox, followers and subscribers have many ways to become involved with your business.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
You can spend a lot on a sleek website, but it won’t bring the ROI if it’s not optimized for SEO. This is the process of making your website or social media pages visible. In the digital landscape overflowing with businesses similar to yours, you’ll have to perform SEO best practices to stand out. Getting a high ranking in search engine results pages is the ideal scenario. Being on the first page increases your visibility and engagement with search engine users.
On-page SEO
There are two main areas of SEO to focus on, on-page and off-page SEO. The former refers to all strategies related to optimizing your website. First, you’ll need to publish content with the right keywords related to your landscaping services. Then, you need to optimize your website’s architecture and graphics. These steps help tell Google and other search engines that your web pages have content that users are looking for.
Off-page SEO
Off-page SEO focuses on activities outside your website that impact your search engine rankings. This area is more complicated, requiring you to build high-quality backlinks from other websites. These are the links that redirect back to your web pages. Having such links serves as a signal to search engines that your website is a reliable and valuable resource.
Geotargeting
Landscaping businesses usually operate within a given area or region. Geotargeting is an SEO practice that helps your company focus on your service area. By using region-specific keywords and phrases, you can attract customers within your location. You’re more likely to appear in local search results and Google Maps, making you visible to the right audience.
Monitoring Reviews and Reputation
Having an online presence means past customers can post reviews about your services and your team. This feature can be a double-edged sword. For one, good reviews show prospective customers the quality of your services. Positive feedback not only boosts your reputation but also builds trust.
Critical reviews, on the other hand, can damage your reputation. Thankfully, these reviews can serve as learning opportunities. As part of managing critical reviews, you’ll want to acknowledge and address the concerns. A professional response to a negative testimonial show that you listen and value customer feedback. Viewers will see that you’re a business dedicated to resolving issues and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Monitoring reviews and managing your online reputation involves regularly checking review platforms. Some popular sites for reviews include Google and Yelp. When you actively engage with the reviews, you show that you care about your clients’ experience.
After each project, you can also ask your customer to leave reviews about their experience. This practice is one way to increase positive testimonials organically. You get free content from customers that contributes to a positive online presence.
Email Marketing
Landscaping businesses can also benefit from email marketing campaigns. Sending regular emails is one way to reach out to clients who might need your services. Emails are more personalized and can be customized to include promotions, the latest offerings, and other incentives.
You can set up an email list and encourage clients to subscribe. If you already have customer relationship management (CRM) software, you can use it to send emails on a regular basis.
Product and Service Highlights
Partnering with established brands in the industry can also help with our online presence. For one, having offerings from popular brands increases visibility. The brand and model names can serve as natural keywords that you can effortlessly include in your content.
The other benefit is how other established brands can increase your authority in the industry. MowTown Blades works with companies like Toro and Husqvarna. These collaborations have helped heighten our appeal to customers who are already familiar with the quality of these brands.
Wrapping Up: Why Digital Marketing Matters to Your Landscaping Business
Having an online presence is critical for any modern business. Landscaping companies, in particular, benefit from having a website or social media pages. These online platforms serve as your digital storefronts — a place where customers can engage with your business. Email marketing, review monitoring, and SEO are also essential areas you need to consider.
The areas we covered above are just the beginning. There are plenty of other aspects that you may want to focus on. Working with a small business digital marketing professional or company can help make these steps easier. These professionals offer comprehensive services so you can focus on your landscaping projects. A simple Google search can help you find established and reputable ones within your area.
For more information about expanding the capabilities of your landscaping business, we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn more.
FAQs
How do I find a reliable digital marketing company for my landscaping business?
There are a few things you can check to see if a digital marketing agency is fit for your needs. First, check the services the agency offers and their rates. You can also ask for reports on the agency’s past projects and the results they achieved. Finally, we recommend checking reviews about the business to determine if past customers had a great experience.
How much budget should I allot for my online presence?
It depends on your goals and needs. Some businesses can do it all for free if they want to manage everything themselves and utilize free tools and platforms. Others may work with professionals for added capabilities. In general, 10% of your overall budget is ideal to maintain a good online presence.