When homeowners invite home service providers into their homes to make repairs, it can sometimes be a stressful experience. The homeowner wants the project to go according to plan and completed on schedule and within the agreed-upon budget. They also worry they won’t be comfortable and feel safe with the contractor who is performing the work. Because of the stresses, expectations, and level of trust involved in home repair, online reviews can be exceptionally important in the home services industry.
Porch.com is a major directory of home improvement businesses and service providers. With an estimated 3 million listings in the directory, homeowners look to Porch.com to connect with vetted, trained, insured, and certified professionals who can perform home repairs and upgrades.
Porch.com can help your home improvement company connect with valuable leads. Porch.com also features reviews, which may impact the online reputation of your business. An estimated 86% of consumers read reviews of local businesses. Not only that, consumers may spend as much as 31% more on a business with “excellent” reviews.
How Do Consumers Use Porch.com
To use Porch.com, homeowners simply input their project information. Porch.com helps them find a qualified professional to complete that project in their local area, within their budget. Homeowners can schedule and pay for services through the site. With Porch Pro Network, homeowners receive bids from area professionals and independently arrange and pay for services.
Porch.com users who submit a project to the Porch Pro Network receive information on up to four area professionals. This information includes information on licensing, responsiveness, and user reviews. Since reviews could be the deciding factor that helps homeowners choose between you and your competitor, earning high-quality, positive reviews on Porch.com is extremely important to bring in contractor projects on the site.
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How to Get More Porch.com Reviews
The process of getting reviews on Porch.com is simple but requires some time investment and hard work from you and your team. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial to start getting reviews on Porch.com.
Step 1 – Join Porch.com
The first step to getting reviews on Porch.com is, obviously, to join their online platform as a contractor. To sign up, you’ll need to enter some personal information and details about your company and the services it provides. You will then be asked to select plan options. Choose the level of membership that best fits your business.
Porch.com offers a variety of different pricing options. You can choose to buy leads individually, have a set monthly budget, or select a combination of these two options. You can also select how you want to receive leads (email, text, or phone calls), how far you’re willing to travel, and what types of projects you’ll take on.
Step 2 – Include Plenty of Information in Your Profile
Porch.com allows you to list your credentials, expertise, and more. You can even highlight specific reviews and completed projects. Include as much information as possible to make your profile look more professional and enticing to homeowners. In addition to attracting new customers, creating an appealing profile may also encourage existing customers to leave reviews.
Step 4 – Encourage Customers You Found Through Porch.com to Leave Reviews
Customers who hired you for a project through Porch.com have the option of leaving you a review on the site. To encourage customers to leave you reviews on Porch.com, you might ask nicely in person when you complete the project. You may also send an email or text message request to encourage Porch.com customers to leave you a review on the site with a direct link to your profile. This makes it much easier for your customers to leave reviews.
Sending review requests and managing reviews and customer service across multiple platforms can be tricky and time-consuming. Podium’s Interaction Management platform can help you automate review requests through text, making it more convenient to reach out to your customers. Podium’s dynamic tools also allow you to respond to existing reviews across multiple sites through one convenient platform. This makes it easier for your team to answer customer questions, resolve complaints, and show that your business truly cares about its customers.
Step 5 – Get Vetted
Getting a Vetted Membership requires passing a background check and paying a higher membership fee. However, it also comes with some major benefits. A special badge on your profile will show users that you’ve passed the background check, immediately instilling trust and setting you apart from the competition. You can also receive a 5% discount on on-demand leads, and you will be reimbursed lead credits if you meet outreach requirements but still can’t reach the homeowner.
In the future, Porch.com plans to offer Vetted Pros exclusive access to homeowners reaching out through partners like Lowe’s, Walmart, and more. Porch.com also plans to put Vetted Pros at the top of the search results through the site and give Vetter Pros early access to leads. These extra advantages may improve your company’s visibility and help you snag new customers before your competition gets the chance. It can also improve the likelihood of customers leaving even more positive reviews on your profile.
The Importance of Porch.com Reviews
Porch.com is designed to help homeowners, but it also offers some great benefits for companies in the home services industry. Here are just a few of the reasons why Porch.com and reviews on Porch.com may benefit your business.
Improve Organic Search Ranking
Listing your business on Porch.com may improve your online visibility and organic search ranking. In general, it’s best to have your business listed on as many business directories as possible. If potential customers can’t find your business through an online search, they’ll likely hire one of your competitors to complete their project without ever requesting a bid from your business. Improving your online visibility by listing through a site like Porch.com may make it easier for potential customers to learn about your business and consider it as a potential option when they need services.
Attract Potential Customers through Reviews
Listing your business on Porch.com makes it more visible, but receiving good reviews on the platform will help attract even more potential customers. Whether you offer your services through Porch Services or list your company with the Porch Pro Network, a complete profile with positive reviews will attract customers in your area who are looking for a trustworthy contractor to complete their home repairs or renovations.
Become a Local Thought Leader
Porch.com offers cost guides, articles, and other resources by area professionals. By offering your advice, you may be able to set yourself up as a local thought leader and appear in more homeowner searches. They provide a platform for you and your employees to improve your credibility in the industry, building relationships with homeowners and improving your online credibility. Potential customers who read your work will view you and your business as exceptionally knowledgeable or well qualified. Even if they are not yet ready to request your services, they will remember you down the line when they are.
Building a strong, positive online reputation and favorable reviews means homeowners will feel more comfortable and confident inviting you into their homes. Through Porch.com reviews, you can leverage your online reputation to attract more new customers, improve organic search traffic for your business, and earn valuable leads that boost your bottom line.
