Marketing an IT service business requires hyper-targeting local consumers and company’s that require computer repair, system upkeep and maintenance, and other technical issues, all within the local service area.

This requires a very fine-tuned local search engine optimization strategy to gain maximum explore to local customers specifically seeking the help of an IT professional. Creating and optimizing a Google My Business profile is the first step to top local rankings, as it’s the information contained within these directory listings that the local algorithm pulls from when displaying the Maps results.

Google’s algorithm has become highly advanced over the recent years and it has a very good idea of when a user’s search contains local intent. For example, if the search query “computer repair company near me” is performed, Google knows to show that user results based on the IP address of their computer or the location settings within the user’s mobile device.

By optimizing your Google My Business profile properly your IT services can be found at the top of the search results by those located in your area, driving phone calls and website traffic to your business that can then be converted into service calls and new customers and corporate clients.

Understanding how to leverage GMB is a big part of local search engine optimization, so here are some important IT service marketing tips to help you gain more visibility in Google’s local search results, leading to more leads and customers.

Encourage Past Customers to Leave Google Reviews

One of the most impactful things you can do that won’t cost you a dime, is to actively ask all of your customers and clients, both past and future, to leave a review on your Google business page. Google reviews play a significant role in where your business shows up in the local search results and they provide you with incredible social proof that helps you convert more interest into service calls and clients.

Some things to consider when accumulating Google reviews for your IT services business:

• Volume: The total number of reviews is always going to be something that attracts attention to your listing in the search results. Consumers naturally believe the business with the most reviews is an option worth exploring in more detail.
• Rating: Strive for 5-star ratings across the board. In your review outreach include some language along the lines of, “If you don’t believe you received 5-star service please contact us propr to leaving your review so we can make it right.”
• Frequency: A business with a good number of reviews, but non in recent months will be at a disadvantage. Consumers like to see recent ones as it instills confidence that the business is actively providing great service. Furthermore, Google’s algorithm views recent reviews are a strong indication that the business is worthy of being shown due to its recent happy customers.

The best time to ask for a review is after your IT service call or when the customer comes to pick up his or her device after the repair is completed. Sending the “ask” via email with the final invoice with a direct link to your Google My Business profile makes the response even higher as you are making it as simple as possible for the customer.

You can also include a call-to-action at the bottom of your email signature, and depending on the CRM platform you are using, send out text message reminders. If you feel that response to your ask is low, include a subtle reward, such as a discount on their next service call or a discount offer they can pass on to friends and family.

Stay Away from Spammy SEO Tactics

The days of blackhat SEO are far behind, and there is no shortcut to success when it comes to IT service SEO, as Google’s algorithm can quickly identify spammy tactics that once helped deliver faster than normal results.

Just as its main search algorithm can quickly identify low-quality spun content, link schemes, and keyword stuffing, its local search algorithm has measures in place to help identify spammy practices being applied to Google My Business optimization.

One of the biggest offenders is fake reviews, and Google has systems in place that identify reviews that are not genuine and left by what they refer to ask “review farms,” which great fake Google user accounts and post fraudulent reviews for businesses who pay for this service.

Google uses a lot of advanced technology that analyzes where the review originated in terms of IP address, whether the content was typed naturally or copied and pasted, the age and history of the Google account leaving the reviews, among other things.

Also, your potential customers can spot a review that looks fake based solely on the grammar and whether or not it’s specific in detail or very generic. Fake reviews stand out like a sore thumb and not only put local businesses in danger of a possible Google penalty, but they also make potential customers not trust a business.

Optimize Your GMB Description for Your Main Local Keyword

Every Google My Business listing has an area for the business to create a description, containing information the business deems important and relevant in terms of what a prospective customer would like to know before deciding to engage further.

While you do want to write it with the customer in mind, you also need to write it with SEO in mind, being sure to include your main service keyword and location at the very beginning and use variations throughout.

Here are some IT service local SEO tips to help you take full advantage of the 750 character space and write a Google My Business description that will help your business be found in the Google Maps results:

• Think of what the majority of your customers will be searching for on Google. While the technical term for your business might be “IT service,” the average consumer is more likely to type in “computer repair” when seeking help. So, an IT service company in Denver might want to make “computer repair service in Denver” their target term for the description.
• Include variants of the main service, such as “computer troubleshooting,” “computer network technician,” and “computer service,” for example. This helps Google best understand what it is your business does.
• You can get away with using specific keywords if you include them as “areas of expertise” rather than just stuffing them throughout the description. IT service we offer: computer repair, computer diagnostics, IT server maintenance, etc. This is an example of how you can get a little more visibility for all of your service offerings.

Remember, you can always change and modify your listing’s description. Dive into the analytics and insights available within your GMB dashboard. Look to see what searches are causing you to show up and edit your description to target those as well. This little tweak can help drive more views, clicks, traffic, and conversions.

Take Advantage of New Google My Business Tools

Google is constantly rolling out new tools for its GMB users, one of which is Google Posts, which allow businesses to create little information posts – including both text and media – and have it show in its page feed.

Users can read these little snippets within the local results, and it’s just another option to provide information and offers in an attempt to draw attention, and ultimately conversions, from Google’s local search results.

The best way to leverage Google Posts is to promote special offers, coupons, and deals creatively. This way the potential customer doesn’t have to search for them – you are using enticing offers to help draw their attention. When you combine a great offer – like a discount on an in-home service call – with a large number of five-star reviews it helps drive more calls and leads that convert.

You can also include a call-to-action button to help attract engagement, all of which you can view in the dashboard. This shows you what works and what doesn’t, without a question of doubt. See what type of IT-related content works best and then adjust your future Google Posts to include what works best for your audience.

Final Thoughts

Google has drastically improved Google My Business in recent years, giving local businesses new tools and ways to attract and interact with potential customers. It’s far more than just a local business directory these days, and an opportunity you should leverage as much as possible.

An optimized Google My Business profile combined with utilizing all of its available features and tools positions you to be found by local customers actively looking for an IT service provider for their computer and network needs.

If you have any questions about marketing an IT service business online or GMB optimization specifically, contact us at your convenience and we will be more than happy to help. Our team of IT service local SEO specialists will also be more than happy to explain how our fully managed local SEO service works and provide you with a complimentary audit of your current search engine optimization efforts.

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