How To Market a Cleaning Business (5 Proven Strategies)

Every business requires a robust marketing strategy to thrive and the cleaning industry is no exception. As we move into 2024, the digital world continues to evolve and shape business operations, making digital marketing a crucial factor for success. 

In today's blog post, I’ll deep dive into some exciting marketing strategies specifically tailored for cleaning businesses. 

From my years of experience, I've gathered a variety of techniques that can really put your business in the front when people are searching for a cleaning company. But there's one strategy that holds a special place in our playbook, and we'll be diving into that as well. 

To illustrate how these methods can work in real-world scenarios, I'll also share a recent case study of a cleaning company, Perfect Clean. Within just a year, they've managed to triple their business following this strategy. 

The Importance of a Marketing Strategy

A marketing strategy serves as the blueprint for your cleaning business’ marketing activities. 

It outlines your business objectives, target audience, and marketing methods to effectively communicate your services to potential customers. 

In a competitive industry such as cleaning services, a solid marketing strategy is vital to stand out and reach your desired audience.

Marketing vs Sales

Marketing and sales are two distinct concepts that often get confused. 

Marketing is all about creating awareness and interest in your services. It involves the strategic promotion of your cleaning business to attract potential customers. 

On the other hand, sales involve the direct selling of your services to customers. Your marketing strategy lays the groundwork for successful sales conversations.

In short, marketing is to drive leads to the business and sales is about converting those leads into customers.

Key Elements in Marketing Your Cleaning Business

Having a comprehensive marketing plan is just the beginning. There are several key elements to consider when marketing your cleaning business.

Branding

Branding involves creating a unique name, logo, and image for your cleaning business. It helps to distinguish your business from competitors and create a memorable impression in the customers' minds.

Content Creation

Content creation is a crucial part of digital marketing. This involves creating and sharing valuable content to attract and engage your target audience. Examples of content include blog posts, videos, social media posts, and infographics.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

CRM involves managing interactions with current and potential customers. It includes strategies to improve customer service, increase customer retention, and drive sales growth. CRM software like Monday.com can help streamline this process, allowing you to easily manage customer information and interactions. We use Monday.com to manage sales of 15+ cleaning companies and have found that Monday.com is easiest to use with the highest adoption rate.

Reviews and Testimonials

Positive reviews and testimonials can greatly enhance your business's credibility. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook. These reviews can help potential cus

Different Options To Market Your Cleaning Business

Traditionally, non-digital marketing strategies have been quite popular. These include print advertising in newspapers or magazines, distributing flyers or brochures, billboard advertising, and even word-of-mouth referrals. 

These methods can certainly be effective, especially in smaller communities where local reputation is paramount.

However, the world is rapidly evolving and digital is the way forward. 

Why, you may ask? 

Digital marketing strategies allow for precise targeting in your area. 

You can direct your efforts towards specific demographics, ensuring that you're reaching the people most likely to need your services. 

The ability to track and measure results in real-time is another massive plus. You can see what's working, what's not, and adjust your strategy accordingly. 

Crafting Your Marketing Plan

A marketing plan is a detailed roadmap that outlines your marketing strategies, tactics, costs, and projected results over a specified period. It provides a clear direction and understanding of your business goals and how to achieve them.

Step 1. Identify Your Services

The first step in crafting your marketing plan is to clearly define the cleaning services you offer. 

Are you a residential cleaning service or do you cater to commercial clients? Understanding your unique offering is key to promoting your services effectively.

Step 2. Understand Your Target Audience

Knowing your target audience is essential in crafting a relatable and effective marketing message. Identifying your target market involves researching potential customers' demographics, such as their age, gender, and location. This will allow you to tailor your marketing efforts to their specific needs and preferences.

Step 3. Analyse Your Competition

Understanding your competition is crucial for a successful marketing plan. 

By analysing your competitors, you can gain insights into what works and what doesn't in your industry. This will allow you to differentiate your cleaning business and position it as a unique choice for potential customers.

Next, we'll discuss specific digital marketing strategies that your cleaning business can employ for maximum impact. 

Digital Marketing Strategies for Cleaning Business

In this post, we’re going to cover the following marketing strategies and then share pros & cons for each of them, and what type of strategy is suitable for which type of business. 

1. Google My Business
2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
3. Google PPC Ads
4. Retargeting Ads
5. Youtube Ads

1. Google My Business

Google My Business (GMB) is a powerful tool that every cleaning company should be taking advantage of. It's completely free to use and, when harnessed effectively, it can prove to be a fantastic source of new leads for your business. 

With a well-optimised GMB profile, you're essentially putting your business right in front of potential customers exactly when they're looking for cleaning services in your area.

Think about it. When people are in need of a service, the first port of call is usually a quick Google search.

Having a GMB profile means that your business will show up in those searches, complete with all the necessary information a potential customer might need - your opening hours, contact details, location, and more. Not only does this increase your visibility, but it also adds a level of credibility to your business.

But to truly get the most out of your Google Business listing, you need to ensure it's optimised. 

So, what does that involve? 

Here are 10 key things you should focus on to see real results:

1. Complete Information: Fill out every section of your profile, including business name, address, and contact details.
2. Categories: Choose the right business categories to help Google understand what your business is about and who it should show your listing to.
3. Description: Write a detailed and accurate description of your business and the services you offer, using relevant keywords where appropriate.
4. Opening Hours: Ensure your opening hours are accurate and updated regularly.
5. Photos: Upload high-quality photos of your team at work, before-and-after shots of cleaning jobs, and any other relevant images. This helps to make your business more tangible and relatable.
6. Reviews: Encourage happy customers to leave positive reviews and make sure to respond to all reviews in a professional and timely manner.
7. Posts: Regularly update your GMB profile with posts about your latest services, offers, or business news.
8. Services: List all the services you offer clearly, and consider adding a pricing range if possible.
9. Q&A: Monitor and respond to questions from potential customers.
10. Insights: Use GMB's insights feature to understand how people are interacting with your listing and what you can do to improve.

By taking the time to optimise your Google Business profile, you'll be making the most of a free tool that has the potential to significantly boost your business's visibility and credibility. 

It's a simple, yet effective way of driving new leads to your cleaning company every month.

SEO for Cleaning Companies

SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is an incredible tool that has helped countless businesses generate millions in revenue. In essence, SEO is the practice of optimising your website and online content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). 

The higher your website ranks, the more visibility it gains, leading to more potential customers finding your services.

Study

Source

The global cleaning industry market size is expected to grow at an annual rate of 6.3% from 2023 to 2030

gitnux.com

North America dominated the contract cleaning services industry with a revenue share of 31.7% in 2022

https://www.globenewswire.com/

Businesses with a marketing strategy allocate on average 41% of their budget to SEO

82% of people who implemented an SEO strategy said that it had a positive effect on their business

Many cleaning companies have leveraged SEO to effectively grow their online presence, attract more website visitors, and ultimately convert these visitors into customers. 

The beauty of SEO lies in its ability to target customers who are already actively searching for cleaning services, making these leads more likely to convert.

Think About Long Term For SEO

It's important to note that SEO is a long-term strategy. 

Unlike paid advertising, which provides instant visibility, SEO requires time and patience. However, the results you can achieve are often worth the wait. With consistent effort and quality content, your website can secure a top spot in the SERPs, providing a constant stream of organic traffic.

Long Term Payback With SEO

The payback of SEO in the long run can be substantial. Once your website starts ranking for relevant keywords, it can maintain its position with a consistent and strategic approach, resulting in continuous organic traffic without the recurring costs of paid ads. Furthermore, high SERP rankings increase your business's credibility and can lead to higher click-through rates.

To get started on your SEO journey, here are 15 key elements to optimise on your website:

Website Structure: Ensure your website is well-structured, easy to navigate, and mobile-friendly.

Page Load Speed: Optimise your site to load quickly, as slow loading times can negatively impact your SEO.

Meta Tags: Write descriptive meta titles and descriptions for each page on your site.

Keyword Optimisation: Use relevant keywords in your content, meta tags, and URLs.

Image Optimisation: Use appropriate file names and alt tags for your images.

Quality Content: Regularly publish high-quality, original content that is helpful to your audience.

Internal Links: Use internal links to guide users to other relevant pages on your site.

External Links: Link to high-quality, relevant external sites.

Header Tags: Use header tags (H1, H2, etc.) to structure your content and include keywords where relevant.

SSL Certificate: Ensure your site is secure (HTTPS) as search engines favour secure sites.

User Experience: Make your site user-friendly to encourage visitors to stay longer.

Social Sharing: Enable social sharing buttons to increase engagement and reach.

Local SEO: Optimise your site for local search terms and maintain an up-to-date Google My Business profile.

Schema Markup: Use schema markup to help search engines understand your content better.

Monitor Performance: Regularly review your site’s performance using tools like Google Analytics and Search Console, and make necessary adjustments.

Remember, SEO isn't a one-time effort but an ongoing process. However, with the right strategies in place, it can be a game-changer for your cleaning business.

Google PPC Ads

PPC for cleaning companies is a digital marketing strategy where businesses pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. 

Essentially, it's a way of buying visits to your site, rather than attempting to "earn" those visits organically. Platforms such as Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising offer PPC advertising services, allowing your website to appear above organic search results.

Here are some key facts about PPC advertising for cleaning companies:

• PPC advertising allows businesses to pay for each click on their ads, rather than relying on organic traffic.
• Platforms such as Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising offer PPC advertising services, allowing cleaning companies to appear above organic search results.
• PPC advertising can be highly effective in driving targeted website traffic, generating leads, and increasing sales.
• PPC advertising is cost-effective because businesses have complete control over how much they are willing to spend.
• The cost of PPC advertising varies depending on the industry, the platform, and the competition for keywords.

Here is a sample cost guide for PPC advertising for cleaning companies:

Factor

Cost Range

Average CPC for cleaning companies

€1.72

Monthly budget for PPC advertising

€500 - €5,000

Estimated clicks per month

184 - 1,840

Estimated website visits per month

92 - 920

It is important to note that the cost of PPC advertising can vary widely depending on the factors mentioned above. Cleaning companies should carefully consider their budget and goals before investing in PPC advertising.

Retargeting Ads

Retargeting ads are a highly effective digital marketing strategy for cleaning businesses. 

Here are some benefits of retargeting ads for cleaning companies:

• Retargeting ads allow cleaning companies to target people who have already shown interest in their business.
• Retargeting ads can help cleaning companies increase brand awareness and stay top-of-mind with potential customers.
• Retargeting ads can help cleaning companies increase website traffic and generate more leads with less marketing spend.
• Retargeting ads can help cleaning companies increase conversions and sales by targeting people who are more likely to make a booking.

To set up a retargeting campaign, cleaning companies can use platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or AdRoll. 

These platforms allow cleaning companies to create custom audiences based on website visitors, email subscribers, or social media followers. 

It is important to carefully analyze and optimize your retargeting campaigns to ensure maximum efficiency and make sure you’re getting good quality traffic within your local area. This involves monitoring ad performance, adjusting targeting criteria, and testing different ad formats and messaging.

Here is a sample cost guide for retargeting ads for cleaning companies:

Factor

Cost Range

Average cost per click (CPC) for retargeting ads

€0.30 - €0.70

Monthly budget for retargeting ads

€500 - €1,000

Estimated clicks per month

600 - 10,000

It is important to note that the cost of retargeting ads can vary depending on the platform, the competition, and the targeting criteria. Cleaning companies should carefully consider their budget and goals before investing in retargeting ads.

YouTube Ads

YouTube ads are a powerful digital marketing strategy for cleaning businesses. 

Here are some benefits of using YouTube ads:

1. Increased reach and visibility: YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, with over 2 billion monthly active users. This means that cleaning businesses can reach a large and diverse audience through YouTube ads.
2. Varied targeting opportunities: YouTube offers a range of targeting options, including demographic targeting, interest targeting, and keyword targeting. This allows cleaning businesses to reach their ideal audience with precision.
3. Cost-effective: YouTube advertising is a cost-effective strategy, with businesses only paying when someone clicks on their ad. This means that cleaning businesses can control their advertising spend and ensure that they are getting a good return on investment.
4. Highly targeted: YouTube advertising allows you to target people who have already shown interest in their business, such as website visitors or email subscribers. This makes YouTube ads highly targeted and effective in driving conversions.

To set up a YouTube ad campaign, you can use Google Ads, which offers a range of ad formats including in-stream ads, video discovery ads, and bumper ads. 

Here’s a useful video we found to help you with setting up Google ads: 

Grow Your Cleaning Business with Google Ads

It is important to note that the cost of YouTube ads can vary depending on the ad format, the competition, and the targeting criteria. Cleaning businesses should carefully consider their budget and goals before investing in YouTube ads.

Step-by-Step Guide to Market Your Cleaning Business

1. Research Your Audience - Understand who your services are targeted towards. Are they homeowners, business owners, or both? Research their needs, preferences, and pain points.
2. Develop Your Brand - Create a distinctive brand that reflects your cleaning business. This includes a logo, colour scheme, and a unique selling proposition that sets you apart from competitors.
3. Optimise Your Website - Ensure your website is user-friendly, easy to navigate, and optimised for search engines. Include clear information about your services, pricing, and contact details.
4. Create Engaging Content - Regularly update your website and social media pages with engaging and valuable content. This can include blog posts, how-to guides, and useful tips related to cleaning.
5. Leverage Social Media - Use social media platforms to connect with your audience, share your content, and promote your services. Consider paid advertising options to reach a larger audience.
6. Invest in Email Marketing - Build an email list and regularly send out newsletters or promotional offers. Ensure your emails provide value to your audience.
7. Ask for Reviews - Encourage happy customers to leave positive reviews on platforms like Google and Yelp. Show appreciation for their feedback and address any negative reviews in a professional manner.
8. Monitor and Adjust - Regularly monitor the performance of your marketing efforts and make necessary adjustments. This will help you optimise your marketing strategy and achieve better results.

Still Confused About Marketing Your Cleaning Business?

Navigating the landscape of digital marketing can be challenging. 

If you're looking for support with your digital marketing efforts, consider hiring Social Gravity. We offer a comprehensive, done-for-you marketing programme backed by a solid ROI guarantee. Specialising in home services marketing and cleaning marketing, we have the expertise to help your cleaning business thrive.