ProPainter   Advice   Blog

Unlike many businesses, painting contractors don’t usually have to be concerned about picking a great location because they travel to the customer’s location.  That doesn’t mean location isn’t important, however.  Online, it’s the customer’s location that matters.  Did you know that a customer’s location is the factor Google considers most when deciding which businesses to show in the list of three just under the map section of a search result?

If you have a business address, it’s easy for Google to determine your relevance – Google can see where their user is located, and knows which businesses are nearby.  They’re much more likely to show your business if your location is right next to the person conducting the search.

Many painting contractors don’t have a business address, however – they have a home office, and don’t list this address on their website because they don’t want visitors to stop by their home while they’re out on a job.  For these home-based businesses, it’s even more important to have plenty of content on your website that details your service area.

Unfortunately, many painting contractor websites don’t have this level of content.  Some ‘micro-sites’ (those with 5 or fewer pages) don’t even list the cities where the painter performs work.  These websites will often just state where the painting contractor is located, which makes it extremely difficult (or impossible) to earn first-page results when people located in nearby towns search for house painters.

Just listing the towns won’t get you very far, either.  Ideally, your website will have a page dedicated to every major town where you perform painting services.  This demonstrates to Google that your website isn’t just listing nearby cities, but that you’re actively seeking business in those locations.

If you have reviews from customers in those towns, it’s even better.  These reviews demonstrate that you’re not just seeking customers in nearby towns, but you already have customers there.

If you don’t have pages dedicated to the towns you serve, work with your website provider to get them there.  You might be surprised with the impact it has on your search results – and how often your phone rings!

To learn how ProPainter Websites brings business to painting contractors, call us at 855-385-1134 or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.

Are you proud of your work? Most painting contractors are, but don’t take the time to capture it. Once you’re done with a job, you move quickly to the next.

However, we live in a very visual world and by taking pictures of your work you can increase the likelihood of winning more higher-paying jobs. So, be sure to put photos of your best work on your website.   These pictures demonstrate the quality of work you perform to potential new customers, helping them to be more comfortable that you’ll do a great job for them as well.

Many painting contractors don’t take the split second to swipe a quick photo of a job well done because they don’t think they’re equipped. Get ready to be surprised by how easy it is to take a great photo!  There are three key points to make yourself stand out amongst competitors when taking pictures – the camera, the lighting, and the purpose.

Your Smartphone Is Your Camera!

If you’ve got a modern smartphone, the odds are high that you’ve got a pretty good camera.  You don’t need a million-dollar camera to take a good photo – most smartphones have cameras that can easily take high-quality photos for your website, social media page, or even marketing flyers.

One of the biggest mistakes that you can make is not taking enough photos of each job.  It’s free!  Take plenty of photos from different angles and pick the best. For the best results, take photos from a low angle, not straight on. Holding your cell phone near your abdomen to take the photo will create more depth, allowing intricate details to shine through.

The Sun Isn’t Always Your Friend

When people think of the perfect exterior house picture, many imagine the sky being clear and the sun shining above their work – but cloudy days are your friend. Cloud cover removes shadows from nearby trees and powerlines that would take attention away from the home.

Understandably, the sky won’t always be cloudy, and that’s okay. Using the sun’s natural rays can produce beautiful photos as well. The important thing to remember is to work with the sun, not to compete against it.

One of the most opportune times of the day for pictures is when the sun starts to set and the light from the outside balances the lights in the interior of the home – creating a warm feel to the photo. Natural light can play an important role in how your photos turn out.

Leave Out the Ugly

Now imagine this – you’re standing outside a 2,200 square foot home you just finished, and it looks good, really good. Unfortunately, the neighbor’s junky car is sitting out on the street accompanied by strings of power lines routing their way through your perfectly good photo opportunity. What do you do? You move.

Simplicity is better. It will create an eye-catching photo when unnecessary objects such as telephone poles, bulky mailboxes, and dumpsters are avoided. When you’re ready to snap a quick photo, think to yourself, ‘What do people want to see when they look at this photo?’ and go for the big picture – the home.

The three key things you need to differentiate yourself from your competitors are tools you already have. Take a moment to snap a picture with your phone, use the natural light, and avoid distracting objects in your photo, if possible. If you’re proud of your work, show it off!  Your business counts on it.

To learn how ProPainter Websites can help you earn more business, call us at 866-665-1605 or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.