1. A Clear & Compelling Homepage

I don't like poor quality. Maybe you don't either. When something is authentic and made with high quality that lasts a long time, there's just something different about it. Well, when it comes to the digital world, there's unfortunately an all time high of poor quality content online. AI and software tools have made everything digital "as easy as clicking a button" - get a logo in minutes. Create a business card online yourself for free. Ask AI to generate you a design in seconds. The list goes on.

Well, what has this created? A bunch of similar looking half baked content that takes 0 effort. Sure, if you really know what you're doing with AI, you can create some pretty amazing things. But it still takes work and effort. So when it comes to your website, you need an expert in your corner that can give you quality over quantity - you need a website that has thought behind it and work put in. You need a website that works for you and stuns your clients rather than just sitting there charging up a bill.

In short: You need a homepage that has thought and experience behind it and get's your audiences attention, pointing to the fact that you have a quality business that doesn't cut corners.

2. About Us

People like doing business with real people. And again, with AI taking over the universe, people want authentic connection more than ever. And people want to support you, so let them know your story! Maybe you started building fences with your grandpa when you were 10. Maybe you grew up working in the garage with your dad and learned everything you know from him. Maybe you spent 20 years with the leading company in your city and decided you could do it better.

People want to know who they're doing business with. Stories sell.

3. Detailed Service Descriptions

Now... obviously, if someone has made it as far as landing on your website, the last you want is for them to get confused and move on to your competitor. And though we'll talk a little bit more about SEO in a later section, you better have the exact words on your website that your customer is looking for, otherwise Google won't show your website to your customers in the first place!

So, here are a few examples:

• Instead of "Our Services," try "Our Fence Installation Options"
• Google doesn't know what "Our Services" means. For all Google knows, you offer transportation services to the moon. Tell Google in your H1, H2, and H3 tags what service it is that you offer clearly.
• Instead of "Products," try "Double Hung Windows," "Casement Windows," "Window Installation"
• Instead of "Call today" try "Call us today for a free roof inspection quote"

Simply put: Whatever people are looking for on Google, that's what needs to be on your website. People aren't going to Google and searching "Products" if they're looking for flooring options, right? That would get them no where. And so will your website if you don't clarify what you do.

4. Client Testimonials

Lets face it... we live in a review driven society. Nobody ignores the star ratings on an Amazon purchase. People want to know if the food is good at a restaurant before they spend their money. You get the idea...

And when it comes to home service business websites, it's just as or more important for local customers to know that you're trustworthy and a safe option. When someone is going to be in a home installing floors or painting the walls, people insist on knowing if other customers in your area had a good experience. This makes it critical that home service companies share testimonials right on the homepage of their website.

5. Contact Information

Studies show a person will only spend between 10-20 seconds on a page if they can't find an answer. And trust me, that's generous with the new generation. It seems like a no-brainer to have your contact information front and center, but you'd be surprised. A lot of the "DIY" website builders out there with a home service business just can't figure out how to put a dang phone number or email in the header, and it costs them business.

6. Strong Calls-to-Action

To follow up on the idea that people won't stick around on a website if they can't find what they're looking for, you have to assume people have no idea what their next step is. To you, maybe it's obvious they need to send an email. But what if they assume they should be finding a calendar link to sign up on? How do they know you want them to send an email? Or how do they know that it's easiest to just hop on the phone with you? Well, what if you can't take phone calls because you're in the field and you'd rather them fill out a form and you'll get back to them?

You have to tell them.

This will work wonders for you anyways. If your dream business is to show up to your email with information on new leads that you can call back on your own time, tell your customers to just fill out and form and you'll get back to them. If you hate email, don't even put a form on the website! Just have a click to call button and wait for your phone to ring.

CTA Options can be:

• Schedule a consultation
• Sign up for a newsletter
• Request a quote
• Call for a quote
• Fill out a form

The list goes on, but be clear about what you want your customers to do.

Here's an example of a clear call to action: if you (reading this right now) would like to consider having your website professionally built (by me), click here to fill out a form and we can see if we're a good fit to work together (shameless plug).

7. Visuals of Your Past Work

If you're a home service business wanting to get new local customers, nothing will prove your worth more than showing off your previous work. I recommend having a gallery section somewhere on the homepage where you can show off your best work so that people know they're hiring an expert.

Also, bonus tip, if you can call it that. It seems obvious to take high quality photos... but again, you'd be surprised. Just wipe the smudges off your phone camera lens, ensure there's a bit of light, and take a picture up-ways and side-ways. And be within 100 feet. Don't be one of those fence companies that look like they took their photos driving by the house at 30mph.

8. Resource Center

If you'd like to really position yourself as an expert in your industry, consider a blog or a facebook page, but only if you can be consistent. You can just post a couple times per week or several times per month on your thoughts around the industry, updates, best practices, pictures of your work and why you did it that way, etc. Nothing tells a customer you know what you're talking about like leading the conversation. Heck, you can even just get one of your office workers to take care of it. Simply take pictures at all your jobs and have them post "Another great job for the customers we love" and that's much better than nothing.

However, never start a blog or facebook page if you're just going to make a few posts and then forget about it. It actually does more harm than good when someone lands on a facebook page that hasn't posted in 9 months, or a blog that looks like 2015. That's when customers wonder if you're even still in business.

9. Mobile-Friendly Design

Studies show that as much as 60% of traffic to your website will be on a smart phone. So, it goes without saying, that you should have a perfect experience on your website for those who are on computers and those who are on smart phones.

It's surprising how many website builders out there today don't actually take the time to ensure the mobile option is optimized. If you'd like to skip the headache and get a website that meets all the needs of mobile and desktop alike, fill out a form here and maybe we would be a good fit to work together!

10. Fast Loading Speed

To cut to the chase because this part is boring, the speed of your website heavily affects how your website will be used by Google and how well customers will stay on your website. Google's algorithms will prefer your competitor if your website is slow, because more people will leave your website, telling Google that people aren't happy with it, annnnddd... down your website goes in the rankings.

This is one of the reasons I enjoy building home service websites like fence companies, havc, roofing, and more on Duda web builder - because Duda is highly regarded as having fast page speeds, as well as strong hosting roots with Amazon. So, when I build websites for customers, I have no fears that Google will negatively rank their websites due to poor page speeds.

11. Secure and Reliable Hosting

You can easily see at the top of every website whether a website is technically "secure" or not. It'll just simply say "Not Secure." This can post issues for your website down the road, especially with sensitive information. Any home service website needs to have a reliable hosting provider and to ensure SSL certification for data protection.

12. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Now, this is where most people who build their own website fail. It's one thing to get a website up that "does the trick" or meets the bare minimum standards... but when it comes to the ever changing landscape of SEO and keeping Google's algorithm happy, it's a whole different ball game. Now, if you live in a city of 500 and are the only HVAC guy around, then sure... it won't really matter. You're the go to, you're the only one. You could care less about pleasing Google's algorithm.

But lets say you're in a city of 50,000 - 100,000 and there's 4 - 10 other competitors. This is where SEO will be worth gold to you. You have to make sure you get shown, and that takes pleasing the algorithm. Otherwise, you'll be on the last page of Google and nobody will know you exist!

And just a bonus tip/opinion: depending on who you ask, if you live in a city of more than 250,000, odds are you'll need ads with a new website. SEO and getting ranked organically on Google just takes time, especially in a large city. Google isn't going to let Joe down the road who started his HVAC business yesterday rank higher than the juggernaut HVAC companies that have 1,000s of happy customers in a big city. It just won't happen.