Prospect Genius

In our weekly “Genius Success Stories” series, we showcase clients that have used our program to positively impact their small businesses. Check back each week to see a new success story!

At this point, it’s cliché to open up with, “Now, more than ever…” or to even mention “these uncertain times.” Everyone gets it. We’ve all been existing in 2020.

So, we’ll just say this: Owning a small business right now is a harrowing battle.

BUT — 

Despite everything that’s been going down, we’ve seen several clients fight and scrabble and find success—thanks in large part to smart digital marketing strategies. And we think these stories offer valuable, actionable lessons for other small businesses that might be going through a tough time.

This week, we’re showcasing Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair. The story of this small business demonstrates how a long-term SEO strategy focused on Google Maps can be your suit of armor against a pandemic, an economic downturn, and even Google’s continued money-grabbing, pay-to-play schemes.

To find out more about Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair’s road map to success, keep reading!

Doubling Leads During a Pandemic

Based in Portland, OR, Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair has been a Prospect Genius client since 2016. 

With our program, they got a responsive, content-filled website, an optimized Google Maps listing, and an aggressive local SEO strategy. Their incoming leads from local customers climbed steadily, and by 2019, they were receiving several hundred leads per month. 

In the spring and summer of 2020, many small business owners worried, understandably, that their prospects would dry up as the economy largely shut down. However, for Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair, the opposite happened. 

The company’s incoming leads soared even higher. In August of last year, they received a total of 325 leads. In August 2020, that number nearly doubled to 631!

Not only was the appliance repair company able to keep leads coming in via their web presence, but they were able to do so even after Google rolled out its Local Service Ads product.

This product is yet another pay-to-play measure from Google that puts sponsored ads from paying businesses at the very top of the search results page—even above the Google Maps box. 

For example, take a look at these two search results below.

Search results for “appliance repair portland or”:

Search results for “dishwasher repair portland or”:

As you can see, the Local Service Ads capture a user’s attention right away. Consequently, these ads funnel a lot of clicks away from results further down the page.

Thankfully, though, Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair is ranked in the top three on Google Maps, directly below the Local Service Ads. This high visibility is how the company was still able to bring in 631 leads this August, even with Google’s Local Service Ads as a significant obstacle (in addition to a global pandemic and economic shutdown, of course). 

Conclusion: Google Maps Marketing Is Mandatory

The company’s sustained success during this moment is a testament to the importance of an optimized Google Maps listing and a long-term investment in local SEO. 

So, do what Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair did: Commit to building a holistic online presence on a local scale. Fortify your Google Maps listing. Collect as many positive customer ratings as you can. As this appliance repair company will tell you, doing the work pays off. 

By putting resources into Google Maps marketing now, you’ll have a defensive shield against life’s unfortunate, unforeseeable events in the future. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that preparedness is priceless.