Where do you think consumers go when they're considering something new for their home? Where do you go? If you're like most people, you fire up your laptop, go to Google and search for whatever is on your mind. Looking for new appliances or cabinets for your kitchen? Google it - or better yet, do a Google Image search. Search engines are one of the most popular destinations for homeowners in the market for remodeling or home improvement services.

If you want to get more leads and sales from your website, stop treating it like a brochure and start treating it like a sales rep. Brochures are a waste of money. With brochures, your marketing team (or YOU) spends weeks trying to come up with the "look" and "messaging" and more often than not that box of brochures ends up sitting in the corner of office supply closet collecting dust. At best you distribute a few and they receive an occasional glance before being tossed into the circular file. Sales reps, on the other hand, produce results.

If you own or operate a local home services business (flooring, kitchen & bathroom, hvac, plumbing, roofing, etc.), getting more qualified visitors to your website is a top priority. Although the popularity of social media is growing, when people need something for their home, the first place they go is to a search engine like Google, Yahoo or Bing. If your website is not prominently listed (multiple times) on the first page, you're - without question - losing business to competitors.

SEO is a zero sum game and analyzing your competitor's websites is a critical step which you should take very early in the optimization process. Think about it - there are only ~10 websites (excluding the map / local listings) on the first search results page and most searchers never venture past page one on Google, Yahoo and Bing. In order for your website to move onto page one of Google, Yahoo and Bing, you must leap frog a (currently better optimized) competitor! This makes competitor analysis a critical step to take early in the SEO process.

If you're like most service business owners (HVAC & plumbing companies, roofing contractors, etc.), you've probably asked yourself questions like, "is pay per click advertising worth it", "how much can I afford to pay per click", "what should my monthly budget be?"

Which online marketing strategies work best?

If there's one Internet marketing question we get more than any other, it's:  Which types of online advertising work the best?

The answer is, "it depends." Broad questions generate broad answers (junk in, junk out). What works for Joe the Plumber might be a complete waste for Bill's HVAC company or Sally's Affordable Roofing Contractors (okay, we don't know any roofing companies named after a female, but there must be at least one out there!).