If you’re a home services contractor struggling to stand out in a crowded market, you’re not alone. Competing with larger private equity-backed companies that can afford expensive traditional advertising makes it tough, especially for smaller contractors.
The good news? There are affordable, effective ways to ensure homeowners discover your business online. Digital marketing can be overwhelming, whether you’re diving into digital marketing for the first time or you’re simply trying to keep up with best practices in an ever-evolving environment. But with the right tools, digital marketing can work wonders for your business (hint: that’s where CallRail comes in — more on that later).
Find out which online platforms homeowners are using to find their next home services contractor — and three key strategies for making sure your business is at the top of their list.
Strategy 1: Rise to the top (of your customer’s Google search)
Have you ever wondered how businesses snag those sponsored listings at the top of the search page? The answer is Google Ads. According to our analysis of over 200,000 calls to Home Services businesses, this is the best tool to use if you want a potential customer to discover your company in a quick Google search and reach out with a phone call.
For home services businesses, 42% of all calls are the result of a Google Ads listing. In addition to being highly effective, Google Ads makes it easy to manage your budget by using a pay-per-click (PPC) business model. PPC means you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
Making the most of Google Ads with Call Tracking
CallRail easily connects with Google Ads, making it easy to access the metrics you need to see if your campaign is paying off. Use Call Tracking to determine how your Google Ads impact your call volume and lead quality or to fine-tune your campaign (and your ad spend) with insights into when your customers are most likely to be searching for a service provider.
Strategy 2: Claim your space (in the digital marketplace)
Google’s digital advertising tools offer a lot more than great search rankings. Sometimes a potential customer needs more information before picking up the phone. That’s where Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) can help.
According to our report, the second highest source of home services calls comes from Google Business Profile. This tool routes anyone who clicks on your business in Google Search or Google Maps to a profile with curated details about your company. You can include basic details like your services, hours, and phone number, or you can add photos and special offers.
Best of all, it’s free.
Making the most of Google Business Profile with Call Tracking
If you’ve suddenly noticed an uptick in appointments, it’s important to figure out which digital tool is responsible so you can keep the ball rolling. Call Tracking provides reporting that can help you determine if your Google Business Profile is generating those quality leads. If it’s not, use the data to adjust your profile, such as adding a 5-star review or updating your business description to reflect top-performing keywords. If it’s working well, you can put your time into something else (like a much-needed lunch break).
Strategy 3: Boost your Google rankings (for free!)
If you don’t have the budget for Google Ads, you can still stand out on Google if you plan your approach carefully. “Organic Search” covers all the Google listings that aren’t attached to pay-per-click ads or other paid listings. Basically, these are all the Google search results that aren’t marked “Sponsored/”
Organic Search delivers high-quality leads, with a nearly 80% qualified lead rate. It’s a powerful tool for attracting customers actively searching for home services like yours — and best of all, it’s free. Investing time in improving your website for Organic Search can pay off significantly by driving leads that are more likely to convert into jobs.
How does Organic Search work?
A strong Organic Search strategy relies heavily on search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the process of making your website more likely to show up when people search for the kinds of contracting services you offer. Websites with good SEO include articles, videos, and other content that’s accurate and useful. They also include carefully selected keywords.
Keywords and call insights
Keywords are words and phrases people are likely to enter into a Google search bar when they’re looking for specific information. Using keywords in your ads, on your website, and any other digital content can help customers find your business more easily.
For example, people often add the phrase “near me” to their searches when they’re looking for service providers in their area. In that case, if you’re a plumber, one of your keyword phrases might be “plumbers near me.”
Industry-specific terms: Getting specific about what you offer helps too. If you’re an HVAC technician, for example, try “air duct cleaning” or “heat pump repair.”
Combining location and industry-specific keywords can be even more effective. A pest control company might use “termite inspection in Phoenix,” while a roofing company could target “storm damage roof repair Dallas.” This approach helps businesses attract highly relevant leads by matching their search intent more precisely.
If you’re not sure what keywords to use, CallRail’s Call Tracking can help. In addition to reducing missed calls and helping you drive more jobs, Call Tracking provides a way to see what keywords are performing and what aren’t. This allows you to adjust your website as needed, according to the most popular keywords homeowners are using to find your business.
Starter Home Services Keywords
Need help getting started? Here are the top 15 high-ranking keywords for home services contractors based on insights from CallRail’s data:
- garage door repair
- roof repair
- junk removal
- ac repair
- pest control
- system pavers
- overhead door
- locksmith near me
- air comfort solutions
- fast water heater
- roofer
- haul away junk
- restaurant furniture
- locksmith
- moving companies
Where customers say they actually find your business
Did you know that 55% of calls in the home services industry come from return customers, while 29% come from online search, and 16% from personal referrals, according to our self-reported call attribution data? Return customers are not only your most significant source of new calls but also a testament to the value of building long-term trust and satisfaction. Plus, their extremely low cost to acquire means they are more profitable.
CallRail's AI captures, analyzes, and surfaces the source of where customers say they found their business during your calls, helping you to:
- Identify trends in how homeowners find your business, including both new and repeat customers
- Develop strategies to nurture loyalty and encourage repeat business
- Create referral programs or loyalty incentives to grow personal recommendations
- Understand how online search complements your overall customer acquisition strategy
Pro Tip: Pair return customer data with Call Tracking insights to pinpoint what channels consistently deliver the highest-quality leads and foster customer loyalty.
Was it worth it? How to keep track of your bottom line
Still worried about managing your online advertising budget? Call Tracking can tell you which of your online tools are actually sending customers your way and determine where your highest-quality jobs came from.
Once you understand what is working best — whether that’s Google Ads, Google Business Profile, or Organic Search — you can shift your focus to the channels that result in high volumes of strong leads and reduce your time focusing on (or maybe even abandon) the others.
If you’re like most home service contractors, you don’t have the time or resources to analyze your marketing efforts, but you also can’t afford not to. With CallRail, you’ll have access to all the information you need to help customers find you, hire you, and eventually refer you to your next high-quality lead.
Find the right customers
There’s nothing more frustrating than answering a call from someone who’s just kicking the tires on your services.
By analyzing your inbound and outbound calls, CallRail helps prioritize high-quality leads, so you don’t waste valuable time and energy on calls that aren’t likely to lead to a job.
Start turning your conversations into job conversions. Sign up for CallRail for free, no credit card required.
Want the full picture? Download our From Conversations to Conversions Report now to uncover key insights and actionable strategies for growing your business.
Disclaimer: This article is based on aggregated and de-identified data and is provided for informational purposes only. To ensure the privacy of our business customers and comply with applicable data protection regulations, the analysis and insights presented herein are derived solely from deidentified data, excluding any sensitive or protected information as defined by privacy laws and regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA. This report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of market trends without compromising individual privacy. Any reliance on the information presented in this report is at the user’s own risk, and we disclaim any liability for decisions made based on this report.
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