Imagine packing up and moving to a new place—exciting, right? Statistically, people in the U.S. move approximately 11.7 times during their lifetime. Each year, about 31 million Americans relocate, leading the moving industry to generate an estimated $86 billion in revenue in 2021. Around 3 million Americans relocate to a different state each year, with an average cost of $4,100 for such interstate moves.
That’s a staggering number, creating a massive demand for reliable moving services. However, the challenge for moving companies lies not in the demand but in standing out from the crowd and attracting new customers. In a competitive market, exceptional local marketing, whether local SEO, social media, or paid advertising, is not just an advantage—it’s a necessity.
This article is your roadmap to mastering local marketing, designed to help your moving company rise above the competition and capture the attention of those 31 million movers. Buckle up, and let’s dive into the strategies that will transform your business!
Getting to Know Your Customers
Understanding your audience is vital to offering the right moving services. There are two main types of moves: residential and commercial. Residential moves cater to families and individuals moving to new homes, while commercial moves involve businesses relocating their offices or facilities.
When choosing a moving company, customers focus on three main factors:
- Convenience: They want a hassle-free experience with comprehensive services (packing, loading, transporting, unpacking) and flexible scheduling.
- Reliability: Trust is essential. Customers need to know their belongings will be handled carefully and delivered on time. Positive reviews, certifications, and insurance are crucial.
- Cost: Affordable pricing is important, especially for families and students. Transparent pricing with no hidden fees and offering discounts can attract customers.
Building a Strong Online Presence
A Moving Marketing Strategy
Creating a marketing strategy for your moving company doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by setting some clear goals—maybe you want to get more leads or keep your customers coming back. Understanding who your customers are is super important, so do some research to figure out what they need, what they like, and what problems they face.
Next, think about what makes your moving company special. Is it your reliability, affordable prices, top-notch customer service, or a knack for handling tricky moves like long-distance or fragile items? Make sure to highlight those strengths in your messaging. It also helps to check out the competition so you know where you stand and where you can do better.
When it comes to getting the word out, mix it up. Use digital strategies like SEO, content marketing, social media, and email campaigns, but don’t forget about traditional methods like direct mail and local ads. A good mix will help you reach more people and make your marketing strategy efforts pay off.
Website Optimization
For moving companies, having a website that gets your name and services out there is essential. This means that people will see what you’re offering, be convinced by your presentation, and schedule your moving services.
Your moving company web design must be optimized on desktop and mobile. Having a mobile responsive website means that you don’t need a separate site for mobile phones, tablets, and desktop computers. A beautifully designed website should look fantastic and well-performing on any device. In the moving industry, mobile compatibility is crucial for future success.
For one of our moving company clients we actually launched a whole new website. We made it much easier for their clients to contact them with a new contact form, and engaged in optimization they hadn’t done previously. This included showcasing reviews, implementing keyword research and creating a number of localized pages.
A major part of SEO for moving companies is effective local SEO. There’s a deeper dive into that further down.
Consider Social Media
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are powerful tools for your moving company to connect with customers and build your brand.
On Facebook, you can share helpful moving tips and customer success stories and even run targeted ads to reach specific audiences in your area. It’s a great way to engage with potential customers and keep your current clients in the loop with what’s happening in your business.
Instagram offers a more visual approach, perfect for showcasing behind-the-scenes moments, before-and-after photos of moves, and quick video tips. It’s a platform where you can really show your company and connect with followers on a more personal level.
LinkedIn, on the other hand, is ideal for building professional relationships and sharing industry insights. You can post about your company’s achievements, share articles relevant to moving, and network with other professionals in related fields.
Local SEO Can Help Dominate the Area
When moving businesses consider marketing, they’re often getting into a whole new ballgame. Moving company marketing is challenging and is not the same as transporting people from one location to another.
Local SEO helps businesses rank well in local searches. Think ‘best moving company in San Diego’ or ‘cheap moving company Jacksonville’. Even ‘moving company’ on its own is seen by Google as a search with localized intent.
For moving companies, dominating local SEO is all about making sure your business is the first name that comes to mind when someone in your area needs help with a move. To achieve this, you must focus on a few key strategies to boost your visibility in local search results and attract more customers.
Optimize Google Business Profile
First, make sure to optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP). Having an optimized GBP is your foundation for local SEO. Make sure all your info is up to date—like your address, phone number, and business hours—and add some great photos to show off your team and services. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, as these play a huge role in boosting your local rankings.
When we worked with one moving company focusing on their GBP helped double their calls. After the basic optimization of the profile, choosing the right primary category, and making sure the information was all accurate, we doubled down on making it work as hard as possible for them. This included adding dozens of services, products, and new photos. Then, we continued with monthly GBP posts to keep it active.
Focus on the Keywords that Matter
Next, focus on local keywords. Incorporate phrases like “[Your City] movers” or “moving services in [Your Neighborhood]” into your website content, meta descriptions, and blog posts. The more locally relevant your content is, the more likely it is to show up when people search for movers in your area.
To increase your moving company’s visibility online, think of keywords that lead customers straight to you. Instead of using generic terms like “movers,” get specific with phrases like “stress-free moves in San Diego” or “affordable long-distance movers.”
When it comes to moving company SEO, you need a local agency that is familiar with how to place your business at the top of local search results pages.
Once you’ve done this effectively for your core service pages and location pages, you can think about building out your topical authority with supporting content.
Create Local Content for Moving Companies
Write blog posts that address common moving concerns in your area, such as “Tips for Moving in [Your City]” or “How to Choose the Best Movers in [Your Neighborhood].” This not only helps you rank for local searches but also establishes your business as the local expert in the moving industry. You could even consider going slightly broader, like “Best Neighborhoods to Live In.”
By consistently applying these strategies, your moving company can become the go-to choice for anyone in your area planning to move.
This attracts local readers and makes your business the go-to expert in town. Share customer stories and talk about your involvement in local events—this adds a personal touch and helps build trust with potential clients. It’s all about being the friendly, reliable neighbor everyone knows they can rely on.
Consider talking with other local experts in related industries and get them to write for you, just like I’ve done here, too. Not only does this add expertise to your content, but it helps forge relationships in the community. You could partner with local real estate agents to create area guides or a local community program, for instance.
Finally, Build Citations and Keep Them Accurate
Ensure your business information (Name, Address, Phone number—NAP) is consistent across all online platforms, including directories like Yelp and Yellow Pages. This consistency builds trust with search engines and helps improve your local search rankings.
Building citations may seem laborious, but services like BrightLocal’s Citation Builder are available to help make it easier.
Cracking the Code of Paid Advertising
Paid advertising should be part of your overall marketing strategy. Google and Bing are the top search engines that users rely on to find products and businesses relevant to their needs. However, optimizing paid ad campaigns requires more than bidding on keywords and creating landing pages.
Google Ads: Tips for Creating Effective Ads and Targeting the Right Audience
When it comes to Google Ads, the key is to create ads that are both eye-catching and relevant to your audience. Start by using specific, action-oriented keywords like “affordable movers near me” or “San Diego moving services.”
Make sure your ad copy is clear and compelling, highlighting what sets your company apart—whether it’s your competitive pricing, fast service, or excellent customer reviews. Use extensions like call buttons, location info, or site links to give potential customers easy ways to connect with you.
As you can see in this report, properly optimized ad extensions can be a major driver of calls.
Targeting is just as important as the ad itself. Use location targeting to focus on your service area, ensuring your ads reach people who are actually looking for moving services nearby. You can also adjust your bids to show ads more frequently to people who’ve already visited your site, making it more likely they’ll choose your service when they’re ready to move.
Social Media Advertising: Benefits of Facebook and Instagram Ads for Moving Companies
Facebook and Instagram ads offer a great way to reach potential customers where they spend a lot of their time—scrolling through their feeds. With these platforms, you can create visually appealing ads that showcase your services, such as quick video clips of a smooth moving process or photos of happy customers after a successful move.
One of the biggest advantages of social media ads is their precise targeting options. You can tailor your ads based on demographics, interests, and even behaviors, ensuring they’re seen by people who are likely in the market for moving services. Plus, you can run retargeting ads to re-engage people who’ve interacted with your website or social media profiles, keeping your business top of mind.
Retargeting Campaigns: Keeping Your Brand in Front of Interested Customers
Retargeting campaigns are a powerful way to stay connected with potential customers who’ve shown interest in your moving company but haven’t yet made a decision. When someone visits your website or engages with your content but doesn’t book a service, retargeting ads can remind them of what you offer as they browse other sites or social media platforms.
These ads can be highly personalized, featuring messages like “Ready to make your move?” or offering a special discount to encourage them to choose your company. By keeping your brand in front of them, you increase the chances they’ll come back to your site and convert into a paying customer. Retargeting is a cost-effective way to maximize the value of your initial marketing efforts, ensuring that no potential lead slips through the cracks.
Monitoring and Analyzing Your Marketing Efforts
To ensure your marketing is on the right track, monitor key metrics like website traffic, conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS). These numbers help you see what’s working and where you might need to tweak things.
Google Analytics is a great tool for tracking your website’s performance, and Google Business Profile’s built-in Insights tool lets you see how your optimization is helping your client’s GBP. The screenshot above shows how easy it is to see results in GBP Insights. These free tools provide a clear picture of what drives results.
If you want to get more granular you can use geo-grid rank tracking tools too. BrightLocal’s Local Search Grid is one example. These trackers let you put your rankings on the map.
Once you’ve got the data, don’t be afraid to change things up. If certain keywords or posts are getting good traction, focus more on them. By regularly adjusting based on what’s working, you’ll keep improving your marketing and getting better results.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of ways to boost your visibility, from optimizing your Google Business Profile and running effective Google Ads to using Facebook and Instagram for social media marketing and retargeting campaigns. Plus, we talked about how important it is to monitor your results with tools like Google Analytics and make changes based on what’s working.
Now, it’s time to give these strategies a try! Start implementing them to attract more customers and grow your business. And if you need a hand, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Risely. We’re offering a free consultation to help you get started—let’s work together to make your marketing efforts really pay off.
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