Harnessing the Power of the Internet

The internet is the future. We have seen it grow by leaps and bounds over the last two decades or so and there is no sign of it slowing down. With this growth comes huge opportunities for businesses of all kinds, including plumbing and HVAC/R professionals. But it can be confusing. After all, it is changing every day. It can be a full-time job just keeping up with all the latest developments and best practices. It is a challenge when you are already occupied with the day-to-day operation of your business.

Here are a few important tips to help you make the best of your online marketing efforts.

1. Build a strong website

Sure, anyone can make a website for free. You can toss one online in half an hour. But will that make you look like a professional who delivers high quality service?

Just having any old website will not help you; whether it is plumbing, HVAC, or something else entirely. In today’s market there are already high quality websites at the top of Google in your niche. If your website is done for free or cheaply it will not help to increase awareness of your company and build business.

A website is a lot like a storefront. If it looks old, run down, or unappealing, you will be hard pressed to get people to stop by for long. 

2. Pay attention to SEO

SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.” It is the process of boosting your website in the search engines. For example, if someone searches for “plumbers in Toronto” whoever has the most optimized website will come up first. Statistically, people click on the top three results in Google more often than every other result combined. If you are in one of these coveted positions, you have the potential for a lot more business than your competitors.

3. Put a blog on your website

In this day and age everyone has some sort of degree, diploma, or accreditation. These things are great, do not get me wrong, but if you really want to set yourself apart from your competition you will need a little more.

When you have a regularly updated blog on your site with valuable and useful content, people will see you as someone who knows what they are talking about. It is a great way to build your social cred online and keep your brand in peoples’ minds. When people see that you know what you are talking about, they will be more likely to want to do business with you.

These tips just scratch the surface of what can be done online. The world of internet marketing is a wide-open field, and it is important to stake your claim now before the competition gets too hairy. With a solid, well-designed and planned web presence, you can get out there in front of more people, bring in more of the clients you are looking for, and grow your business by leaps and bounds. That is the power of the internet. <>

Brad Edwards is an internet marketing professional. His business, Cloud Surfing Media, is a digital marketing agency which focuses on helping local businesses overcome marketing obstacles online. Learn more at www.cloudsurfingmedia.com.