Do you really need a website for your restoration business? After all, there’s that Google listing. Isn’t that enough?
You need a website for your restoration business.
No. The Google listing isn’t enough.
Why do you need a website for your restoration business? Because in the 21st century, over 95% of all purchases start with an internet search. If you don’t have a website, someone else is controlling the conversation.
Your website is the place you get to introduce yourself to the world. You put up the words, the images, and the contact information. You control what’s on your website.
If you just use the Google listing, you’re letting someone control the conversation for you. For example, your Google listing has all your Google reviews. If you have negative reviews, everyone that goes there will see them.
The Google listing also rarely has a listing of all your services. If you offer something unique, it should be on your website.
- Are you family-owned?
- Have you been in the area for years?
- Have you been doing resto for years?
- Do you offer things that others don’t? Do you have a warranty on your work? Do you do photo restoration?
All this can go on a website. It won’t be on the Google listing.
Some businesses will use their Facebook page as a website. That’s fine if you do one thing. It might even be okay if you sell retail items that you have on a Facebook store. For complex service businesses like restoration, a Facebook page is just not adequate.
What should I have on my website?
You need a home page that introduces the business. It should talk about who you are, who your team is, and what you offer.
There should be a clear services listing. Too often, restoration companies think they can’t capture what they do for people. This is not true. You don’t have to list every disaster you can deal with, but you can talk about the big ones: fire, water, flooding, roof damage. If you offer mold or asbestos mitigation, that’s on your services page.
You need to offer clear contact information. On the top and bottom of every page, on a contact page, and via buttons on every page.
If you offer a warranty or other legal items with your work, put a page up that shows exactly what that looks like.
Put your license number on the bottom of the page. Make a button for them to click to contact your insurance agent about your liability insurance, bonding, and more. In other words, make it easy for them to vet you versus your competitors.
Most of all, create a blog where you post up-to-date information. This should include before and after photos, information about happy crew events, updates on new certifications or equipment, everything that’s positive in your business.
You want people to have a place to get to know you. Your website is that place.
Should I build my own website?
You might be able to create your own website, if you can handle sitting at a computer for a few hours and can write lots of compelling web copy, go for it. Otherwise, it will probably be cheaper and certainly less frustrating to let someone else do it.
There are a lot of DIY web design companies that do a lot of the work for you. They’re fine if you have the beginning of a clue what you want. If you don’t hire a web designer or a company to do it. It shouldn’t cost you more than a few thousand dollars, but it will be worth every penny as it drives business to you.
Websites aren’t luxuries in the 2020s; they’re required for every business that wants to do any business.
Let us know if you need advice about your website. We’ve advised a lot of our clients on how to create the best website they can.
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