Looking for a Trusted Home Service Professional? You Can Now Look on Facebook
Facebook announced that its Marketplace platform will now allow users to browse, interact with, and select home service businesses in their area. According to Facebook's press release, its Marketplace directory will guide users to house cleaners, plumbers, contractors, and other home service professionals.
From Deb Liu, VP of Facebook's Marketplace: "More people ask for recommendations related to home services on Facebook in the US than any other topic. Since the beginning of the year, millions of people have asked their friends for suggestions related to home services."
How It Works
According to TechCrunch, Facebook hasn't created its own directory of home service businesses. Instead, it has aggregated listings from its partners: Handy, HomeAdvisor, and Porch.
Users can find businesses near them by answering a few questions about their project. Marketplace then funnels these users to professionals in the area that provide the needed services.
From there, users can:
Browse company reviews and ratings
Request quotes from multiple businesses simultaneously
Chat directly with a business via Facebook Messenger
Facebook is billing this new Marketplace initiative as a way to "Provide an all-in-one place to complete your next home project--from proposal to completion." The Home Services Marketplace went live on May 23 and is in the process of being rolled out to Facebook's mobile app, as well.
What You Can Do
As the owner of a home services business, you want to put your company where potential customers are looking for you--including online. That means taking advantage of new resources like Facebook Marketplace. And with the company’s own admission that home service recommendations are the most discussed topic on the site, it’s time take a look at your company’s online presence and ensure that it’s ready to appeal to and engage with potential customers.
Consider the following:
Make a Facebook Page for your business. Haven’t given your company its own page on Facebook yet? Well, now’s the time to do it. Populate it with accurate business information and high quality photos so that when users find you on the platform, you business is ready to make a good first impression.
Get your company listed. Is your business' website listed in trusted industry directories like Handy, Porch, and HomeAdvisor? If not, then now's the time to get listed.
Not only will being listed on these sites make sure your business is included in the new Facebook Marketplace initiative, but it also improves the SEO health of your business website, making sure it appears more prominently in local Google searches.
Keep your company active. When is the last time you posted a few company pictures on Facebook? Or reminded followers of a seasonal service deal in their feed?
It's easy to set up a social media account, but upkeep requires effort. Staying active on Facebook with frequent posts, updates, and media makes sure your brand stays in people's feeds. The new Facebook Marketplace initiative my formalize the process, but many users will still be asking one another for home service recommendations. Staying active and responsive on Facebook shows anyone stopping by your page that you're an engaged company ready to answer questions and provide services.
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