Angie’s List: What Landscape Contractors Need to Know
Originally written on January 19, 2019; Updated on January 27, 2021
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Corey Halstead
Owner, HALSTEAD.
Do landscape design/build companies really benefit from using the popular home services marketplace Angie’s List? The website is popular with some consumers who view it as an easy search solution for finding landscape contractors, and some contractors think they can establish a legitimate presence for those homeowners simply by having a listing.
However, does that mean Angie’s List is worth your money? Every landscape contractor needs to invest in some kind of advertising, but for the growing companies that have already built up a reputation for consistently designing and building beautiful outdoor living spaces, Angie’s List may not be the most effective use of the marketing budget.
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The Pros of Angie’s List
Reviews are accepted from verified paying customers exclusively, so you can rest assured that your reviews are written by your customers and not your competition. Through receiving great reviews, the thinking goes, your presence on Angie’s List can organically and passively reward your high-quality work with more business. That business, however, may not be at the level you are hoping to attract. Angie’s List is initially viewed as effective by some users because it’s essentially advertised as a one-stop-shop; homeowners can research and hire contractors directly through Angie’s List and there’s the potential to provide companies with high-quality leads. Prospects may be pre-sold by virtue of your reputation on the site.
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The Cons of Angie’s List
Angie’s List has a reputation for poor customer service and a self-serving attitude. For example, contractors need to pay to have their profile appear on the first search page, but what they really want is quality leads—and those can be tough to acquire. Competition for leads is incredibly fierce and that can lead to a race to the bottom. Spend some time on the site, and you will pick up on price pressures, rather than a focus on the quality of work you have proven to provide.
Compared to the sheer number of people conducting Google searches, the number of people visiting Angie’s List is quite small and, as a result, your reach could be considered quite limited. Furthermore, the website lists a vast range of companies that specialize in everything from sod installation to pool installation. A broad search, such as “landscaping,” yields both comprehensive and highly specialized landscaping businesses—a selection in which your company can become lost. If your landscaping company offers comprehensive services, you will need to advertise in several categories to ensure that you get noticed.
Unfortunately, Angie’s List receives occasional dismal reviews from both homeowners and professionals. With that said, it is still widely popular, and could be a good option for your landscaping business.
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Is Angie’s List for You?
Advertising on Angie’s List may be worthy of your investment if your design/build business delivers relatively straightforward projects accompanied by standard pricing. You will have to compete with businesses that charge cut-rate prices, as well as some customers who are only interested in the lowest bidder.
It might not be for you if you do high-end custom work, as it’s more difficult to compare bids on custom projects, and contractors completing projects that run beyond $20K simply don’t receive as much attention. Putting your marketing focus on the following alternatives would give you more control over attracting and acquiring your ideal prospects.
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Marketing Alternatives to Angie’s List
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1. SEO Strategy
Search engine optimization (SEO) generates traffic from natural (non-paid) searches that people do on search engines (Google is the main target). You make your business easily searchable if you use keywords or key phrases that the search engines recognize. Search engines point people to your site, and SEO content ensures that the search engines find your business. Your website will attract traffic only if it’s found on the first few search pages—very few people have the time or interest to go past the first page.
Mastering SEO involves posting great content that engages readers while making it easy for search engines to find you. There’s more to SEO than just keywords, though. It’s a fairly complex marketing discipline that involves carefully considering the way other sites link to yours and making your entire website search-engine friendly. It’s well worth consulting with a company that can help you optimize your online presence.
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2. “Near Me” Searches
A smart SEO strategy takes location into consideration. With landscaping businesses, this is especially relevant—think about how many prospects start their search by typing in what they want done in their backyard. Because their web browser or mobile device knows where they’re searching from, the results will be geared toward local businesses (ideally yours). You can optimize the results you achieve from “near me” searches by keeping your local business listings up to date with the correct information, and displaying your contact information on every webpage, email, or social media page; actively engaging with customers on review sites; and using location-specific tags, links, and keywords.
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3. Facebook Advertising
Every contractor has a target customer in mind—someone of a certain age and income bracket, living in a certain location. Facebook advertising campaigns enable you to reach out to those homeowners, and only those homeowners, so that you can target your marketing dollars at the people who are most likely going to be interested in your services. Advertising on Facebook is one of the most economical forms of advertising, as it can be flexibly managed according to your changing needs and budget.
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4. Google Ads
Advertising on Google offers similar flexibility and great opportunities for design/build businesses that are only interested in local clients. But it’s also a complex endeavor—prices depend on the popularity of keywords and what people in your region are searching for. The phrasing you use matters too. It’s best to partner with experts who have run many Google Ads campaigns and know how to achieve effective results for companies like yours, in your industry.
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5. Videography
Homeowners want to know what they’re investing in, so show them exactly what you can do. Bring your business to life by incorporating videography into your social media presence. Brief narration can explain your projects and inspire viewers to have similar work done on their properties. When your social media accounts are properly managed, customer outreach in this way is seamless. It’s not about creating intrusive messages, but sharing useful and relatable information (including captivating imagery) that results in interaction—and leads.
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The Bottom Line
There is no perfect lead source, but based on our own research and experience, we recommend that you don’t rely on Angie’s List as your only source of quality leads. Your projected cost of involvement in terms of dollars, time, and effort may be unjustifiably high. Landscape contractors, particularly those who specialize in high-end custom projects or those looking to build their business, are better off implementing a well-thought-out SEO strategy that will generate quality leads without the costs and challenges associated with Angie’s List.
