The best thing about marketing your services on the Internet is that clients will look for you by typing what they need in the search box. If you can fill their need they will call you. But, first you need to be found by these prospective clients. I believe the following are the four best ways to advertise your appraisal services on the Internet.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Search engine optimization is the process of improving the quantity and/or quality of traffic to your website from the search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. To do this you need to appear in the first two pages of the natural (free) search results. Typically the earlier your site appears in the search results, the more visitors it will receive from potential clients looking for appraisal services. To appear in the top of the search results your site needs keywords, such as “Real Estate Appraisers”, “Estate Appraisals”, etc. These are the terms and phrases that possible clients will use when they search the Internet looking for a real estate appraiser.
An additional factor that will help your site appear higher in the search results are links to your website. The combination of the quantity of links to your site and the “Anchor Text” (the words in the link) can help your site appear at or near the top of the search results in Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. Statistics indicate that approximately 70% of searchers will click on the natural search results, therefore it is important that your site or directory you are listed in appear at or near the top of the natural search results.
Pay Per Click (Sponsored Links): This is an additional method to get your web site to appear in the search results (paid results known as “Sponsored Links”) these are the results that appear to the top and right of the natural (free) search results. You as an advertiser pay only when your ad is clicked which leads the searcher to your web site. The cost of this type of marketing depends on the amount of competition that is bidding for the same keywords “Real Estate Appraisers”, “Divorce Appraisals”, etc., as you. If you are in an area with very little competition it might only cost you $.05 per click, however if there is a lot of competitors it could cost $10.00 or more per click. One of the problems with pay per click, besides the cost is that statistics indicate that only approximately 30% of searchers will click on your ad. This is substantially lower to the natural search results.
Directories: Appraiser directories can also be very beneficial as they do the Internet marketing work for you. There is no need for you to use your valuable time or money to attempt to optimize your website or pay for pay per click marketing. A directory can do this all for you. They will place a listing on their site with your company information, the services you provide and your contact info.
Local Business Ads: These are the listings that appear with a map to your location on the various search engines. They are free on Google, Yahoo, Bing and Ask.com and I urge you to add your business. Make sure to include your type of services in your listing, such as “Miami Appraiser”, “Appraisals Miami”, etc. as the majority of your competitors will list their name which will not describe the services they provide. If you were looking for an appraiser which listing would you notice “Miami Appraiser” or “Joe Schmoe”? I know what most potential clients will pick and this puts you above your competition.
There are pros and cons to the first three methods of Internet marketing. Search engine optimization takes time and constant work, pay per click costs money and takes some time and directories cost money. Determining which Internet marketing methods are best for you is your decision. The combination of all four will benefit your business the most, however I believe that listing your business in a directory could be your greatest option. For a negligible fee a directory can provide the first three of the above marketing methods and you can simply create a local business ad yourself for the final Internet marketing method.
