Originally Posted By: mbartels
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I have to disagree with Nick on this one. There are many sites that will tell you how many times a search phrase is used. They compile all the results from all the search engines. The fact is that home inspection(s) and “state” are the most searched terms.
I don’t understand how an org. that is 99% web based is not # 1-3 on the top search engines. I know this site has to get more hits than any other just from the message board alone. Maybe we can get the site tailored to show up higher on different key words instead of just Certified home inspector.
I also noticed how every one seems to dump on A$hi for the whole branding thing but it appears to be paying off. I have seen T.V. commercials, heard radio ads, and their web site blows this one out of the water in rankings and quality. Their site is geared towards selling prospective buyers on an A$HI inspector while ours is set up more for selling prospective inspectors on joining NACHI.
I think the site should sell to the customer why they NEED a NACHI inspector. Get the rankings higher and have a site that conveys this message so well that there will be NO reason to even check out the A$HI and NAHI sites.
I agree with what Nick says about the internet being the way of the future for people to find a HI. I get a lot of my business from the internet and can tell you that nearly all of my clients are under the age of 30. The majority of people older than that tend to go about things the old fashioned way. (agent) The internet savoy customers are only going to increase every year. All those kids in high school now live off the internet because they have now grown up with it and are not shy of it like most people much older. Just look at the increase in for sale by owner properties. The majority of my clients are choosing to buy without an agent because of all the useful info on the net and in bookstores.
I predict in the next 5 years that there will be a huge boom of internet leads as these kids who grew up with a mouse in their hands move on from high school and college and start buying their first homes. I’m already seeing it in my area. Realtor marketing has got me almost nowhere. The internet is now providing me with about 5 inspection per week on average. Combine that with the occasional customer referring you to a friend, and as R.R. points out, when you do an inspection for 1 client, you also get to market yourself to the seller and at least one of the agents that is normally at the inspection.
Nachi must get the internet dominance going because as of now were playing catch up.
On some MSN sites NACHI is not listed or shows up on page 3 or 4.
