How Digital Marketing is Changing the Moving Industry

There is no denying that we live in a digital age. The internet is practically a fact of life these days – we use it for entertainment, education, communication, and more. This digitalization has affected how we do business as well. One of the branches that have changed the most is marketing. A radio slot or a page in the local newspaper is not enough anymore.

To succeed these days, you must have an online presence and a digital marketing strategy. And just as advancements in technology changed marketing, now digital marketing is changing the moving industry. For better or for worse? That’s still up for debate. But at least for now, these changes are here to stay, so it’s best to get familiar with them.

Digital Marketing is Changing the Moving Industry by Leveling the Playing Field

The switch to more online-focused marketing strategies is good news for young entrepreneurs for whom the internet provides a better chance at succeeding. Traditional marketing wasn’t always accessible to small businesses for several reasons (primarily – the cost). But digital marketing does away with such problems.

Big or small, everyone can carve out a place for themselves online

Even if you’re just starting out with a small, family-owned, local moving business, you can use the internet to advance in much the same way big national moving companies do. If you stay on top of industry trends and post optimized and engaging content on social media, for example, you can easily reach the same audiences that much bigger and more experienced movers do. This will help you grow despite being in the same industry as some giants with a lot more funds.

Advertising online is cheaper and thus more accessible to small businesses

Digital marketing is not exactly free – you have to pay for your website domain, Google ads, social media ads, and more. But this is just a fraction of the cost that traditional marketing would incur. Thus, even small relocation companies working on tight budgets can hire experts who specialize in SEO for these types of businesses who can help newcomers in the industry grow and compete with much larger companies. With how effective digital marketing is, finances shouldn’t be an issue for very long after that.

The unfortunate downside: fraudulent movers on the rise

There is a downside to the accessibility of digital marketing: almost anyone can use it to promote their business, even if that business is less than reputable. Fraudulent movers can set up websites that look very legitimate, run ads for pennies, and lure people in to trick them. This is an unfortunate price to pay for a level playing field. But luckily, the internet also makes it easier to do research and recognize scammers.

Digital Marketing is Changing the Moving Industry by Diversifying Your Options

The internet has revolutionized marketing by opening up thousands of different possibilities to businesses. You can run a more traditional campaign by creating video ads that play in apps or on websites. Or you can go the more novel route of engaging people on social media.

You can focus on providing quality content that lands on the first page of Google results, or you can try to go viral by engaging in some form of activism. The possibilities are literally endless. It’s just about choosing the right strategy for your business. Once you do, the internet will help you to:

• speak to new audiences: with everyone online every day, you’ll be able to advertise to people who would otherwise never know about your moving business
• target specific demographics: by analyzing the behavior of people online and targeting particular groups of people with your ads, you can speak directly to the people you want rather than relying on a broad mass media campaign that tries to advertise to everyone
• expand your reach: if you’re offering more than just local moving services, being able to reach people all over the country through the internet will be of great benefit to your business

Digital Marketing is Changing the Moving Industry by Raising the Standards

You’ve probably heard that the internet is forever – what’s on the internet once cannot be taken back. And with everyone using the internet, any mistakes you make are out there for the world to see. This makes it more important than ever to run a tight ship, focus on customer satisfaction, and avoid blunders. Since most moving companies are in the same situation where they can’t afford to do poorly, the entire industry gets better.

Reviews matter (and the internet is full of them)

Good reviews are not really a part of a marketing strategy (unless you plan on writing them yourself, which you shouldn’t). Yet, they are one of the most effective ways to market your business. Nothing gets you more customers than a good rating and lots of recommendations, and anyone can post a review online. So you’ll want to keep all your customers happy – this is the only way to ensure the kind of positive reviews that rake in more business.

Protecting your reputation is more important than ever

The internet doesn’t just lift up small businesses – it also helps the average customer be heard. They can post reviews or share their experiences on social media. With a public forum like the internet, anyone can read those. All it takes is one mistake, one wrong comment that goes viral, and your reputation could be ruined.

And no amount of online advertising will help you if people start associating your name with lousy business practices. So it’s best not to risk it and give it your all with every relocation.

It’s harder to hide when consumers have access to more information

While the internet makes it easier for fraudulent movers to set up an ostensibly legitimate front, it also makes it easier for people to see through that front. Nowadays, customers can easily do their own research online. They’ll Google your business, find your social media accounts, read your reviews, see how you interact with customers, look up your FMCSA license, and more. With just a bit of effort, they will quickly see through any dishonesty.

Digital Marketing is Changing the Moving Industry by Changing Consumer Behavior

Perhaps the most significant way in which digital marketing is changing the moving industry is through its effect on consumers. These days, customers find you online, research you on the internet, and expect you to respond quickly to online queries.

But they may also use ad blockers to avoid seeing your advertisements, judge your business based on where you choose to run your campaigns, or purposefully decide not to hire you based on your online presence. Simply, digital marketing has changed consumers’ views and expectations of businesses, and now the moving industry has to adjust.