How to Build Your Car Wash Business from the Ground Up

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How to Get Your Car Wash Locations Listed on Google Maps

Build your carwash
Photo Credit: Carla216 via Compfight cc

If you’ve recently built a new car wash, making sure your Google “location” is properly managed will drive organic traffic.
First, Set Up A Basic Website
To start claiming your authority, you’ll want a basic website that serves as your online headquarters.

A self-hosted WordPress blog website gets you running with basic website hosting & URL registration for around $125.00.

Remember to include the most important bits of info:
• Location(s), connected to online map services
• Hours
• Pricing / promotions
• Unique selling feature / specialty – Why are your most enthusiastic and loyal customers such big fans?
• Email list opt-in – So you can recognize your best customers with custom service offers and promotions
• Blog with business news, updates, articles, etc.
• Links to your social media pages & include blog articles that highlight your social media conversations and interactions that are valuable and entertaining
• Google website URL verification and Google Authorship tags to show your website on your Google+ profile

Your Location:
You’re a location-based retail business. Connecting your business to your correct “virtual location’ on Google maps is critically important. This gets found on smartphone Google searches. More importantly, customers find your location on current and future smartphone enabled GPS services.

If you want to dominate online mapping, check your current online properties against this SEO Moz article: Top 20 Local Search Ranking Factors: An Illustrated Guide.

Is a Blog Necessary?
You don’t have to launch a blog that’s popular reading & entertainment if that’s not your style. But a blog is valuable to post your:

• Branded and SEO content
• Articles
• Announcements
• Newsletters

You have a lot more long-term control over your business content, when it’s released and stored on your own WordPress website.

Then, Confirm Your Google ID Optimization

To begin making your business searchable on Google maps and Google Places for Business, be sure to complete the About section of your G+ profile and verify your website.

With your Google ID, you’ll automatically also have a single login username (Gmail email address) and password combination for your:

• YouTube profile
• Google+ profile
• Google business and search tools

Finally, Ride The Wave of Google-Searchable Events & Trends

Use slow times to participate in (or creating) events that create conversations, with a new piece of content or loyalty offer for your customers. Test promotional campaigns to see which offers produce the most bottom line results for your business.

Hyper-Local Events: You Provide “Insider Info”
• Nearby locations of dusty / dirty construction
• A major Spring snowstorm, ice storm, or rainfall is on the way!
• Community events & recognition- supporting local sports teams and organizations
• Seasonal Events: You Can Plan Your Campaigns Ahead
• “Spring” – express as much enthusiasm for Spring as everyone this year! 2013/2014 was an incredibly challenging Winter and now we’re thrilled it’s Spring!

• “Spring Rain Storms” – Set up local weather channel announcements as reminders and let your local community know when you’re offering VIP advance services (pre-paid or reserved service windows to improve customer experience).

• “Spring Cleaning” – Encourage your customers to share their almost “perverse” fascination with dirt. Challenge your social media community to express their love of Spring dirt & mud by taking before and after photos of their vehicles. Each week, you’ll give away a free car wash to one chosen customer who shared their carwash before/after on your page.

Trade & Media Events: Accessing Audiences Optimizes Your Authority
Use your Google ID and Authorship to generate authority for your Google accounts by writing guest posts and articles for trade media.

In this WashTrends Blog article by Clint Allerton, he recounts getting started. He says the most valuable step after deciding on branding was to find a professional training program for his detailing specialty.

About the author: Debbie Horovitch is a 20-year advertising media veteran and SEO content producer currently working on her 1st book and training program for marketers using YouTube and Google+ Hangouts on Air, Celebrity Hangouts on Air. Debbie has been working with automotive and aftermarket marketing professionals and media, since 1996.