website, facebook or blog?

[lordmuck]

I am just starting out in the PC repair world and aside from going the business card, flyer and normal ad route I want to also create a website. I know that a .com is probably the best way to go but would a blog or even a facebook page for your business achieve the same goal?

 

[tminer]

I would actually recommend all three if you have the time.
The website is the single most important of the three, but the blog (on your website) gives you fresh frequent content which is good for the search engines in driving traffic to the site. The facebook is also and add on which should have links to your website.

 

[16k_zx81]

With each platform you are appealing to different markets, and attracting a different customer group.

A large portion of your potential customers will search Google/Bing etc to find computer technicians. If you plan on getting conversions from these searches, you will need a website.

A blog may come up in the results if you SEO it effectively, but will not necessarily sell your services (depends on how you implement it and the context you place it in, I guess)

A Facebook page will not come up in the results, but can attract customers within its own network

Each serves a different purpose.

A Blog can be used for SEO, although its tricky to do this for PC repair, as it relies almost entirely on fresh, quality content that is relevant to the search engine terms and which is continually updated. There is a fine line with PC repair between providing relevant content, and providing content that will effectively tell you visitors how to fix their own computers.Obviously if the fix is in your blog, you diminish the chances of selling that service to customers.

A Facebook page can be used very effectively for social networking, and will get you work from people in whatever local network you are able to create within it

My suggestion would be to work on a Site, and on a Facebook page, and once you have them set up, worry about how or whether you want to blog. IMO, blogging is the most technically challenging of the three options as an advertising medium.

Lisa (callthatgirl) has a great e-book on social networking, which covers using Facebook and other similar networking systems to attract business

Bryan Vest is an expert on SEO for PC Techs, he's definitely worth talking to on the subject of Websites. His rates are very reasonable also.

As far as the website itself goes, I suggest you read through the Website Critique section of the Forum. There's a great deal of gems of information there specific to our industry, and lots of info on how to build a great PC Repair Website. It also addresses common mistakes in advertising copy, general design features, recommended back ends, and provides other relevant resources to get up and running with a site that will effectively sell services.

 

[lordmuck]

thanks guys. that answers my question

 

[lordmuck]

anyone have any good pointers to some good affordable webhosts that offer domains and maybe even site builders? I can build my own site but it's such a pain. I'm just looking something simple.

 

[16k_zx81]

Wordpress. Grab a pro theme from here

Install WP, grab some stock images, and you're good to go.

If you get a decent (high selling, high rated) pro theme, most of the work will be done for you - cuffon fonts, custom banner slot, menus, shortcodes (quick, natural-language code-snippets for layout). Its really easy.

Everything can be configured from the theme. If you want more customization, just add free plugins (ie mobile themes, etc), and you will have a professional, SEO friendly site up and running in a day or two.

Its the quickest, easiest way I have seen to build a site that looks the part.

 

[bosanci28]

well,yes,wordpress will be the easy one to install and configure,
and you can find themes for free all over the place,just search it.

here you can find some free themes.

i know my host, has i think some free website builders,
but if you want to be unique get ready to spend some money,

 

[JAbbott]

yes Wordpress is awesome.

single most important is a website of course! we use social media as well. facebook/twitter are the easy for us.

you can never do enough advertising i tell you. the best customers that walk through the door are the referrals- it is always great knowing another customer had a great experience and sent a friend your way. so on that note good, quick, kind service is you best friend.

 

[KirraComputer]

Wordpress. Grab a pro theme from here

Install WP, grab some stock images, and you're good to go.

If you get a decent (high selling, high rated) pro theme, most of the work will be done for you - cuffon fonts, custom banner slot, menus, shortcodes (quick, natural-language code-snippets for layout). Its really easy.

Everything can be configured from the theme. If you want more customization, just add free plugins (ie mobile themes, etc), and you will have a professional, SEO friendly site up and running in a day or two.

Its the quickest, easiest way I have seen to build a site that looks the part.

+1

Get inexpensive hosting ($8/month), a nice theme from themeforest ($35), some random images from a stock image site (dunno how much, not too expensive). Spend a couple hours making it all look nice together, and you're set.

That's basically what I did with mine: http://www.kirracomputer.com/

 

[JosephLeo]

I would recommend all three if you have the time. Your website, blog and social media connection are just additional tools under your belt. To have one or none wouldn't really matter since they aren't required (i'm doing fine without one )

However, I will always recommend all three but if I had to put a priority over them then I would go Website first, then Facebook, then a Blog. I would also consider adding a newsletter as well.

 

[Lefty]

Another vote for wordpress. To answer the OP's question, go for ALL the marketing opportunities available! Plant as many marketing seeds as possible in the beginning, then prune your "garden" after you have an idea on which marketing methods work for your local market.

The inital marketing push for your business would definitely call for burning the midnight oil for the first few days.

 

[sevenfold70]

website should be the priority and use blogs and facebook to promote it

 

[PBComputer]

Website as your main, but also use blogs, Facebook and twitter to help promote