Digital marketing is essential for home improvement contractors looking to grow their businesses and generate more leads. In a recent episode of Digital Marketing for Contractors, Janet and Caitlyn from Fat Cat Strategies dive into how Google Trends can be a game-changer for contractors. This blog will walk you through their insights and show you how to leverage Google Trends for smarter, more efficient marketing.
What is Google Trends?
Google Trends is a free tool that helps you track the popularity of specific search terms over time. Whether you’re curious about how many people are searching for roofing, siding, or other home improvement services, Google Trends provides the data you need to make informed marketing decisions. The tool allows you to:
- Track search volume over time.
- Identify seasonal trends.
- Compare search terms.
- Analyze geographic differences.
Why Google Trends Matters for Home Improvement Contractors
For home improvement contractors, understanding when potential customers are searching for specific services is crucial. Google Trends allows you to see patterns and spikes in search interest, which can help you plan and optimize your marketing efforts to generate more leads during peak seasons.
Tracking Search Volume
Using Google Trends, you can analyze search volume for specific services like “roof repair” or “siding replacement.” For example, if you notice that “roof repair” searches spike in the summer, you can allocate more of your advertising budget during those months to capture the most leads.
Seasonal Trends in Home Improvement
Contractors often face seasonality in their business, with certain services being more in demand at specific times of the year. Google Trends helps you track these seasonal shifts so you can adjust your marketing efforts accordingly. For example, roofing searches may be high in summer, while window replacements might peak in fall.
How to Use Google Trends to Plan Your Marketing Strategy
Once you have insights from Google Trends, it’s time to incorporate them into your marketing strategy. Here’s how to do it:
Allocate Your Budget to Peak Times
If your Google Trends analysis shows that searches for “roof repair” peak in July and August, make sure you’re increasing your PPC (pay-per-click) budget during those months. This allows you to take advantage of high search volumes and convert more leads.
Adjust Your Content and SEO Strategy
Homeowners often search using broader, non-technical terms like “siding replacement” rather than specific brand names like “James Hardie siding.” By analyzing the terms homeowners are actually searching for, you can adjust your website content and SEO strategy to target those keywords and increase your online visibility.
Supplement Your Digital Marketing with Offline Tactics
While Google Trends provides valuable insights for digital marketing, Janet and Caitlyn stress the importance of supplementing online efforts with offline tactics during slow seasons.
Direct Mail Campaigns
Direct mail can keep your business top of mind, even when search volume dips. Sending targeted mailers during off-peak times can generate leads and ensure your services stay in front of potential customers.
Email Marketing for Lead Nurturing
Email marketing is a powerful tool for nurturing leads, even if it’s not a primary driver of new lead generation. Use email campaigns to stay connected with your customer base and offer promotions or cross-sell other services. For example, if a customer used your company for siding installation, you could send them an email offering a discount on roofing services.
Leverage Google Trends for Geographical Insights
Google Trends also allows you to analyze search interest based on geography. This is particularly useful if you operate in multiple regions or want to expand your services. You might discover that a certain area has a higher demand for specific services, allowing you to adjust your marketing strategy for that location.
Discover Related Search Terms
One of the most powerful features of Google Trends is its ability to show you related search terms. This helps you uncover keywords and search phrases that you might not have considered but are popular among homeowners. For example, if “James Hardie siding” isn’t as frequently searched, you might find that terms like “fiber cement siding” or “board and batten siding” are more common.
Make Google Trends a Part of Your Long-Term Strategy
Using Google Trends isn’t just about short-term gains. Janet and Caitlyn recommend looking at a five-year window of search data to get a broader understanding of trends. This larger view helps you see patterns in search behavior that might not be obvious when only looking at the past year. By analyzing long-term trends, you can make better decisions about where to invest your marketing budget and plan for future growth.
Final Takeaways: Plan and Adjust with Google Trends
Google Trends is a powerful, free tool that can help home improvement contractors better understand search patterns and seasonality. By using it to plan your marketing efforts, you can allocate your budget more efficiently, adjust your content strategy, and ensure you’re targeting the right audience at the right time.
Key Tips:
- Use Google Trends to track search volume and seasonal trends.
- Allocate your PPC budget during high search volume months.
- Adjust your content and SEO strategy based on what homeowners are actually searching for.
- Supplement your digital efforts with offline tactics like direct mail and email marketing.
- Analyze geographical search trends and related search terms for new insights.
By incorporating these insights into your marketing strategy, you can boost lead generation and ensure your business is prepared to meet customer demand throughout the year.
