Every time you search for “Garage door repair near me,” you may think you’re only going to get local garage door repair companies. That’s not the case! I’ll tell you why!
Did you know that the garage door industry is plagued by scammers? It’s so bad that some garage door company owners have gone to prison and been banned by Google. It’s an industry-wide issue that has been addressed in industry magazines. See one of many articles about this in DASMA magazine here.
Where You’ll See Garage Door Repair Spam
There are 4 different sections on the Google search page. I’m going to help you identify how to spam and not fall victim to these companies that are out to get homeowners.
#1 Google Local Services
This will be a list of companies at the top of Google search results. There is a verification process to get listed in this section, but it’s been found that some of these deceptive companies have found ways around the verification process. This is paid placement. Door companies can pay to show up when you search “garage door repair near me”.
#2 Google Adwords
This has been pushed down a little due to the launch of Google Local Services (what we just reviewed). These are garage door repair companies that have bid to achieve placement and show up at the top when you do your search for “garage door repair near me”. The issue here is that it can be very expensive because so many companies are competing and in some cases, it’s a bidding war that can cost up to $150 to get you to just click on their website. Even more, historically, only a small percentage of people actually call the company they click on. So, imagine paying $300 – $600 for a phone call! They would have to charge a minimum of $1,000 + to make it worth it to come out. This is the fundamental issue with Google Adwords for garage door repair companies and homeowners seeking repair. This and option #1 typically get people who panic and aren’t seeking local companies with great reviews. It’s more about getting someone to their house quickly.
#3 Google Business Profile/Maps
This section is easy to identify because it includes a list of garage door repair companies that have gone through a verification process. However, again this verification process can be manipulated by bad companies. There are some great indicators to identify a true local garage door repair company in this category. First, you’ll want to make sure their name isn’t super spammy. If it reads something like “[city] garage door repair” or “garage door spring repair near me”, you can almost guarantee they are spam and you’ll want to stay away from them. You can also visit the website and read the About page and see if you can confirm the owner’s name and if they are truly local. See if they work out of a business or a home. Most professional garage door repair companies will have a business address that is verifiable by doing a simple Google search for the address. Make sure it’s not a co-working or shared office space being used to get around Google’s guidelines.
#4 Google Organic Search Results
Everyone is pretty much familiar with these. You will need to scroll a bit to get to these results. However, although most national companies will rank higher than smaller local-owned businesses, it’s a great place to get true results. It does take proximity into consideration like #3 Google Business Profile. The results are catered to your search. For example: if you search “garage door repair near me,” these results will show local garage door repair companies. It is much more difficult for scammers to manipulate these results.
Take Away About Garage Door Repair Near Me Searches
There you have it! Do your due diligence and don’t trust the garage door company at the top. Check reviews on multiple websites and spend a little time reading and researching will help ensure you’re making a good decision. If you’re in the Metro Atlanta area, consider my company Aaron Overhead Doors.
