How to Market a Landscaping Business
By Jocelyn Van Saun
April 11, 2023
Top 5 Landscaping Marketing Strategies to Help Your Business Stand Out
Even in a competitive industry like landscaping, finding new business was once pretty straightforward. Knock on doors, build a small pool of satisfied customers, and give them some business cards to give to their friends. Word-of-mouth referrals would do the rest of the job.
While those methods still work, the world has changed. Your local customers spend long days at work and less time at home. Neighborly chit-chat isn’t as common as it once was. Most people now spend much of their time on apps and social media from a computer or cell phone.
The best way to get your landscaping company in front of new people who want to hire landscapers is to put yourself where they are: online.
Did you know that 81% of customers research online before they buy? That includes shopping for a new car, groceries, and yes, services like landscaping.
So how can you market your landscaping business online? Here are five techniques to help you get started.
Our Top 5 Local Digital Marketing Methods for Landscaping Companies
Marketing Strategy 1: Custom Website for Your Landscaping Business
Your website is one of the first things potential landscaping customers will see. It needs to convey to readers that you’re a legit business, that you care about your existing customers, and that you do quality work.
It should also answer any questions that prospects have, as well as give them several ways to get in touch.
Most importantly, your website needs to show up when prospects search online for landscapers — ideally, on page one of the search engine results.
Think about your current business website. Does it show up above your competitors in web searches? Do prospects see professional, easy-to-navigate site pages and a clear message about what you can do for them that others can’t?
If not, it’s time for a custom website designed and built by experienced developers.
Yes, DIY tools can help you build a basic website. But unless you’re an experienced web designer who understands SEO optimization, user experience, and copywriting — or have the time to learn these skills — your website won’t look or function optimally for lead generation.
When you hire web design experts, you get:
- More time to focus on delivering quality services (rather than wrestling with a DIY website)
- Mobile-friendly design for prospects searching on a phone or tablet
- Targeted, professional copy that tells your company story, values, and information about services
- A dedicated page for displaying positive reviews
- Implementation of SEO best practices that put your site higher in search results
Your website is your company’s home on the Internet. It’s online 24/7, representing your company to potential customers looking for landscaping services. Make sure your custom website is doing the work of bringing more customers to your door.
Marketing Strategy 2: Web Content and SEO
Your custom website is more than an online business card. It’s the foundation for your online presence. For your website to show up in search engines and draw customers, you should publish fresh web content regularly.
This includes updating content on your site and writing informative blog posts, which give your visitors helpful information, improve your site’s SEO, and raise your site’s value in Google’s eyes. Professional-looking example mockups can provoke interest and create more leads.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is more than just weaving keywords into your site’s content and hoping for the best. Today’s SEO is complex and strategic. Doing it well can increase your visibility and help you show up higher in local searches.
An SEO digital marketing partner who understands how to market a landscaping business online can help with your targeted blog and website content, referral links, and a performance-focused SEO campaign that will get your landscaping business noticed online.
Marketing Strategy 3: Paid Media & PPC
Paid media and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a powerful tool if done correctly — or a waste of time and money if not.
While paid advertising can be pricey, it can help you bring potential customers that would not have found you otherwise.
But maximizing your ad spend by running the right ads under the right keywords for the right price is not easy. It requires an understanding of your target audience, the keywords they search for, and the volume and difficulty of those keywords. It also requires testing and iteration to determine which ads are paying off and which aren’t.
Working with an experienced professional can help you manage successful PPC display ad campaigns that bring in new visitors ready to buy.
Marketing Strategy 4: Social Media
Whether you love or hate social media, it’s one of the most effective ways for your landscaping business to get exposure online, find new customers, and increase sales.
Why is it important? Because roughly 90% of the U.S. population uses social media.
A social media marketing strategy for your landscaping company can increase brand awareness and get you in front of new prospects. It enables you to reach people who socialize in local Facebook groups, check online reviews on Yelp, follow local businesses on Instagram, and search hashtags on Twitter.
If someone is using social media to find a landscaping business, you need to be available for them to find. But you can’t just randomly post whenever you remember to. Successful social media campaigns require three things:
- Creating an account on the social media platform(s) your customers use, whether that’s Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, or any other social app
- Experimenting to discover what kind of content your audience will engage with
- Maintaining a consistent presence on your platforms of choice
As an added benefit, a strong social media strategy can drive traffic to your website and increase your SEO value. Social media engagement also shows customers you are approachable, honest, and easy to work with.
Marketing Strategy 5: Online Reviews
Are you wondering how to market your landscaping company using more than these four tactics? Try curating online reviews. Consider this:
- Over 99.9% of customers read online reviews while shopping.
- Nearly half of customers (49%) trust online reviews as much as a personal review from someone they know.
- More reviews are better: 60% of consumers say they consider the number of reviews posted, as well as what they say.
(Source: Search Engine Journal)
Online reviews can help your landscape business gain traction in your market. However, going out of your way to encourage customers to leave reviews can be difficult, even if you ask them to. And there’s no guarantee their review will be positive.
One way to increase your positive reviews is by setting up an automated review canvassing system. You’ll not only get more reviews from your customers, but you’ll also have a chance to address any negative experiences before the customer posts them online.
A partner can help with setting up and monitoring a review canvassing system.
How to Market a Landscaping Business: What’s Next?
Marketing your landscaping services takes time and effort, but it’s worth it to help your business grow and stand out from your competition. Growing your online presence is an essential part of your landscaping marketing plan designed to get visitors to your website where they can engage, hire, and recommend you to their friends.
Ready to put these digital marketing ideas in place? As a landscaping marketing agency, the Socius team understands the landscaping industry. We are ready to create landscaping marketing strategies for your company that target your ideal local customers.
Schedule a consultation, and we’ll talk about how to maximize your existing lead generation sources — and how to create some new ones so you can have a competitive edge over competing landscaping businesses in your area.