Home service contractors should use a mix of channels to book jobs. We explore the top five channels for getting consistent leads.
Key takeaways:
- Your website and Google Business Profile can generate regular leads for your home service business.
- Most contractors use additional channels, including paid ads, contractor marketplaces, and word of mouth.
- We explore these channels and share tips on how to be successful with each of them.
Where do your home service leads come from?
Most contractors use a mix of channels to get calls, including their website, ads, social media, and more.
In this blog, we break down the top five channels for getting jobs and explore an emerging sixth channel with AI mentions.
Local SEO and Your Google Business Profile
One of the first things people do when they need a home service, whether it’s an emergency plumbing repair or a trusted electrician for a rewiring project, is to look up local contractors on Google.
From there, people have two ways of finding your business:
- They can visit your site, learn about your services, and give you a call.
- They can also discover your business directly in Google results, with features like Google’s AI overview, the Google Map Pack, or your Google Business Profile.
This second scenario is becoming more common, with almost 68% of Google searches resulting in zero clicks (which means people find what they were looking for without visiting a website).
You need two things to generate calls via local SEO:
- A fast and functional website optimized for local searches.
- A claimed Google Business Profile with up-to-date information.
Paid Ads (Google Local Service Ads and Other Platforms)
Organic SEO is about building visibility over time. While you’re waiting to get results, you can use paid ads to get calls.
Here’s how the two methods differ:
| Factor | Organic local SEO | Paid advertising |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Improves your visibility through your website, Google Business Profile, reviews, local content, and citations. | Places your business in sponsored search results through platforms such as Google Ads and Local Services Ads. |
| Speed | Usually takes time to build momentum and improve rankings. | Can generate impressions, calls, and messages soon after campaigns launch. |
| Cost | Requires an investment of time, content, website improvements, and ongoing optimization. | Requires an advertising budget, with costs based on factors such as clicks, leads, or campaign performance. |
| Longevity | Strong rankings and useful content can continue attracting customers after the initial work is complete. | Visibility generally stops when the campaign or budget ends. |
| Customer intent | Reaches people searching for local services through organic results, the Map Pack, and Google Business Profiles. | Targets customers based on search terms, location, services, audience settings, and other campaign criteria. |
| Level of control | Rankings depend on Google’s evaluation of relevance, distance, prominence, and competition. | You have more control over your budget, targeting, service areas, ad messaging, and schedule. |
| Trust-building | Reviews, helpful content, local information, and strong rankings can build credibility over time. | Ad labels identify the placement as sponsored, so your website, reviews, and messaging still need to build trust. |
| Best for | Building a long-term local presence and reducing dependence on advertising. | Generating immediate visibility, testing new services, or filling gaps while organic rankings improve. |
| What to track | Map Pack rankings, organic traffic, calls, website leads, reviews, and direction requests. | Cost per lead, calls, messages, booked jobs, conversion rate, and return on ad spend. |
Paid ads can be a good way to target customers who are actively looking for a contractor. For instance, you can target searches like “24/7 electrician near me” or “emergency pest control service” to connect with people who are ready to hire now.
There are different platforms you can use for paid ads. We recommend conducting tests on two or three of them to see what gets you the best results.
You can test:
- Google Local Services Ads.
- Google Search Ads.
- Microsoft Advertising, formerly known as Bing Ads.
- Facebook and Instagram ads.
- Nextdoor ads.
- Yelp Ads.
- Trade-specific lead marketplaces.
- Retargeting ads for people who have already visited your website.
Contractor Marketplaces, Directories, and Lead Platforms
Many homeowners use contractor directories and lead platforms because they make it easy to compare local businesses, search for a specific service, and read reviews.
These platforms can get you leads in two ways:
- Homeowners find your profile and contact you directly.
- The platform collects a homeowner’s information and sells or sends the lead to contractors.
From an SEO perspective, competing with large contractors can be difficult. Your own website may not rank immediately for competitive searches, but contractor directories often have strong visibility in search results. Creating a profile on these platforms can be another way for your business to appear higher in search results.
These platforms can also attract high-intent customers. People who are comparing contractors, requesting estimates, or submitting their information for a callback may already be close to making a hiring decision.
Some of these platforms offer shared leads, while others offer exclusive leads.
- Shared leads are sent to multiple contractors. This means you may compete with other businesses to respond first, explain your value, and win the job. Price can also become a major factor.
- Exclusive leads are sent to only one contractor or a limited number of contractors. They may cost more, but you typically face less competition for the customer’s attention.
Before buying leads, compare the cost of the lead with the value of a booked job. Track how many leads turn into appointments, estimates, and completed projects.
We recommend creating and claiming free profiles on a number of directories and lead-generation platforms. It’s a good way to get more visibility online, and you’ll get some local mentions that help with SEO. You can also review the options available for buying leads.
Here are some platforms to try:
- Yelp.
- Angi.
- Thumbtack.
- Nextdoor.
- My Licensed Contractor.
- Houzz.
Reviews, Referrals, and Word of Mouth
Your online reviews and ratings matter:
- 93% of people read online reviews.
- 75.5% of consumers trust online reviews.
- For 49% of them, online reviews are just as trustworthy as a recommendation from a friend.
You’ll naturally get more reviews over time, but there are a few things you can do to turn your reputation into leads:
- Ask satisfied customers for an honest review after completing a job.
- Senda direct Google review link or QR code by text or email.
- Train technicians to mention reviews at the end of a successful service call.
- Creat a referral program with clear terms and simple rewards.
- Stayin touch with past customers through seasonal reminders and helpful updates.
- Follow up with customers after the job to make sure their expectations were met.
Being active on social media can also encourage people to interact with your business on these platforms. Reviews, ratings, and comments can help build a positive reputation.
Marketing for Existing Customers: Email and SMS
Your relationship with a customer doesn’t end when a job is complete. Stay in touch via email or SMS (with their permission).
Past customers are already familiar with your business, which makes them likely to hire you again as long as they had a positive experience.
You can use email and SMS to book repeat jobs with things like maintenance reminders or educational content about home upgrades they might need.
Here are a few ideas for marketing your services to past customers:
- Send seasonal maintenance reminders.
- Remind customers when it may be time to replace or upgrade equipment.
- Share helpful tips related to their previous service.
- Let customers know about new services or expanded service areas.
- Offer referral information to customers who have had a positive experience.
- Follow up after a job to make sure everything is working properly.
Another great way to stay in touch with existing customers is to offer a subscription that gives them access to free maintenance, discounts on future repairs, and more. It’s a reliable source of recurring revenue for you.
Bonus: AI Mentions
Is AI a new way to get calls for your home service business? We think so.
About 25% of Americans use AI chatbots daily, and a majority of Google searches now lead to an AI summary displayed before traditional results.
These AI summaries and chatbots can recommend your business to users who are planning home upgrades or asking questions about the issues they notice in their home.
There is no guaranteed way to get an AI model to mention your business, but you can improve visibility in AI results with two things:
- AI models use information from many sources to understand and evaluate businesses. Consistent local citations from directories and other third-party websites can create useful context.
- You can optimize the content you publish on your site for AI. Things like adding FAQ to your content or using straightforward language that is easy to understand can make a difference.
Looking into how to get AI mentions for your business can give an advantage over your competitors. It’s something many businesses are overlooking, and given the rapid adoption of AI chatbots, AI as a source of leads will only get more valuable in the future.
Get Help With Home Service Lead Generation
Tempesta Media specializes in marketing for building trades and home service businesses. Our team can help you build a stronger online presence with content marketing, local SEO, answer engine optimization, website support, and more.
Explore our solutions here or contact us to learn more about how we can help.
FAQ
What is the best lead generation channel for home service businesses?
There is no single best channel for every contractor. Local SEO and Google Business Profile optimization can build long-term visibility, while paid ads can generate faster opportunities. Referrals, past-customer marketing, and contractor marketplaces can provide additional sources of booked work.
How long does local SEO take to produce leads?
Local SEO usually takes time to build momentum. Results depend on your location, services, competition, website, Google Business Profile, reviews, and overall online presence. Continue tracking calls and booked jobs instead of expecting results overnight.
Should I create profiles on contractor directories?
Yes, many directories offer free profiles that can improve your online visibility and give customers another way to find your business. Keep your information accurate and compare each platform’s lead costs before purchasing leads.
Can AI tools recommend my home service business?
AI tools can recommend businesses when users ask for contractors, service advice, or home improvement recommendations. About one in four Americans use AI chatbots daily, and many people also read AI-generated summaries in search results. Keep your business information consistent across your website, Google Business Profile, directories, reviews, and local websites to increase your chances of getting mentioned.
How can contractors book jobs by marketing to existing customers?
You can remarket to existing customers through email, SMS, and other follow-up campaigns. Send seasonal maintenance reminders, follow up on past estimates, promote related services, share service plan options, and ask for reviews or referrals. Segment your customer list by service type, location, and project date so your messages are relevant.
