Building a website is crucial when launching a home inspection business.
When you’re ready to launch your home inspection business, you will need a website. It is not impossible to do without one; it is just exponentially harder.
The demographics of home inspectors can skew to older men who may have previously held jobs in professions in which they worked with their hands. These individuals may not be as tech-savvy or as addicted to their electronic devices as younger people and big-city dwellers, so they might not believe at first that a website is important. It is. In fact, it’s critical. Why?
- It allows your potential customers to find you. Most websites have a homepage. It is the virtual home of the business; it’s where people look for you when they want you. It has your name, address, phone number, credentials, prices, and information about your business. While it’s true that your phone number will probably come up in a search for your name or business, if you don’t have a website, potential clients may not take you seriously. A WP Engine Inc. survey confirms that your website is even more important than your social media site for attracting consumer views.
- It’s a forum to present your brand. Branding is an important part of starting any business. It’s more than just being John Smith, home inspector though. Your brand — and by extension, your website — advertise not only who you are, but what you do and how you do it. What fonts will you choose? Will you include a picture of yourself? If so, will it be formal studio shot or a selfie? Will your site have a lot of flash and pizzazz, or are you a no-nonsense home inspector? Constant Contact says the advantage a website has over print material in getting the word out about a business is huge. And it’s free!
- It helps you compete. Your competitors probably all have websites. If they don’t, you may not need one! But this is unlikely. You want to have a website so you don’t look amateurish next to the other home inspection businesses, and you want yours to be better. That doesn’t necessarily mean bigger or more expensive. You want your website to reflect who you are and how you do business, and to project a professional, trustworthy tone.
So now you know you need a website. What exactly should you put on there? Peruse other home inspection businesses’ websites, but also take a look at our tips:
- Include your NAP the same way, every time. That’s name, address and phone number, not after-lunch snooze. This is important because any variations can affect your website’s ranking. For instance, don’t use “and” sometimes and “&” at other times. If you put parentheses around your area code, make sure they are always included.
- Optimize your site for mobile devices. According to Statista, more than 50 percent of online searches are done on a mobile device. You can bet the 50 percent of people who are using a desktop are almost exclusively elderly and people in public libraries, not usually your clientele. If you don’t optimize your site, it won’t load correctly on smartphones and potential customers will not be able to view your pages.
- Enlist help. If you can afford a web designer, graphic artist, or professional writer, editor or photographer, this will undoubtedly make your site better. If you can’t — or you can’t yet — then at least ask friends or relatives what they think of your site. They may say it’s hard to read or difficult to navigate. This valuable feedback will pay off in the long run — literally.
Your home inspection training has finally come to fruition; you’re ready to open your own business! Help make sure it is a success, and follow our tips and tricks for creating a compelling website.
To find out more about home inspection and how to become a home inspector, get a demo of our course.
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