You may have heard of these directory sites that are popping up everywhere. More than likely you’ve been contacted by a few via phone call, email or mail. There are a lot of options out there and you may not know if it’s the right move for your company or not. Internet marketing is a tricky thing, especially when it comes to construction in Virginia or anywhere else. You have to make sure that you are careful in where your company is represented, but you also want to get your name out there and get more customers.
Pro’s Of Directories
There are plenty of advantages to signing up with directories and the best part is you can sign up with more than one. Here are some of the biggest reasons to consider it:
- They are getting the traffic: These sites are spending millions of dollars a year to get traffic and have the top spots on Google and other search engines. That’s how they get you to sign up, because when someone needs to hire a contractor for a job, they are more than likely going to one of these sites because they are familiar with the brand and they are easier to find.
- Better SEO: Whether you have your own internet marketing strategy or not, when someone finds your name they are going to do some research. You want the first two or three pages to be filled with sites including your own site, your social media profiles and any directory websites you are listed on.
- Be found by the right audience: Remember, you aren’t going to just get random visitors. If someone calls you it’s because they are looking for someone who offers your services which means you are being put directly in front of the right customer.
Con’s Of Directory Websites
As great as these options are, there are some negative things you need to be aware of that may or may not influence your decision, but you still need to know about them.
- Negative reviews: If someone writes a negative review about you, there’s no way to remove it unless you can prove that it’s a false review. This can be challenging to do and if you have a poor ranking on the site, it will show up when people research you.
- Less of a chance to showcase who you are: While you are being put in front of the right audience, you are also being put in the same area with your competitors which means you have less of an opportunity to show why you’re the best.
- Harder to subcategorize: If you offer other services like kitchen remodeling, shell construction in Virginia, driveway remodels or something else, it can be challenging to show up in all those categories for some websites.
There’s going to be lots of internet marketing opportunities that come your way. If you aren’t sure which ones are best for you, do your homework and see the advantages and disadvantages each option offers. That will determine which ones you try but remember, nothing happens over night. Give each option a chance to develop and generate leads for you.