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When technology companies explain how likely your website is to show up on Google’s search results, it sounds very complicated.  “Search Engine Optimization,” they’ll say, “is based on an algorithm with over 200 factors, and they’re constantly changing.”  None of this is incorrect, but it’s also not helpful.  It’s not that difficult to figure out how to achieve great website search results – but it can be very difficult to make it happen.

Google makes its billions of dollars by selling ad space to companies.  In order to sell those ads, Google has to have billions of people using their search engine.  The way Google gets billions of people to use its search engine is to provide answers to the questions those people have – quickly.  All of the complex technology Google uses to rank websites is simply there to help answer Google users’ questions quickly.

Google has a standard to determine how likely a website or web page is to answer people’s questions quickly – relevant, informative, up-to-date information from a source that can be trusted.  If Google thinks that your website fits the bill, you’re going to search well.  Here are four ways to provide exactly this type of information, and to show Google that you deserve great website search results.

Provide Relevant Content

Provide relevant content by making sure that all of the search terms you care about – whether that’s interior painting, painting contractor, or even deck refinishing – are included on your site.  This is the most basic requirement in order for your site to search well – called “keyword placement” – and it’s been important for longer than any other factor. Twenty years ago, there were so few websites that most relevant sites automatically searched well. Today, there are thousands of relevant sites for nearly any search term, so you need to do far more than just mention a few keywords to search well. You also want to be sure you are not just stuffing keywords into your copy. Google will penalize you for doing that and you will not search well.

Provide Informative Content

Provide informative content by answering the questions customers ask Google.  For instance, “how do I select a paint?” should be answered on your website if you want to attract people who are getting ready to paint their houses.  “What do I do to finish a garage floor?” should be answered if you want garage floor coating jobs.  When you address these issues, you should do it with as much depth as you can. Google gives you extra points for page length and quality content. In the case of Google, their machine learning algorithm determines quality.

It’s also very important to make sure that your business name, service area, and phone number are easily visible on the front page of your website – if people are asking “who paints houses in the area?” you definitely want to show up!

Provide Up-to-Date Content

Provide up-to-date content by updating your page frequently – even if it’s only to add new pictures or mention a new service you offer.  Google doesn’t trust pages that aren’t updated on a regular basis – it’s a fact of life that information gets less reliable as it gets older.  If Google sees changes to your page, it assumes that the information on that page is being kept up-to-date.

Provide Trusted Content

Provide trusted content by linking your page to other trusted companies in the industry.  If you’re part of a professional paint program or an associations, ask if they can link to your website somewhere on their site.  If your business performs any community service or sponsors community events, try to get those organizations to link to your site as well.  Your site will also become more trusted as it is kept up-to-date over time – Google rewards dedication to providing information, just like customers trust businesses that have been around longer.

Want to learn more about how we can help you get great search results for your paint business?  Call us at 855.385.1134 or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.

If you have a lot of questions from potential customers coming to your smartphone via text or email, it can be difficult to provide thorough responses to each of them – especially if you get them in the middle of a paint job.  But if you really want to seal the deal on a paint job, there are four things you need to include when responding to potential customers:

An answer to their question – Sometimes, people will ask questions you can answer quickly – “Can you seal a deck for me?”  Sometimes, they’ll ask for things you can’t provide over the phone, such as a price quote for a paint job in a house you’ve never seen.   Either way, when responding to potential customers make sure to acknowledge the question, and either answer it or tell them what you’ll need in order to answer it.

A next step – Once they get their answer, don’t let them move on to something else and forget about you!  Ask if they’re ready to take the next step, whether that’s a phone call or a visit for a price quote.

A place they can learn more about you – Whether it’s a Facebook page or your website, make sure to send customers somewhere where they can learn more about the work you’ve done, including pictures and reviews.  If they become convinced that you do great work, they may stop calling other painters, putting you in the lead position to get the job.

A request for the job!  If you’re hoping to secure the work, make sure to say so!  Customers know that painters provide better service when they are excited to have the business, and that service suffers when a painting contractor is already over-booked.

To learn about how ProPainter Websites can help your paint company get more business, call us at 855.385.1134 or email us at TeamPPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.

Professional painters know that a fresh coat of paint can provide a range of benefits, from home protection to homeowner happiness.  It can also improve a home’s resale value, of course.  But did you know that certain colors have been proven to bring in more money?

When it comes to color, trends come and go. That’s true for clothing, vehicles, paint, and many other things.  Bringing a home in line with the current trends can raise the resale value of the home significantly.

A recent study from Zillow found that specific colors of paint can increase a home’s value significantly more than others.  Blue, for instance, is a particularly popular color for home purchasers right now; homes with blue bathrooms netted over $5,000 more than expected, while blue kitchens brought in nearly $2,000 more than expected.  In fact, blue paint brought in more value nearly everywhere in the house – the dining room, bedrooms and even the door!

Blue wasn’t the only recommended color.  Brown living rooms were worth an extra $1,900, while gray-beige exteriors yielded $3,500 in extra home value compared to medium brown or stucco.

Ultimately, color is a personal preference, and many painters are careful to stay away from commenting on their customers’ color choices.  However, it’s worth remembering that choosing the right color of paint can increase a home’s value beyond the cost of having it painted.  If the customer is planning on selling the house soon in a hot market, careful color selections may result in a value add of two to three times what was spent on the painting project!  While there are plenty of ways to convince a customer to pursue a paint job, few are as effective as showing them how it will more than pay for itself!

To learn more about how ProPainter websites can help you find new customers and grow your business, call us at 855.385.1134 or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.

When you’re running a business, you’re so familiar with information about the industry that it’s easy to get lost in it.  As a painter, you have probably done enough jobs to have a pretty good estimate of how much you’re going to charge for a room of a certain size.  You probably have a good idea of how competitive that quote is with other painters.  You know how to tell if a paint job was done properly, and you know what people value in a painter.

It’s important to communicate all of that information to the customer – but not as important as you might think.  For many customers, what really matters is that you quickly establish an emotional connection with them.  If they like you and trust you, they’ll work to find the facts they need to justify hiring you.  Consider this – over 80% of people don’t read online content – they skim it.  And if they don’t see something that keeps their attention in the first seven seconds or so, they move along to another website.

How do you make an impression in seven seconds?  That requires great visuals.  When customers see pictures of great paint jobs you’ve completed, they feel like they’ll get similar results with their own house.  That’s why it’s so important to include high-resolution images of your work on your marketing, whether on your website, on Facebook, or even on flyers.  Great visuals of your own work will make a much better impression than any stock photo.

The good news is that it’s not as hard as it used to be to get high quality photos.  High-end (and even mid-level) smartphones have excellent cameras and take care of much of the focusing and stabilization without you having to worry about it.  If you’re working on a paint job that you think is really making a house look great, make sure to get a few photos before you leave!

To learn more about how ProPainter Websites can help you grow your business, call us at 855.385.1134 or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.