The Boomtown blog
Websites that get calls, explained.
Short, practical reads for owners of trade and local service businesses. No jargon, no fluff.
Getting startedFree website for small business: what you really get (and what it costs later)
Free website builders are everywhere. Here is what a free plan actually includes, where the hidden costs are and when free is good enough for a trade business.
October 25, 20267 min read
Getting startedHow to buy a domain name for your business (without getting overcharged)
A step by step guide to choosing and buying a domain name for a small business: where to buy it, what it should cost, which ending to pick and the traps to avoid.
October 25, 20267 min read
Getting startedHow to get a professional email address for your business
Why name@yourcompany.com beats a Gmail address for a contractor, how to set one up step by step and what it costs per month.
October 25, 20266 min read
Getting leadsYelp for business: is it worth it for contractors?
How a free Yelp business page works for trade businesses, how to set it up, how Yelp reviews and ads work and when Yelp is worth your time.
October 25, 20267 min read
Local SEOHow to respond to negative reviews (with examples for contractors)
A bad review is not the end of the world, but a bad reply can be. Here is a simple way to respond to negative reviews on Google and Yelp, with example replies.
October 25, 20267 min read
Trade guidesHow to start a construction company: a practical step by step guide
From choosing your niche to licenses, insurance, bonding, pricing and your first customers, here is how to start a construction company the right way.
October 25, 20269 min read
Getting startedConstruction company names: how to pick one that works (with ideas)
How to choose a construction or contractor business name that customers remember, that is legally available and that works on Google, with name ideas by style.
October 25, 20267 min read
Getting leadsDoor hangers for contractors: how to make them bring in calls
Door hangers are one of the cheapest ways for a local trade business to reach a neighborhood. Here is what to put on them, where to hang them and how to track the calls.
October 25, 20267 min read
Web designHow to make a website for your business: the 3 real options compared
Build it yourself, hire a freelancer or hire a company? Here is how to make a website for your business step by step, what each option costs and which fits a trade business.
October 25, 20268 min read
PricingWebsite maintenance cost: what a small business should really pay
What website maintenance includes, what it typically costs per month or year, which costs you cannot avoid and which you can safely skip.
October 25, 20267 min read
Web designContractor logo: how to get one that looks good on a truck, a sign and a phone
What makes a good contractor or construction logo, the mistakes that make trade logos look cheap, and your options from DIY to a designer, with typical costs.
October 25, 20266 min read
Trade guidesHow to start a towing business (and get calls from day one)
Towing is always in demand and heavily regulated. Here is how to choose your services and truck, handle permits and insurance, set prices and get direct calls.
October 13, 20269 min read
Trade guidesHow to start a concrete business (and get the jobs you want)
Concrete pays well and forgives nothing. Here is how to start a concrete business: experience, equipment, licensing, pricing by the square foot and getting found.
October 13, 20268 min read
Trade guidesHow to start a handyman business (and stay on the right side of the rules)
A handyman business is easy to start and easy to underprice. Here is what you can legally do, how to charge for small jobs and where your first customers come from.
October 13, 20268 min read
Getting leadsGoogle Ads for contractors: how to get calls without wasting money
Google Ads can make the phone ring this week or drain a budget with nothing to show. Here is how it works for local trades and which settings waste the most money.
October 13, 20268 min read
Getting leadsFacebook ads for contractors: what works and what wastes money
Nobody on Facebook is searching for a contractor. Here is which trades do well with Facebook and Instagram ads, how to set up a first campaign and how to handle the leads.
October 13, 20268 min read
Getting leadsNextdoor for business: how contractors get recommended by neighbors
Nextdoor is where homeowners ask each other who to hire. Here is how to set up a free Business Page, earn recommendations and post without annoying the neighborhood.
October 13, 20267 min read
Getting leadsGoogle Local Services Ads: how they work and whether they are worth it
Local Services Ads put you above everything else on Google and you pay per lead, not per click. Here is how they work, what the Google Guaranteed badge means and when they pay off.
October 9, 20268 min read
Local SEOHow to get more Google reviews (without being pushy)
Reviews decide who gets the call. Here is how to ask every customer at the right moment, what to send them, what Google does not allow and how to answer the bad ones.
October 9, 20267 min read
Trade guidesHow to start a pressure washing business (and fill your schedule)
Pressure washing is cheap to start and pays well when the schedule is full. Equipment, paperwork, pricing and the marketing that actually brings in driveways, decks and house washes.
October 9, 20269 min read
Trade guidesHow to start a landscaping or lawn care business
Start with a mower and a trailer, grow into routes and bigger installs. What to buy, which licenses matter, how to price and how to get your first steady clients.
October 9, 20269 min read
Trade guidesHow to start a cleaning business and get your first clients
A cleaning business can start with supplies that fit in your car. Residential or commercial, insurance and bonding, how to price, and where your first clients will come from.
October 9, 20268 min read
Getting startedChatGPT for small business: 10 practical uses for contractors
AI will not swing a hammer, but it can take hours of office work off your plate. Ten real ways contractors and service businesses use ChatGPT, with prompts you can copy, and where it goes wrong.
October 9, 20268 min read
Web designBefore and after photos that win jobs: a guide for contractors
Nothing sells a service like a before and after. How to shoot them on your phone, where to use them and the mistakes that make good work look average.
October 9, 20267 min read
Local SEOSEO for contractors: a plain English guide to getting found on Google
No jargon, no monthly retainer pitch. What actually gets a local contractor found on Google, in the order that matters, and what you can do yourself this week.
October 9, 20269 min read
Getting foundHow to get your business on Google Maps (and actually show up)
Getting on the map takes one afternoon. Showing up when someone nearby searches takes a few more steps. Here is the whole process for a local service business.
October 3, 20268 min read
Getting leadsAngi, Thumbtack or your own website: where should contractor leads come from?
Lead sites can fill a slow week. They can also eat your margin. Here is how Angi, Thumbtack, HomeAdvisor and Google Local Services Ads compare with leads from your own site.
October 3, 20268 min read
Getting foundWhy is my website not showing up on Google?
You built a website, you searched for it, and nothing. Here are the most common reasons a small business site does not show on Google, and how to fix each one.
October 3, 20267 min read
Trade guidesHow to start a junk removal business (and get your first customers)
A truck, a trailer and a strong back get you started. Getting the phone to ring is the harder part. A practical guide from the people who build junk removal websites.
October 3, 20269 min read
PricingHow much does a website cost for a small contractor?
From free builders to $10,000 agencies, prices are all over the place. Here is what you actually pay for, and what a trade business really needs.
September 17, 20267 min read
Getting startedDo you still need a website if you have a Facebook page?
Plenty of trade businesses run on Facebook alone. It works, until it does not. Here is what a page can and cannot do for you.
September 17, 20266 min read
Web design9 things every contractor website needs to get calls
A good looking site that does not ring the phone is just an expensive brochure. These are the pieces that turn visitors into calls.
September 17, 20268 min read
Web designLanding page or full website: which one does your business need?
One strong page or a site with a page for every service? The right choice depends on how many services you offer and how people find you.
September 17, 20265 min read
Local SEOGoogle Business Profile vs website: why local businesses need both
Your Google profile gets you on the map. Your website gets you chosen. Here is how they feed each other, and how to set both up right.
September 17, 20267 min read
PerformanceWhy your website is slow on phones (and why it costs you calls)
A slow site loses people before they ever see your work. Here is how to test your speed for free, what usually causes it and what to fix first.
September 17, 20266 min read7 founding spots left.
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