Why Local Lead Generation is so powerful

The way we set up our local lead generation websites provides twice the juice for dominating a local market.

Let’s break it down using my Grand Rapids Tree Service lead generation property that has been producing leads for years:

1. Its GBP is #1 in map pack

Being first in the “map pack” with it's GBP (Google Business Profile or GMB as it used to be called) is driving a ton of calls. 

When people are searching, especially on mobile, the map pack is what Google will usually serve up after a few paid ad listings (more on that later).

The map pack is eye-catching and considered a trusted source to find a local business.

Plus, Google makes is so easy to push the phone icon to call the business with one click and people love convenience.

While a GBP doesn’t replace the need for a website, it’s an additional asset to capture more calls. 

The power of its website drives this GBP but there are specific GBP ranking strategies you can apply to move the needle faster.

It's worth noting that It’s usually quicker to rank a GBP than a website. Meaning, you can start generating leads much quicker than with just a website.

2. Its website is ranked 1st on Google

The first page of Google is where all the action happens! 

According to Inter-growth, 75% of searches never make it past the first page. You can have the best website in the world, but if no one ever sees it, there won't be any leads to monetize.

A website is the most trusted and consistent route to generating leads.

Here's the Grand Rapids Tree Service site sitting at the top of page one in Google.

3. The benefit of having two properties at the top of the search results

Both the website and the GBP sit at the top of the rankings and I have two funnels here to catch leads.

Some people will be looking for the fastest solution and that’s hitting the call option on a GBP. Others will prefer scrolling to the local lead generation website and browsing more details before calling. Either way, this lead gen asset is in prime position for both.

Additionally, having both properties sitting in their relative top spots is a huge trust signal that you’re the best in town and you’ll be getting most of the calls for that search query.

4. Why local lead generation is better than paid ads

There’s an entire industry of lead generators using paid ads but the website/GBP route offers significant advantages:

With paid ads, you're being charged every time someone clicks your link. Whereas a top ranking website generates 100% free visitors, no matter how many clicks you get.

Small businesses who use Google's AdWords are spending an average of $9,000 - $12,000 a month.

And keep in mind they’re paying for just a click. There’s no guarantee that a click turns into a lead or a sale.

One of the biggest problems with paying for ads is the lack of control.

While you can control your budget, the cost per click varies depending on several factors, including competition, location, and your quality score.  

And remember, you need to monitor your ad campaign regularly to make sure you're not squandering money and you're staying in compliance. This makes it impossible to scale at a high level. 

When you're in lead generation, you'll likely be pushing the envelope to maximize your your leads and revenue which carries the risk of getting your AdWords account suspended. 

And it doesn't take much to trigger their algorithm:

If you try to do paid ads at scale for multiple businesses while maximizing your profit, it's hard to avoid some of these issues.

Google is set up to milk business owners for money. Any time you try to deviate from what a regular business owner would do, it's a gamble.

If you end up with a suspension, your leads will come to a grinding halt and so will your income. You'll also have some pissed off clients if they're relying on your leads.

There's also the risk of competitors sabotaging your ad campaign with click fraud. There are actual sites offering this as a service using bots or microworkers.

5. Why local lead generation is king compared to Yelp, HomeAdvisor and similar sites

Yelp, HomeAdvisor (aka Angie's list), Thumbtack and similar sites are usually listed near the top of Google’s search. These are lead generation companies who operate on a massive scale with a page for every niche in every location.

These companies take one lead and sell it to several business owners, all trying to win the job which usually means having the lowest bid. They get charged for the lead whether or not they win the job.

As you can imagine, the majority of small business owners despise dealing with these companies and their money-making tactics.

But this is where we have a couple of huge advantages in the way we run our local lead generation businesses.

First, Google wants to serve up the most relevant solution that solves the search query as quick as possible with the exact site.

Google's AI knows, it's more relevant to provide a site that does the exact service in the desired location than send them to a site where there's dozens of companies to scroll through, research and fill all kind of details to get a quote.

Meaning it's easy to rank ahead of these lead-selling companies with solid ranking strategies.

Second, we provide leads exclusively to one business per niche and location. They get top quality, in-bound leads to convert to sales.

6. More examples of local lead generation properties dominating the search results:

The ranking strategies we teach our students have been working for years to generate leads in all types of service-based niches.

Here's more examples:

Towing is a popular lead generation niche. Really high volume and plenty of urgency when someone has broken down. But the niche can have it's challenges. See the pros and cons of the most popular lead generation business niches here.

Another service that has solid call volume and the urgency factor when there's a serious infestation or dangerous critter involved.

Cell phone repair is usually a lower ticket niche but often very low competition in most locations, making it easy to rank.

Junk removal is a popular lead generation niche because there's usually plenty of potential clients and people are always needing to get rid of stuff from their home, storage unit or business.