Month: February 2023

Google Ads

New “Profile Strength” Feature Rolled Out for Google Business Profiles

Dipa Gandhi

by Dipa Gandhi

Well, Google’s always keeping us on our toes. Just a couple of days ago, Google fully rolled out its new “Profile Strength” widget on the Google Business Profile (GBP) dashboard.

So What’s This All About?

Notice the green circle in the image above. This full green circle represents a complete profile. When you see a complete green circle, you have nothing to worry about. There is also a visual to indicate that more information is needed on a GBP.

Take a look at the GBP below, it looks like the profile is nearly complete, but after clicking on “Complete Info”, it takes you to another screen which implies the profile is not 100%. What was missing? The Ads credit hasn’t been claimed. Tricky, right?

It appears this may be Google’s way of trying to monetize the Google Business Profiles. Those who are Google Business Profile savvy would know whether or not their profile is as complete as possible without having to advertise with Google Ads.

Let’s take a look at another GBP that is less complete. If your profile strength is red in color and it appears to be 75% complete, this is an indication that there is room for improvement.

The red makes it look like your GBP is lacking, but there are times when the “Complete Info” is clicked and the user is taken to a screen like the one below. Options are given to you can choose to keep the messaging off. It’s not necessary to leave the “accept messages” option on in order to have a more complete profile.

However, if you see any of the images below on your profile, there are opportunities to make it more complete. Just specifying which services your business actually provides, or adding a description, will make your profile more complete and optimized.

Key Takeaways

Once you’ve created your Google Business Profile, you’ll want to make sure you optimize and monitor it on a regular basis. With Google always implementing changes, there may be new features you can include to strengthen your profile, and you’ll also want to be sure your profile isn’t negatively impacted by any of Google’s changes.

If your profile strength is yellow and nearly a complete circle:
then the only hindrance from it being fully complete with the green circle might be that you have not claimed your Google Ads credit, which is perfectly fine. As long as you know you’ve fully optimized your GBP, you are safe to ignore what “Profile Strength” shows.

Uncategorized

Effectiveness of Local Service Ads: Three Service Contractor Case Studies

Dipa Gandhi

Local Service Ads (LSA), a.k.a. Google Guaranteed, a Google product used for advertising, has gained popularity among service area businesses in the last couple of years. It was initially rolled out in 2018 to certain service industries such as plumbers and house cleaners, in certain regions of the United States. After small business owners experienced the benefits of high-quality, low-cost leads, Google expanded its reach to other areas and other service industries year after year. 

Almost two years ago, 99 Calls started offering LSA services to service contractors. Overall, customers have been pleased with the ROI they’ve seen and have found that Google Guaranteed leads are far less expensive than using Google’s Pay Per Click advertising. Below, we’ll present experiences from three different clients who offer services for three different industries.

Google Guaranteed for Carpet Cleaners

Meet Terrence Green of Spotless Carpet Cleaning Services

Terrence grew up in the floor cleaning industry. His parents and grandparents were flooring specialists and small business owners. He cleaned floors in schools during the summer months and thought using the big buffing machine “was the coolest thing ever”. After working with his family in Detroit he decided to make a move to Arizona, where he opened his own business, Spotless Carpet Cleaning Service. 

Over the years, Terrence dabbled with running Facebook Ads and handing out flyers, but was not able to generate a sustainable lead volume. He partnered with 99 Calls in July 2021, utilizing organic SEO, and Google PPC services, and was later introduced to LSA by Kevin Brenes, his PPC specialist. 

Of all of these advertising methods, here’s what Terrence had to say about LSA, “Leads from LSA are bigger jobs compared to PPC, but the quality of leads from both the LSA and PPC is far superior compared to Facebook.” When asked how easy or difficult was the LSA setup, “You made it really easy for me” – very easy to get set, not complicated. The background check was very easy….just answer all the questions and it didn’t take long at all.”

Terrence’s LSA has been live since Dec 10, 2022, with carpet cleaning as his primary industry. Below is a chart showing his lead volume and cost per lead in January 2023. Overall, he received 84 exclusive carpet cleaning leads from LSA at a cost per lead of just $25.11 each, which is the same price he pays for organic leads from 99 Calls. He’s thrilled with his ROI.

Google Guaranteed for HVAC Contractors

Meet Chris Kirkman of A Plus Air Conditioning and Appliances

Chris started his career working for a large HVAC business. He was constantly pushed to upsell their products and their services, even when they weren’t a great fit. After exhaustion from going from customer to customer just upselling, Chris decided to buy his first air conditioning company in 1996 and is currently the proud owner of A Plus Air Conditioning and Appliances Inc., serving all areas from Broward to Vero Beach FL.

Over the years, Chris tried multiple marketing companies to promote his business online, including organic SEO and Google’s PPC. After many years of disappointment and less than stellar results, he partnered with 99 Calls in September 2021. Along with website hosting, he utilized organic SEO lead generation and was introduced to LSA by Dipa Gandhi, the LSA specialist. 

Of all of the advertising methods he’s tried over the years, here’s what Chris had to say about LSA, “Other Ads seem to be a scam….out of 50 calls only 5 are real…..LSA is real and seems to work. I am very, very happy with 99 Calls Google Guaranteed services so far. Both the lead volume and quantity are very impressive. I don’t see any type of “odd” calls. Strictly air conditioning calls in our area. The only people I would use for any advertising is 99 Calls and Dipa for the LSA part.

Chris is planning to partner with his son to expand his HVAC services even further and plans to use 99 Calls for his advertising in new markets.

Chris’s LSA has been live since Oct 9, 2022, with HVAC as his primary industry. Below is a chart showing his lead volume and cost per lead in January 2023. With a budget of $1140.82, he received 24 exclusive HVAC leads at an average cost of $47.53 each. Google Ads campaigns generate HVAC leads at 2-3 times the price.

Google Guaranteed for House Cleaning Businesses

Meet Ellen Malhue of Red Services and Solutions Company

Ellen immigrated to this country from Brazil with her parents as a teenager. She and her mom started working in the cleaning industry while her father worked in construction. After living in the United States, learning English, and gaining knowledge on starting a business, Ellen and her mom started Red Services and Solutions Company, a house cleaning business serving clients in Fellsmere, FL.  

Ellen promoted her business flyers and taking advantage of online directories such as Bark. She then came to 99 Calls for organic lead generation services. After a couple of months, she decided to try LSA as well. Here’s what Ellen had to say about 99 Calls LSA services for house cleaners, “LSA has been a game changer. The difference between organic and LSA is that LSA clients are ready now. Organic seems like people are shopping around. The cost per lead is a fair price for the type of work generated per call. Plus we have a high closing rate via LSA because those customers are ready to go.”

99 Calls provides LSA setup at a low price and walks customers through a couple of portions that must be completed by them, including the billing and background check sections. Ellen says “It’s a process, but because I’ve been through other hurdles as an immigrant and learning everything there is to learn about moving from one country to another, is was easy, but it’s a process just like any other”.

Ellen’s LSA campaign has been live since Oct 13, 2022, with house cleaning as her primary industry. Below is a chart showing her lead volume and cost per lead in January 2023. Ellen has also signed on for 99 Calls calendar booking service, which allows customers to book appointments directly from her lead site. The appointment calendar integrates with her Google calendar. She generated 46 exclusive house cleaning leads from the LSA campaign, with the average lead cost at $27.56.

Google Guaranteed Works for Local Contractors

LSA Has Rapidly Become a Favored 99 Calls Service

Although the lead volume overall has been lighter via LSA campaigns than through Google Ads PPC campaigns, most contractors are finding that Google Guaranteed leads are of excellent quality and value. Many clients in other industries, including roofing and appliance repair have also had great success with Google’s LSA. The process is fairly simple and mostly turn-key. 99 Calls specialists complete the process for business owners and walk them through the necessary steps. It does take time to complete the verification process, but the payoff is spectacular. If you are interested in taking advantage of high value, low cost leads using LSA services, you can learn more at https://99calls.com/Google-LSA.htm.

digital marketing, SEO, Uncategorized

How to Utilize ChatGPT to Enhance Your SEO

Dipa Gandhi

by Dipa Gandhi

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence computer program created to provide instant responses for questions different users input. ChatGPT can even carry out a conversation if the auto-generated response isn’t satisfactory and the user wants a more in-depth response to something. 

For example, you want to write an approximately 100-word essay on how Covid-19 changed people’s lives. After entering this in ChatGPT, here’s your response:

Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted people’s lives globally. It has resulted in widespread job losses, a decline in the economy, and many businesses closing down. Remote work has become the new norm, and people have had to adapt to digital communication and learning. The pandemic has also changed people’s behavior, with more emphasis on personal hygiene and the importance of wearing masks. Social activities and gatherings have been limited, causing social isolation and loneliness. The pandemic has highlighted the significance of health systems and the importance of global cooperation in managing global health crises. Overall, Covid-19 has reshaped the way people live and interact with each other, leaving a lasting impact on the world.

Amazing right? So how can this be used to enhance your SEO? 

How to use ChatGPT to your advantage

Service / Product Pages

The key to successful SEO is writing compelling content using relevant keywords that answers the user’s search queries. Writing just one page of SEO-friendly content can easily take an hour, so imagine having to write multiple pages. You could spend hours and hours just writing content about your products or services.

For instance, you want to create an SEO-friendly website for a plumber, so popular keywords might include: Plumbing / Plumber, Clogged Drain, Emergency Plumbing Service, Kitchen Plumbing, Bathroom Plumbing, Faucet Repair, Drain Cleaning, and many more. Ideally, you’d want to include a service page on your website for each one of these services. Well instead of spending hours trying to write all of these pages, you can ask ChatGPT, which will, at the least, set up the foundation of the page for you. 

For example, after asking ChatGPT to write me an SEO friendly page on drain cleaning, here’s the response:

Drain Cleaning Services: Unclogging Your Pipes in No Time

Drain clogs are a common issue for homeowners and businesses alike, causing slow drains and water buildup. Fortunately, our drain cleaning services are here to help. With our state-of-the-art technology and years of experience, we can quickly and effectively clear any clogs in your pipes.

Why Choose Our Drain Cleaning Services?

  • Quick and efficient: Our drain cleaning services are designed to get your pipes flowing again as quickly as possible, without causing any damage to your pipes or fixtures.
  • Thorough and complete: We use powerful, yet safe and eco-friendly cleaning solutions to completely remove any clogs and buildup in your pipes, so you don’t have to worry about blockages coming back in the future.
  • Experienced professionals: Our team of experts has years of experience dealing with drain clogs of all kinds, and we have the skills and knowledge needed to tackle even the toughest clogs.

How Our Drain Cleaning Services Work

  1. Inspection: Our first step is to inspect your pipes and determine the cause of the clog.
  2. Cleaning: Depending on the type of clog, we may use a variety of cleaning methods, such as high-pressure water jetting, snaking, or hydro-scrubbing.
  3. Prevention: To help prevent future clogs, we can also provide recommendations for maintaining your pipes and drains, such as regular cleaning and avoiding items that can cause blockages.

If you’re tired of dealing with slow drains and water buildup, contact us today to schedule your drain cleaning services. Our experienced professionals are ready to help get your pipes flowing smoothly again in no time.

In seconds, you have the foundation for an SEO-friendly service page for drain cleaning services. Now it’s a matter of spending a few minutes elaborating on the key points of the page, making it sound a bit more human than AI, and making sure it is SEO friendly.

Blog Pages

In addition to writing pages on products or services, in order for your site to continue to rank well, adding high-quality, unique content periodically should be part of any website update schedule. What better way to accomplish this than blogs. 

Blogs are a great way to incorporate unique, high-quality, compelling content to a website, however, because it is time-consuming, not many businesses include this in their website update schedule. In fact, there are so many benefits to adding a blog to your website periodically. Some of these benefits are:

  • Increased Visibility
  • Easier to gain backlinks
  • Answers users questions 
  • Build authority
  • Additional ranked page 

Using ChatGPT as a foundation for your blog could be a game changer for your business. It would allow you to create more authoritative content which could help your website gain more traffic. 

Using our drain cleaning example, let’s create a blog about clogged drains. The input in ChatGPT is:

Create an SEO-friendly blog about what to do if you’re faced with a clogged drain. 

The result from ChatGPT:

“Dealing with Clogged Drains: What to Do and How to Prevent It”

Clogged drains are a common problem faced by homeowners. A clogged drain can cause a lot of inconveniences and can even lead to water damage if not dealt with promptly. If you’re faced with a clogged drain, don’t worry. Here are some simple steps you can take to unclog your drain and prevent future clogs.

  1. Boil water: Boiling water is one of the simplest ways to unclog a drain. Pour boiling water down the drain slowly, wait a few minutes, and then run cold water to see if the clog has been cleared.
  2. Use a plunger: A plunger can be an effective tool for unclogging drains. Make sure there is enough water in the sink or bathtub to cover the plunger’s cup. Place the plunger over the drain and pump it up and down several times.
  3. Use baking soda and vinegar: Mix 1/3 cup of baking soda with 1/3 cup of vinegar. Pour the mixture down the drain and let it sit for an hour. Then, flush the drain with boiling water.
  4. Use a drain snake: A drain snake is a long, flexible rod that can be used to remove blockages from the drain. Insert the snake into the drain, twisting it until you feel resistance. Continue to twist the snake until the blockage is cleared.
  5. Call a plumber: If none of the above methods work, it’s best to call a professional plumber. They have the tools and expertise to safely and effectively unclog your drain.

Prevention is the best cure for clogged drains. To prevent clogs from happening, you can:

  1. Avoid flushing anything down the drain other than water, human waste, and toilet paper.
  2. Use a drain strainer to catch hair and food particles before they reach the drain.
  3. Pour boiling water down the drain regularly to keep it clear.
  4. Avoid pouring grease down the drain. Let it cool and solidify, then dispose of it in the trash.

In conclusion, clogged drains can be a real hassle, but they don’t have to be. Follow these simple steps to unclog your drain and keep it flowing freely. If all else fails, don’t hesitate to call a professional plumber.

Imagine the traffic your website would generate if you published blogs like this every month. 

Unfortunately, even with all these great advantages of ChatGPT, there are some disadvantages.

Disadvantages of ChatGPT

Though ChatGPT is a fantastic tool to use as a foundational start for your writing, it can’t be used to replace your “human” content writers. 

Here are some flaws we’ve noticed in the ChatGPT-generated content:

Not readily accessible

If you’ve tried to get onto the system, you have likely encountered this error message: “ChatGPT is at capacity right now”. It’s often at capacity, but there is a paid version if you want more consistent access.

Lack of “human-like” characteristics in the writing

Each writer has their own style of writing, with their own tone and their own voice. By using ChatGPT, not only is the writing lacking someone’s “tone” and “voice”, it’s also losing the way the message is conveyed.

Not always trust-worthy

If your writing has a lot of facts within it, you might want to fact-check all the information ChatGPT generates. It might not always be “spot on”, and sometimes seems to fill in knowledge gaps with inaccurate information.

Limited information

ChatGPT only has knowledge on information from the year 2021 and before, not after.

Duplicate content

Anyone working in the SEO space knows duplicate content doesn’t rank. Unfortunately, because ChatGPT is AI-generated content, there’s always a possibility of duplicate content, unless you modify the content enough to make it your own.

Takeaway

ChatGPT is a fantastic tool to use as a foundation and supplement for your writing, but in no way can it, or should it, replace your “human” content writers, who are skilled in creating SEO-friendly, unique content. The advantages and disadvantages should be kept in mind when using the tool so that it can be used properly and efficiently.