As long as there are locks and a need for security, there will be a need for locksmiths. However, the industry is competitive, and for many locksmiths, marketing can be a struggle. Relying on the yellow pages alone is no longer enough to build and grow your business. Most people will go online to find a locksmith when the need arises, so developing a digital marketing strategy should be a necessary function of your business.
How digital marketing can help your locksmith business grow
As a business in 2024, brand awareness has become a key player in growing and attracting clients and customers. Developing trust and reliability through consistent messaging and thought leadership increases your likelihood of success while building strong relationships.
Where does digital marketing come in?
By curating a strategic digital marketing plan, you can effectively reach and communicate with your audience more effortlessly than ever before. It doesn’t matter what your budget is. The real way to build your reputation online is consistency, adding value, and using the right SEO techniques. Luckily, we’ve developed a great starting point for you to start advertising your locksmith business online with the most significant potential for success.
Best digital marketing channels to get more locksmith leads
To grow your locksmith leads using digital marketing, you can utilize many strategies other small businesses rely on. The only difference is that you should develop content relevant to your brand and industry.
Here are a few areas where you can start using digital marketing to advertise your locksmith business and increase your audience.
Google Ads
Google Ads is an excellent decision for your locksmith business because the keywords associated with locksmiths are considered high traffic by Google, but not high enough that you’ll have to pay out the roof to benefit. Google Ads is an online advertising platform owned by Google that boosts sponsored search results to the top of search engine pages depending on the relevant keywords/budget. Your locksmith business then pays on a cost-per-click (CPC) scale. Every time someone clicks on your link and comes to your website, you pay a set amount of money.
A good idea when trying Google Ads is to use conversion tracking with a CRM platform. This will track each click and provide data on which ones are spam (unfortunately, it happens), which ones convert, and which ones don’t. This will give you a better idea of how your website is optimized and the types of searches bringing potential leads in from your locksmith ads.
Google Local Service Ads should also be an essential part of your digital marketing. You can create a profile for your locksmith ad, including your address/website/social media, to appear at the top of search results for local businesses like yours. It’s free and is an essential part of providing the trust and authenticity of your business. Your happy clients and customers can also leave reviews, which increases the chances of your business being sought out (asking customers/clients to leave you good reviews is an effective way of building this section of your Google business listing).
SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a broad term used within the digital marketing world. Essentially it means how optimized your website and content are more likely to show up on search engines. Yes, a big part of this is using relevant keywords spread strategically throughout your website, but SEO also depends on your images, response rate, and more. With this in mind, it’s essential to partner with someone adept at SEO or to educate yourself on the best practices to increase your SEO success.
Your website should be a vital piece of your digital marketing strategy. It’s often your home base for leads to find you and convert to using your services. Without a website, relying on word of mouth or social media alone won’t give you the same advantages. Make sure your website is organized and includes your location (this one is huge for SEO) and your own images (stock photos aren’t good for SEO purposes). Leave the heavy content for your blog page (yes, having a blog is relevant in the locksmith industry!) and your service pages. Including your services is huge because it will act as a colossal SEO mover. Remember to include a contact method on every page in some form so that leads can act quickly.
Social Media
Social media is a vast, giant part of digital marketing. Everyone is on social media, and interested clients are more likely to search “locksmiths in [insert your town here]” on a Facebook search bar than check the yellow pages. If you’ve developed a strong brand presence on social media, you’re going to attract followers regardless of whether you require your services. However, you will be the first one they think of when they do.
Here are a few key ways to increase the success of your locksmith social media:
- Use your brand logo and name consistently across every platform you’re on, so anyone can find you and recognize your locksmith brand;
- Add all of your contact information within your profiles, including your website link;
- Don’t go stagnant on your social media. The more time that passes without posting will only make your business look less reliable. If you don’t think you’re going to share on Twitter every day, but you’re having fun making Tiktok videos, ditch Twitter and focus on what’s working;
- Spend time thinking about valuable posts you can share. You want them to align with engaging, entertaining, inspiring, or educational content. If you’re about to post and you’re thinking, “I wouldn’t engage with this,” then think of something better to share.
Additional locksmith marketing and advertising ideas & strategies
Of course, there are so many ways you can excel at locksmith marketing and advertising online. It’s essential to develop the most powerful strategy that will work for you and your audience. It might take some trial and error, but locksmith advertising online is a budget-friendly and simple way to drive new leads to your business. Here are a couple more marketing ideas for you to consider:
- Use retargeting. Retargeting is a great way to remind leads who have visited your website and left without contacting you, to come back and complete their conversion. It’s a little gentler than that, but for non-emergency locksmith advertising, it can be an easy way to remind someone that you’re the best option, especially if they’ve gone back to check other relevant results.
- Start a Youtube tutorial page. You may not want to teach your customers how to break through a lock, but giving tutorials and creating other videos to upload onto Youtube is a great way to engage. It will also increase the likelihood that your business will appear at the top of search results, as videos are often embraced more by Google.
How do I start promoting my locksmith business?
The best place to start promoting your locksmith business online is your website. Consider your locksmith website the foundation of your online presence. It will be the spot that all your other marketing efforts will route leads towards. Make sure it’s engaging, attractive, and always up to date. Jacob Szender the co-owner of Sure Lock and Key says, “My number 1 tip to start promoting my locksmith business and scale it to a multi-location million-dollar locksmith business with more than 200 job requests a day is having a very good website”.
Here’s another tip: Leave out the onslaught of pop-up ads that other websites tend to rely on. More often than not, you’re going to lead possible customers away instead of towards your business.
Setting the proper budget for your locksmith business digital marketing campaign
Your locksmith digital marketing budget doesn’t need to be huge. What’s great about digital marketing is that a lot of it can be free if you’re willing to put in some of the work itself. Yes, hiring a content writer can be great if you know the task is outside your skillset, but if you’re relatively good at it, you don’t need to outsource. You can also balance what you choose to pay for with what you can do in-house. For example, you may choose to pay for CPC advertising but use your own smartphone and creative side to develop engaging TikTok videos.
FAQ about locksmith marketing
Where can I advertise as a locksmith?
You can advertise as a locksmith anywhere that any other business is advertising. Think strategically about your options and how they relate to your potential customers. Can you find them on social media? Is it more likely to work through Facebook or Instagram? Can you use traditional marketing methods in conjunction with your digital efforts? Get creative.
Where can I buy locksmith leads directly?
You can buy multiple locksmith leads by researching and finding the right platform that will provide you with the greatest chance of success. You don’t want to work with a website that finds data illegally but instead will provide you with valuable tools to enhance your lead generation.
What’s the best cost-effective marketing channel for locksmiths?
The easiest way to market your locksmith business using digital marketing is by embracing social media. You don’t need to pay to post on your Facebook page unless you use sponsored posting. Instead, you can communicate and build relationships with your current and potential customers with nothing needed but a keyboard or smartphone.
Final thoughts
Remember to try methods that may be outside your comfort zone, especially if you’re not used to interacting online. In order to remain competitive and relevant in the growing virtual environment, digital marketing is going to be essential. If you’re just starting out, begin with a website and work yourself out from there. Having a place where clients can find you is the first big step. From there, maximizing your marketing efforts with social media, search engine optimization, and other techniques will provide your brand with the right tools to succeed. Once you’ve begun to see an increase in jobs due to your effective digital marketing, using robust field service management software can help you properly manage your clients, invoicing, and more.
Locksmithing teams that use Workiz increase their revenue by 22% on average. Just imagine the potential it could unlock for your team in terms of scheduling, communication with prospects, and revenue. To learn more about how Workiz can help transform your business with everything you need all in one place, reach out for a conversation today.
