Web site. Good for business?

[beastmaster]

Maybe Im posting in the wrong forum, but Id like real world answers. Since branching out on my own, and on a limited budget(broke)I am trying different things to help drum up work.
Do many of you all have your own web sites, and how are they working out for you? I have clicked on some pretty informative ones but do they increase business?
I am trying to create my own using WIX. As much as I want to use it as a tool to get jobs, I want a platform to promote good tree care practices. I plan on having a section with ,"trees of shame," with photos of local trees that offend me. Could I be held liable if I showed a row of butchered trees in front of an apt. complex or someones house? I'm in So. Calif and people use their i-phones, computers, and what not for everything. Any input would be appreciated. Beast.

 

[Rudedog]

You bet you should have a website. Especially in the area you are located. (Qualifier, I do not own a tree business.)

 

[2FatGuys]

Beast... You definitely should have some sort of web presence, given your market. I would suggest that a "Wall of Shame" could be fun, but you need to be VERY careful about the pics. Pics of a row of crappy trees should be ok if they don't "identify" or "accuse" the owner (thereby causing embarrassment or defamation). This means you would need to carefully frame the pictures to NOT get the buildings, or street names / numbers, etc. in the image.

Last time I was in your area, I saw some REALLY bad tree work in Corona! I have a good friend that lived off Hidden Valley Ranch Pkwy. The developments in that area had a LOT of topped and hacked trees!

 

[Blakesmaster]

We're working on a website revamp now.

Ours has been good with a few pics, reading material and some contact info but it needs work so we're taking it up a notch. Basically, we sell about half the jobs from our other ads in the phone books but we generally sell 90% of the jobs from the website. The website generates fewer calls but the calls it generates are golden. If people can see what you do and how you work before they hire you it's MUCH better. Get your domain name the same as your company name so all they have to do is remember your company name, not your phone number.

 

[mikewhite85]

Maybe Im posting in the wrong forum, but Id like real world answers. Since branching out on my own, and on a limited budget(broke)I am trying different things to help drum up work.
Do many of you all have your own web sites, and how are they working out for you? I have clicked on some pretty informative ones but do they increase business?
I am trying to create my own using WIX. As much as I want to use it as a tool to get jobs, I want a platform to promote good tree care practices. I plan on having a section with ,"trees of shame," with photos of local trees that offend me. Could I be held liable if I showed a row of butchered trees in front of an apt. complex or someones house? I'm in So. Calif and people use their i-phones, computers, and what not for everything. Any input would be appreciated. Beast.

A good website is worth every penny.

Once you get one, list your business with a website link on as many small business pages you can find (i.e. yahoo local, merchantcircle, manta, yelp). Listing your business on GOOGLE MAPS is particularly important! I get a lot of my jobs from local people seeking a local business on Google maps. I jazzed up the page a bit with pictures too. It really helps- and it's free!

I was thinking about adding a section about hat-racked trees to my website as well. The topping around here in Socal, even with licensed tree services, is unbelievable.

 

[mikewhite85]

Also, once you get your website, buy some advertising with Google Adwords. You pay a buck or two every time someone clicks. It is guaranteed to generate hits to your website.

 

[cowtipper]

Take a look at the Business Management section that is some good discussions about web sites

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Its probably more a matter of that every business should have a website these days whether or not they get any work from it.

How much business a site brings to you will be increasingly uncertain. The bigger the city and the more saturated your trade is with websites, the less business you should get from the website.

Take Google Adwords for example. Suppose 50 companies start bidding on it?

What if 60 tree services have websites with good keywords, in your city? Who's going to be on page one? Especially if they are all paying someone to increase their ranking?

It can become like a big casino. Spin the wheel and roll the dice, because it's up in the air as to who gets to be on page one.

Still worth having a site though. Its almost an obligation to communication these days.

Consider purchasing an old website address, because there are few ways to circumvent the advantage of age of a domain name.

If you are in a small town with few companies, the web strategies tend to be easier to deal with.

 

[treevet]

Having a website is akin to carrying a business card these days. If you do not have one you are probably perceived as a bargain basement service.

My site guy is a young fellow and looking for more clients. Give me a pm and I will give you his contact info.

 

[minknency]

I think that you should have a website, so that you can easily advertise. Website is really good for business. Every business must have their website, so they can easily do advertise.If you are living in a small village then with the help of websites you can deal easily with other companies.