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The Impact of Running Promotions

How to Use Special Offers to Gain More Business

by Danielle Bugle

Discounts and promotions are an effective way to attract new customers and encourage existing customers to hire you again. By offering customers special discounts, it helps your business stand out from the competition and increase visibility in search engine results. Promotions provide an incentive for customers to hire your particular business, which helps to increase revenue.

Benefits of Offering Promotions and Special Deals

When customers are online searching for a service they need and come across a business that is offering it at a discounted price, it helps create a sense of urgency and excitement. Customers are more likely to take action when they know they are getting a great deal. What’s more, by running promotions, your business can also gain valuable insights into customer preferences and behaviors. Businesses have a great opportunity to reward loyal customers and generate positive word-of-mouth by providing these incentives to their customers.


Some benefits of running a successful promotion include:

  • Increased Customer Engagement
  • Increased Brand Awareness
  • Increased Sales
  • Improved Customer Loyalty
  • Increased Profits
  • Improved Customer Service
  • Increased Online Traffic
  • Improved Performance
  • Improved Business Image
  • Increased Customer Satisfaction

Types of Promotions You Can Offer

Businesses can use a variety of different types of promotions to reach their target audience. Each type of promotion has its own advantages and can be used to reach different types of customers.

  • Discounts: Offering discounts on products and services is one of the most common types of promotions businesses can offer. Discounts can be applied to a single item, a bundle of items, or even the entire purchase.
  • Coupons: Coupons are a great way to entice customers to make a purchase. They can be distributed through online or print channels, and customers can redeem them for discounts.
  • Freebies: Offering free samples, trials, or gifts can be a great way to attract new customers and reward loyal ones.
  • Contests and Giveaways: Contests and giveaways can be a great way to engage customers and promote your brand. Customers can enter to win prizes or discounts, and the winners can be chosen randomly or based on criteria set by the business.
  • Loyalty Programs: Loyalty programs reward customers for their continued patronage. Customers can earn points or rewards for purchases, which can then be redeemed for discounts or other offers.
  • Referral Programs: Referral programs are a great way to reward customers for referring new customers to your business. Customers can be rewarded with discounts or other offers for referring friends and family.
  • Social Media Promotions: Social media is a great way to promote your business and engage customers. Businesses can offer discounts, contests, and other promotions through social media channels to attract new customers and reward existing ones.

Strategies for Running Promotions

When planning a promotion, it’s important to consider your target audience, your budget, and your desired outcome. Businesses should also consider the type of promotion that will be most effective for their target audience. For example, discounts may be more effective for attracting new customers, while a “buy one get one free” offer may be more effective for encouraging existing customers to hire you again for more.


Some effective strategies to consider when running promotions include:

  1. Establish clear goals for your promotion before you begin. Consider what you want to achieve, such as increasing sales, driving more website traffic, or expanding your customer base.
  2. Choose the right platform for your promotion. For example, Google Ads is a great choice for targeting a wide range of audiences. Posting on a social media platform can be beneficial if you have a large following.
  3. Create an ad that will capture your audience’s attention. Focus on a strong headline, compelling visuals, and an offer that will entice your target market.
  4. Optimize your campaign for the best results. Use A/B testing to determine which ad copy and visuals work best, and adjust your budget accordingly.
  5. Monitor your campaign’s performance and make adjustments as needed. Track key metrics such as impressions, clicks, and conversions to ensure you’re getting the most out of your promotion.

Benefits of Using Digital Platforms

Digital platforms such as social media, email, and websites can be used to promote discounts and promotions. Digital platforms have a much wider reach than traditional print marketing channels, such as fliers and door hangers making it easier to reach more customers and potential customers. By utilizing social media or email marketing campaigns, you’re able to offer promotions at a significantly lower cost than traditional marketing channels, making it more affordable to reach a wider audience. Digital platforms allow businesses to engage with customers more directly, allowing them to build relationships and create loyalty.

Running a Promotion on Your Google Ad Campaign
Being found first on Google is gold. When you’re found, you want to give customers every reason to click on your ad over the competition. Promotions can also help you generate more conversions. By offering a discount or special offer, customers may be more likely to buy your product or service.
Running a promotion on your Google Ad campaign will boost your visibility and increase your chances of being seen by potential customers. Promotions can help draw attention to your ad, making it more likely to be clicked on.
Promotions can also increase your click-through rate, meaning more people will click on your ad and visit your website. This can help you generate more leads and potentially convert more customers.

How to Measure the Success of a Promotion

  • Track Revenue: Track the revenue generated from the promotional offer to measure the success of the offer.
  • Monitor Sales: Monitor the number of sales during the promotional period to determine the effectiveness of the offer.
  • Monitor Customer Engagement: Track customer engagement with the offer, such as the number of clicks, views, and shares, to measure the reach of the offer.
  • Analyze Customer Feedback: Analyze customer feedback to measure customer satisfaction with the offer.
  • Track Return on Investment: Track the return on investment (ROI) of the promotional offer to measure its success.

Conclusion

Running promotions can be an effective way for businesses to attract new customers, increase sales, and build loyalty. Promotions can also help businesses stand out from their competitors and increase their brand awareness. When planning a promotion, it’s important to consider the target audience, the budget, and the desired outcome. By tracking the performance of their promotions, businesses can measure the success and adjust their strategy if needed.
Promotions are an effective way to boost customer engagement as well as increase brand awareness. With the right strategy, businesses can use promotions to increase their customer base, encourage repeat purchases, and generate more revenue.

Uncategorized

Customer Spotlight – Yimi Skin Spa

Unleashing the Power of Targeted Google Ads with SEO Strategies to Drive Digital Marketing Success

by Kirstin Raisch

Online visibility and effective marketing strategies are crucial for the success of any business. Many business owners may not be sure what path to take to be successful with digital marketing. 99 Calls has helped Yimi Skin Spa find success with running digital marketing campaigns.

Yimi’s Specialty Post-Surgery Offerings


Yimi Skin Spa specializes in providing exceptional care to patients seeking pain relief, improved fascial mobility, and manual postoperative lymphatic drainage. With a diverse range of services for post-surgery recovery assistance, Yimi Skin Spa is dedicated to supporting patients throughout their healing journey. Recognizing the significance of the recovery phase in the healing process, Yimi places great emphasis on this crucial aspect of patient care. Their team of skilled professionals works diligently to assist patients in achieving optimal results and regaining their well-being after surgery. 


Yimi Skin Spa’s commitment to excellence ensures that patients receive the highest standard of care within the industry. With a compassionate approach and a focus on personalized treatment plans, they strive to address each patient’s unique needs effectively. Whether managing post-surgery discomfort, enhancing fascial mobility, or promoting lymphatic system health, Yimi Skin Spa is dedicated to helping patients achieve a smoother and more comfortable recovery journey. With their expertise and dedication, patients trust Yimi Skin Spa to provide the best care and support throughout the healing process.

The Journey Begins


 Yimi Skin Spa started a digital marketing program with 99 calls back in March 2022. With over 10 years of experience in medical lymphatic drainage & post-surgery recovery, Yimi Skin Spa wanted help with getting positioned in front of people needing their services. That’s why they called 99 calls, seeking help with their online marketing and a way to generate more leads. With the help of experienced digital marketing specialists, they were able to begin their journey into the digital marketing world. 99 calls had set them on the path with two robust services, Organic, and Google Advertisement. With Yimi Skin Spa heading down this path, only time could tell how powerful these two services could be to the company. 

Understanding the Power of Organic Strategies


99 calls understands the importance of search engine optimization (SEO) in driving organic traffic and visibility to the site. Leveraging social media platforms and engaging with the community builds trust and a strong online presence. Harnessing the potential of online reviews and testimonials boosts credibility and attracts potential clients. Crafting compelling content that resonates with the target audience establishes the company as an industry authority. With these factors in play, Yimi Skin Spa has been able to hone in on its industry and take it by storm! 

Harnessing Google Ads for Strategic Growth


When it comes to generating leads with a Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign, 99 calls can navigate the intricacies of Google Ads and create targeted campaigns that drive quality leads. Using keyword research and optimization the team can achieve maximum visibility and conversion rates. Crafting persuasive ad copy and designing captivating landing pages encourage user engagement. With 99 calls managing the Yimi Skin Spas Google Ads account, Yimi saw the benefit of using Google Ads to generate leads very quickly. 


With an ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, the unity between SEO content and Google Ads is vital for businesses seeking to maximize their online presence. By combining the long-term benefits of SEO with the immediate impact of Google Ads, companies can create a robust digital marketing campaign that ensures a strong and sustainable online presence. 

The Journey Continues!


When Yimi Skin Spa first started working with 99 Calls for lead generation, they had the lead team build a PPC campaign to get leads coming faster than SEO would yield. After seeing quick results over the first few months, they were able to pull back on paid Google Ads spending and gain enough new leads per month through SEO/Organic lead generation efforts.


The success story of Yimi Skin Spa serves as a testament to the potential of integrating organic strategies and Google Ads to drive business growth. By harnessing the power of search engine optimization, compelling content creation, and targeted paid advertising, Yimi Skin Spa has emerged as a frontrunner in their industry, attracting a loyal customer base and achieving unparalleled success. Their journey offers valuable insights and inspiration for other businesses seeking to leverage the power of digital marketing to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.   

Uncategorized

Database Reactivation

Re-Engaging Inactive Leads

by Devon Osborne

Running a database reactivation campaign is an excellent way to turn stale contacts into hot leads. If you’ve been in business for several years, it is very likely that you have a database full of old contacts and you’re not actively re-engaging them, you’re missing out on potential revenue. Keeping your contacts regularly engaged with reactivation campaigns keeps your business top of mind. 

Keep Your Contact List Up To Date

Although the goal of reaching out to contacts for them to unsubscribe may seem backward, it’s actually not a bad thing! Having contacts that are no longer interested in your list and continually reaching out to them can actually damage your domain reputation and result in more of your emails going to spam. Running reactivation campaigns on a regular basis can help clean up your contact list so you can focus on those truly interested in your services. Once you run a few reactivation campaigns, your list will be more targeted meaning a better response rate and lower cost leads!

Low-Cost Lead Generation

If you have collected a contact list of leads received through the years, your coffer is likely full of people who have already reached out to you. They are already aware of your business and your offerings, which means they are more likely to convert when you send them an enticing email or text about your latest offerings. The cost of reactivating older contacts is a fraction of the cost of acquiring new ones, making it an affordable way to keep your calendar full. 99 Calls has been able to generate leads for less than a quarter of the price of new exclusive organic leads. 

What Do I Have To Do?

If you’re considering running a database reactivation campaign, there are a few things you should have lined up before you begin.

First, you need to figure out an incentive to promote. Whether it be a discount or special financing, you want to figure out something special that makes you stand out and get contacts wanting to respond to take advantage.

Second, you need to ensure you’re going to be available to respond to the inquiries as quickly as possible and be prepared with openings in your schedule and necessary products to fulfill orders.

Finally, you will need to build attractive and compelling email and text campaigns and send them to your contacts in a controlled drip. You’ll also need to track responses so that all can be handled quickly. If you are not familiar with building drip campaigns, call the pros at 99 Calls and we’ll set it all up for you!

The Next Level: Lead Nurturing 

Additionally, there are strategies that can be used to maximize conversions of the new leads that you receive from your website, Google Business Profile or social media platform. Not all leads close after the first form fill or phone call. Lead nurturing is a marketing strategy to engage leads that didn’t convert instantly. They increase a business’s chances of being called when the customer is ready to buy. Established businesses have usually amassed quite a few contacts.

What is the difference between database reactivation and lead nurturing? Really jus the timing. A database reactivation campaign consists of targeted emails and/or text messages that are designed to re-engage contacts and entice them to book appointments for quotes. Lead nurturing is a strategy used to engage new leads that come in until they book an appointment or end the communication. Lead nurturing and database reactivation don’t generate new leads Instead, they reduce acquisition costs and increase revenue by increasing the conversion rates of the leads that are generated. This is a powerful strategy to make the most of each lead.

In Summary…

Running a database reactivation campaign is a great way to reach out to those contacts you haven’t heard from in a while and bring them back into the fold. Continuing with a nurturing program will keep those contacts engaged until they are ready to hire you. With the right incentives and quick response time, you can turn those cold contacts into hot leads.

Uncategorized

Help! I’ve passed my LSA verification requirements but the Google Guaranteed badge is not displayed.

by Dipa Gandhi

Local Service Ads (LSA), or Google Guaranteed, has increasingly grown in popularity among service area businesses, in spite of the strict verification requirements, such as a background check for the business owner. Because this prestigious badge enhances a business’s credibility and boosts visibility, more and more businesses are including this in their marketing strategy. Unfortunately, spammers have also found a way to complete the requirements for multiple LSAs to spam the market, as explained in this Aug 2022 article by SearchEngineLand.

In order to prevent this, Google’s been forced to implement stricter measures to avoid spammy LSAs, resulting in even more stringent standards to display your Google Guaranteed badge next to your LSA. In this blog, we’ll present some common reasons why the badge might not be appearing despite passing LSA verification requirements.

Suspension

One of the reasons why the Google Guaranteed badge might not be displayed is a suspension of your account. Account suspension can occur due to violations of Google’s policies, such as misleading content, fraudulent practices, or inappropriate behavior. In this situation, you’ll want to review Google’s guidelines, rectify any violations, and submit an appeal to reinstate your account.


Delinquent Payments & Valid Credit Card

Failure to make timely payments for Google Ads can lead to the suspension or removal of the Google Guaranteed badge. It is vital to ensure that your payment method is up to date and that you promptly settle any outstanding balances. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure your credit card is up to date and hasn’t expired or the card wasn’t closed. Regularly monitor your billing statements and make necessary payments to avoid losing your Google Guaranteed badge.

Advertiser Verification

Sometimes, despite passing LSA verification requirements, the Google Guaranteed badge may not appear due to incomplete advertiser verification, which is an additional verification requirement Google recently enforced. This form can be found here. You should review your verification status within your Google Ads account and ensure that all necessary steps have been completed. Double-check your business information, contact details, and any required documentation. Submitting accurate and up-to-date information will expedite the verification process.


Daily Ads Budget

In some cases, the absence of the Google Guaranteed badge can be attributed to a low daily ads budget. Though Google Ads and LSA are separate channels of advertising, they share the same Google Billing umbrella and therefore can affect your LSA as well. Google encourages advertisers to have an adequate budget to maximize their reach and exposure. Consider increasing your daily ads budget to optimize your campaign performance and potentially trigger displaying the badge. The daily budget can be increased either through your PPC dashboard or by completing this form.

Obtaining the Google Guaranteed badge is a significant achievement for any business looking to boost its online presence and establish trust with potential customers. Though it can be frustrating when encountering obstacles such as suspension, delinquent payments, incomplete advertiser verification, or insufficient ad budgets, it can be rewarding in the end. Keep in mind, setting up an LSA, you’ll want to regularly monitor your account, adhere to Google’s policies, make timely payments, complete the necessary verification process, and optimize your ads budget to unlock the full potential of the Google Guaranteed badge.


Remember, the Google Guaranteed badge is a prestigious badge that will enhance your credibility and boost your visibility. By taking the necessary steps to overcome any roadblocks, you’ll be well on your way to leveraging the power of the badge and maximizing your digital marketing efforts.

Uncategorized

How to Leverage SEO, PPC & LSA to Maximize Leads

by Danielle Bugel

Organic (SEO), Google Ads (PPC), Google’s Local Services Ads (LSA) are three of the most powerful tools available to businesses for generating quality business leads. When used together, these three tactics work in harmony to produce the most robust lead volume from prominent placement on Google’s first page. Combining SEO, PPC, and LSA provides business owners with the quintessential trifecta in marketing strategies.

SEO is Your Valuable, Long-Term Marketing Strategy

Organic SEO is the process of optimizing a website for higher rankings on search engine result pages (SERPs). This includes optimizing the website’s content, structure, and coding. By optimizing a website for organic SEO, businesses can increase their visibility on SERPs, which leads to more organic traffic and leads.

Benefits of Organic Marketing:

  1. Increased visibility: SEO helps to increase your website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs), which can result in more clicks and traffic to your website.
  1. Cost-effectiveness: SEO is much more cost-effective than paid search engine marketing (SEM) campaigns.
  1. Long-term results: SEO efforts will generate long-term results, as opposed to short-term results from paid campaigns.
  1. Improved user experience: SEO can help to improve user experience on your website, as it is based on relevant content and keyword optimization.
  1. Brand recognition: SEO can help to increase brand recognition, as it increases your website’s visibility and helps to build trust with your target audience.

Get Exclusive Leads Fast with Pay Per Click Ads

Google Ads is an online advertising platform that allows businesses to target potential customers with their ads. Businesses can use Google Ads to reach potential customers through search engine results, websites, and apps. With Google Ads, businesses can target customers based on their interests, demographics, and location. This allows businesses to reach the right audience with the right message.

Benefits of PPC Campaigns:

  1. Targeted audience: Google Ads allows businesses to reach a broad audience and target potential customers based on their search queries.
  1. Budget control: Google Ads is a pay-per-click platform, meaning businesses only pay when a user clicks on their ad. This allows businesses to control their budget and only pay for the clicks that result in conversions. 
  1. Measurable results: Google Ads provides detailed reporting and analytics, allowing businesses to track the performance of their campaigns and optimize them accordingly. 
  1. Flexibility: Google Ads allows businesses to adjust their campaigns in real time, making it easy to test different strategies and optimize their campaigns for better results.

Pay Per Lead with Google Guaranteed

Google Local Services Ads are designed to help local businesses get more visibility on Google’s first page. These ads are specifically designed to help local businesses get more exposure, leads, and customers. Local Services Ads are placed at the very top of Google’s search results page, giving businesses prominent placement on the first page. Businesses are promoted with a “Google Guaranteed” badge which is earned by Google and stands out to potential customers.

Benefits of Utilizing LSA:

  1. Top placement on Google: LSAs appear prominently at the top of Google search results, making it easier for customers to find and contact businesses.
  1. Cost-effective: LSAs are a cost-effective way to advertise, as businesses only pay when a customer contacts them.
  1. Easy to use: LSAs are easy to set up and manage, with businesses able to control their budget and target specific areas.
  1. Quality assurance: Google screens all businesses that sign up for LSAs, so customers can be sure they’re dealing with reputable businesses.

Example of a Comprehensive Lead Strategy

The chart below demonstrates an example of how using all three vehicles to drive traffic yielded results for a new customer. This customer was new to the industry and did not have an online presence established. 

Starting with an organic lead generation program sets the foundation for long-term success and produces well-optimized landing pages for the PPC and LSA campaigns. Because rankings take many months to climb organically, Mr. Steam opted to run a Google Ads PPC campaign for immediate results while undergoing the process of becoming verified for its  LSA account. 

LSA is a fantastic option for those who have the fortitude to undergo Google’s rather rigorous process and submitting to a background check will reap the rewards of generating quality leads less expensively than through their PPC program.

The Marketing Trifecta for Service Contractors

There are other marketing and brand awareness efforts that can be and should be considered when looking into the digital marketing of a business. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and others are tools that can propel a business and establish digital dominance in an industry. However, for service contractors, the gold standard leads. Generating calls, texts, and emails from interested consumers is the key performance indicator for success, and 99 Calls has found that these three tools produce the most fruitful results.

99 Calls produces superior results for businesses using organic SEO, Google Ads, and Google LSA by leveraging a combination of best practices, data-driven insights, and innovative technology.

This is done by starting with comprehensive keyword research and analysis to identify the most relevant and high-performing keywords used when consumers search for services. Next, content is created that is optimized for those keywords. A variety of tactics are used to increase visibility and rankings in organic search engine results.

Our Certified Ads Specialists leverage Google Ads to create campaigns that are tailored to the needs of each business. They use advanced targeting and optimization techniques to ensure that the ads reach the right audience and drive the best results.

The Lead Team at 99 Calls uses Google’s Local Search Ads (LSA) to target local customers and drive more qualified leads to a business’s website. They use data-driven insights to create campaigns that are tailored to the needs of each business and optimize them for maximum performance.

Business Website, Lead Generation, Lead Generation for Contractors, Lead Management, SEM

How to Respond to Online Reviews: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

by Eric Lovine

When deciding which company to contact, potential customers will almost certainly check your ratings and reviews on Google. When they see that your business consistently replies to reviews, you are one step closer to that next lead. When you are attentive to reviews, both good and bad, it shows potential customers that they can trust you.

The Good

Responding to positive reviews is easy. When a satisfied customer leaves a nice message about what you did well or even just a 5-star rating, your response should have the two As: acknowledgment and appreciation. Acknowledge them by using their name and show appreciation by thanking them for their review. The simple inclusion of their name gives the response a personal touch.

“Thanks for leaving a review” vs. “Hey John, thanks for leaving a review”

When a customer takes the time to leave a longer message by detailing what service you provided, commenting on your friendliness, or noting the speed and quality of the job, your response should also have a little more. Let them know that you’re happy to hear they’re happy and that you look forward to working with them again in the future. 

“Hey John, thanks for leaving a review. We’re glad to hear that you’re happy with our exterior painting services. We look forward to helping out with your future projects.”

You can also like a review by clicking the thumbs-up icon underneath. When reviews have lots of “likes”, they tend to rank higher.

The Bad

While negative reviews may seem daunting, they present an opportunity to show potential clients your commitment to customer satisfaction, as well as fixing the relationship with the disgruntled reviewer. By engaging with dissatisfied customers, you have a chance to turn their negative experience into a positive one. Studies have shown that customers who have their issues resolved are more likely to continue doing business with the company.

It’s crucial to maintain a professional tone when responding to negative reviews, regardless of how unfair or exaggerated they may be. Avoid getting defensive or engaging in arguments. Instead, acknowledge the customer’s concerns and assure them that their feedback is taken seriously.

While it may not be possible to please every customer, make an effort to address their concerns and find a solution. Apologize for any inconvenience caused and offer a resolution, such as a refund, replacement, or the opportunity to discuss the matter further offline. The sooner you are able to respond to the review, the more likely you are to reach a resolution.

Once the issue has been successfully resolved, it is often appropriate to ask the customer if they might consider editing or removing their negative review

The Ugly

Despite your best efforts, there may be instances where it’s impossible to satisfy certain customers. No matter what you say or do, the customer won’t be coming back. It is still important to respond professionally — negative reviews (and therefore your response) will be seen by others. 

Occasionally, a customer may grossly exaggerate or fabricate information that could turn others away from your business. In these instances, you may need to clarify misunderstandings or explain your side of the story. Clearly and politely present the facts, without getting into a back-and-forth argument with the reviewer.

“John, we are sorry we could not come to an agreement regarding the incomplete painting job. Our company strives to finish projects in a timely manner, and we were unable to deliver on this occasion. However, your review is not accurate. You claim we made no effort to make amends. We made multiple attempts to contact you and even offered a discounted rate for the entire project, which you refused.”

Takeaways

By responding to Google reviews, you are leaving potential new customers with a positive first impression. Engaging with positive reviews increases the likelihood that a satisfied customer comes back. With negative reviews, you can learn from your mistakes and potentially salvage the relationship with an unhappy customer. And for those customers who are gone for good, you can protect your image by offering perspective on damaging and misleading reviews. 

99 Calls helps businesses gain positive reviews and improve their online reputations.

Uncategorized

Pawgo Mobile Pet Grooming

Customer Success Spotlight

by Devon Osborne

Pawgo is a mobile pet grooming company that is dedicated to making the grooming process as stress-free and comfortable as possible for your pet. They understand that it can be a hassle to take your pet to the salon, so they bring the salon to you. Their vans are custom-built and designed with the specific purpose of providing mobile dog grooming. Each van is equipped with hot and cold water, a grooming table, a full-size tub, separate fresh and waste water tanks, air conditioning, force dryers, towels, and a vacuum system. In addition, there are no cage dryers, so your pet won’t feel trapped or uncomfortable. Pawgo is fully insured and offers a 7-day per week service, so you can get your pet groomed whenever it’s convenient for you. With Pawgo, you can trust that your pet will be in good hands and receive the best care possible.

Pawgo Seattle came to 99 Calls for mobile pet grooming lead generation services in December of 2022. They signed up for two lead generation services with the goal of generating lots of leads quickly and having a longer-term source of additional leads. The team at 99 Calls set up a website and began an organic campaign as well as a Google Ads PPC campaign. Within the first hour of their Google Ads being live, they began generating leads. Pawgo generated 7 exclusive, qualified organic leads in their first three months with 99 Calls. With online competition growing and the organic section of Google search pages shrinking, generating results so quickly with SEO services is rare to see these days. In addition to their fantastic organic results, Pawgo received 47 leads via pay-per-click advertising. 

When it comes to pay-per-click Google ads, the industry standard conversion rate sits around only 5%, but the certified ads professionals at 99 Calls were able to attain a 34% conversion rate in Pawgo Seattle’s account. This high conversion rate allowed us to generate a high volume of low-cost pet grooming leads at only $23.22 each.

After seeing the success of their Seattle location, Pawgo decided to start a second site and PPC ads campaign with 99 Calls for their Las Vegas location at the end of January 2023. After just  5 weeks, they received  16 qualified mobile pet grooming leads generated organically. 

Just like their Seattle location, Pawgo’s Las Vegas location began generating pay-per-click leads right out of the gate. As of March 14th, 99 Calls has been able to produce over 300 leads at only $4 each. In this account, the hardworking Google Ads team has attained a 40% conversion rate for this location, eight times the national average!

If you have a mobile pet grooming business and are looking for a high volume of low-cost, qualified, exclusive leads, Google Ads are a great way to do so. If you’re not 100% confident in your Google Ads ability, consider partnering with a team of certified Google Ad professionals like 99 Calls.

Google Ads, How much is online marketing, Uncategorized

Customer Spotlight: Hurricane Victim and Restoration Hero

A Conversation with Rocco Zaldivar

Owner of Florida Claims Adjusting Firm & The Powerhouse Group

by Devon Osborne

In October of this year, Hurricane Ian hit the gulf coast of Florida head-on. Hurricane Ian is one of the worst storms to hit the Gulf Coast in almost a decade. Clocking in at a category 4, Ian destroyed over 5,000 homes and left millions without power for several days. 

Rocco Zaldivar, one of 99 Calls’ customers, is one of those over 5,000 to lose their home in the storm. Unfortunately for Rocco and his family, his home stood directly in the path of the eye of the hurricane. Being so close to Sanibel beach, their home ended up flooding completely within 40 minutes if the storm’s approach. His home is now completely unlivable. 

With no true place to call “home” at the moment, Rocco and his family have been forced to stay in a hotel an hour north of Lee County, but that hasn’t stopped him from helping others in his community. Due to the nature of the industry he serves, there are a lot of people who are in need of his assistance. As a Lee County resident himself, Rocco has been traveling back and forth to help home and business owners to repair their damaged and flooded properties. Because he works in both claims adjustment and general contracting, Rocco is in a unique position to be able to provide support both with filing and managing insurance claims and property repairs, which is hard to find! 

Both Florida Claims Adjusting Firm and Powerhouse Roofing pride themselves on being honest and good companies with customer service at the forefront of their business models. When you choose to work with either or both of these companies, you can rest assured that you are in great hands. Rocco gained his passion for hard work and getting it right stems from a lifetime of solid role models in his life.

Since he was 15 years old, Rocco has found himself a part of the construction industry. Thanks to the strength and durability that a youthful body possesses, he was a great fit when it came to working for his Uncle’s construction business with his cousins. After learning the labor side of the trade, Rocco went on to get his general contractor’s license. In turn, his cousins began working for him instead of alongside him. 

Rocco knows the importance of hard work in order to be successful in business, but he notes that it’s also important to not overwork yourself. As a word of wisdom for future and existing business owners, Rocco recommends finding honest, loving, and humble people to surround yourself with and always following your passions. 

https://www.news-press.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.news-press.com%2Fstory%2Fweather%2F2022%2F10%2F13%2Fhurricane-ian-damage-florida-cost-insurance-prevent-next-time%2F8177090001%2F

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/10/04/hurricane-ian-statistics-deaths-winds-surge/

Uncategorized

How to Navigate Google Business Profile’s New “In Search Experience”

By Dipa Gandhi

Once again Google has made changes to the Google Business Profile management dashboard. Business owners will have to adjust to a new process for managing their GBPs.

Here is the latest on how to navigate the Google Business Profile dashboard. It is quite different from what it used to be.

Once you log into your account, if you just have one profile to manage, the process to access it is simple. You are taken directly to the “in search experience”, which looks like this:

Below we’ve layed out how to navigate the new “in search experience”.

Edit Profile

Here you can manage all the basic details about your business. Business name, category, phone number, website, location, service area, business hours.

Note: For service area businesses, in the previous GBP dashboard you would need to manually clear the address so that it would be removed from the maps. In this new search experience, you’ll see an option like this, where you will turn that field off, so the business address isn’t visible.

Read Reviews

From this option, you can access all the customer reviews on your GBP and respond to them.

Messages

From here, you can either turn your SMS alerts on or off and manage the rest of your chat settings:

There are other chat settings that can be adjusted within  “chat settings”:

Add Photo

From this field, you can add your photos, logo, and cover photo.

Performance

From the performance option, you access analytics on your  GBP’s performance. This feature was the “Insights” feature in the prior GBP dashboard.

Advertise 

This option will direct you to the Google Ads platform where you can build and run an Ads campaign if you’d like. 

Edit Products

From here you can highlight any products you sell or promote.

Edit Services

In this section, you can manage a more detailed list of the services you provide.

Booking

Here you can link any online booking tools you would like to use on your GBP.

Quote Requests

This feature allows your customers to directly request a quote from your GBP.

Calls

This feature shows you your call performance or your call history.

Then when you click on the down arrow next to Calls from your menu, you’ll see additional options,

Q & A

This is the question and answer feature allowing you to connect with your customers via GBP.

Add Update

From here you can add Posts, either an update, offer or event. Just choose which type of update you’d like to add and complete the fields prompted.

Ask for reviews

From here you can capture the link to your GBP to make it easier for you to refer your customers to your GBP to leave a review. You can also send the link directly from here to an email address or other platforms such as Whatsapp or Facebook.

Other Management Tools and/or Settings

Some additional management options which aren’t so obvious can be found by clicking on the 3 dots found here:

Business Profile Settings

Business Profile Settings is where you would need to access your user management, Google assistant codes, see profile ID, remove business profile options, and link accounts such as Ads or Merchant Center.

Notifications

From here, you can manage you you wish to receive notifications from multiple  fields shown below:

Adding or Managing More than One Profile

If you are managing more than 1 GBP from your account, or want to add a new GBP, then you would select “Add a New Business Profile” or to manage another GBP, select “Your Business Profiles” to see your others.

The last 3 options include  Help & Support, Send Feedback, and Terms of Service.

Verifying GBP

If you’ve just created your GBP and you were waiting for a PIN code, once you receive the code, you will see this screen,

You’ll want to click on Enter code to enter your PIN code and verify the profile.

If you look at your menu from your in-search experience and you see this

Then you’ll want to click on “Get verified” and complete your GBP verification via the method you’ve been prompted.

Note: If you’re prompted to use the video verification method, please refer to this blog for help in completing the verification, https://blog.99calls.com/2022/10/18/new-process-for-google-business-profile-verification-with-video-2/

Uncategorized

LSA vs. PPC

Pros and Cons of Google Local Service Ads (LSA) and Google Ads (PPC) 

By Dipa Gandhi and Devon Osborne

Google provides businesses a few different platforms for lead generation. Google Business Profile (GBP), Pay Per Click (PPC), and Local Service Ads (LSA), all of which have their own pros and cons associated with them.

Here we’ll focus on LSA and PPC and the pros and cons of each. Many business owners or marketing managers have asked themselves which route is better, LSA or PPC. They each have their own pros and cons, and both have the potential to generate leads and produce a solid ROI. 

First, let’s look at how each result is displayed. If you search Google for “HVAC in Palm City, F” L. Here are the search results presented on the first page:

The first set of results at the top of the page are your LSA:

The next section down contains the PPC results. They are easily recognized by the “Ad” designation to the left.

And directly below these are the Google Business Profile results:

Local Service Ads

Based on this example, let’s take a look at LSA.

Pros

Gain Trust Immediately

Google displays a Google Guaranteed badge on your LSA which lets your customers know you’ve passed Google’s vetting process and that you are a screened and qualified business backed by Google. Being displayed here means you are a legitimate business.  You benefit from the attention, recognition, and trust of your business.

What You’re Paying For

With LSA, you are paying for each qualified lead you receive, not click. Again, you are paying for every lead, NOT click. Google uses its own tracking phone number on the LSA itself and vets all the calls which come through the LSA. They remove any unqualified leads and only charge you for qualified leads. Because this is a manual process, they too make errors, and you may be charged for an unqualified lead. However, their platform allows you to dispute a lead if you feel you have been wrongly charged. If Google determines this dispute to be valid, they will credit the charge back to your account.

Cost

Most contractors report that the leads they receive through Google LSA are far less expensive than through Google Ads. For example, HVAC contractors are typically paying $100 – $200 for PPC leads,  and less than half that for those received through their LSA campaign, depending on your region of course. 

Reviews

Most businesses already have a free Google Business Profile (GBP) set up for these businesses. The great thing about LSA is that the reviews from your GBP will feed directly into your LSA. You don’t have to worry about which platform to have your customers leave reviews on. As long as they leave a great review for your business on your GBP, your LSA will also display it.

It’s SO easy!

LSA’s platform is transparent and simple. Google has made it extremely easy for most business owners and managers to use. It is easy to monitor and once set up, the only adjustment you might want to make is your monthly budget.

Cons

Verification Process

Google does have several requirements before gaining the Google Guaranteed badge. Depending on your industry and your state requirements, you must pass these requirements:

Before getting started, you’ll want to make sure you have a business license if required by your state, proof of insurance and allow Google to run a background check on yourself, as the business owner, and other employees if Google requires it.

Availability

LSA is not yet available for all services in all areas of the United States at this time. There has been a slow rollout of service by service. If your services are not yet being promoted by Google’s LSA program, check back in a few months.

Ranking

The position of your LSA is driven by ranking factors similar to the free organic Google Business Profile. Some of these ranking factors include proximity to your primary location, number, ratings on reviews, optimization of your LSA account, and budget. Another factor that will affect the position of your LSA is the level of competition. In the end, it is more difficult to control where and when Google will choose to highlight your LSA Ad than your PPC Ad.

Google Ads PPC Campaigns:

Pros

Quick Results

Google Ads are auction-style, meaning that you’ll be competing with other businesses in the same area. There is no long “ranking” process the account needs to go through. A well-optimized Google PPC account can expect to see leads being generated within the first week or so of a campaign going live.

Higher Lead Volume

When optimized and properly funded to reflect the going prices for local leads in your industry, you can expect to achieve a higher volume of leads via PPC advertising than you will through an LSA account. Many people get the bulk of their leads through Google Ads but use LSA as a supplement for lower-priced leads. 

Flexibility In Targeting Your Most Profitable Services

With Google Ads, you have the ability to choose the keywords for the services you want to target with your campaign. With LSA, you are only able to select the “Job type” or “Category” to indicate the services you offer. There is tremendous flexibility in terms of running different campaigns and targeting locations and adjusting budgets for each campaign.

Less Extensive Verification Process

Google requires only garage door companies and locksmiths to undergo a vetting process. To run Google Ads, there is no extensive verification process like LSA, however, Google may eventually require you to provide proof of business registration.

Cons

Higher Cost

With PPC Google Ads, you are doing just as the name suggests, paying for every click, whether that person is calling or not. Due to the cost per click being auction-based, getting leads via PPC Google Ads can be costly, especially if the campaign is not being properly managed.

Not for Beginners

Running a PPC campaign without the proper knowledge is not advisable. The Google Ads platform can be overwhelming to newcomers. Without knowing the basics behind PPC Ads, you likely won’t know where to find the pertinent information you need to optimize the account or how to use it to your advantage.  

Summary

If you are looking for a low-cost set-it-and-forget-it platform to supplement your other lead-generation efforts, LSA is a great option. It does take time to rank among the competition, but simple to set up and maintain. It is easy to optimize an LSA, and adding lots of high-quality reviews will improve your results. If you already have a free Google Business Profile for your business with several great reviews, and not a lot of competition, then LSA might be the best option for you.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for more specific types of leads in a more targeted area, a large number of leads, or faster immediate results, then PPC might be the best option for you.

To capitalize on the number of leads you receive, you can run both LSA and PPC Google Ads simultaneously. The pay-per-click Google Ads will help bring in leads quickly while the LSA builds rankings. Due to the fact that you only pay per lead with LSA, you won’t be wasting money while it grows.

For a free consultation on LSA or PPC for your business, call the experts at 99 Calls at 800-717-4669.