In this episode of Trades Secrets, we have the pleasure of talking to Carl Kwan, an expert video marketing strategist with a YouTube channel of over 121,000 subscribers. Together we talk about Video Marketers vs Videographers, Carl’s 2025 predictions, and the four videos you NEED to have for your contracting business come 2025.

“People don’t realize YouTube is the world’s 2nd largest search engine” - Carl Kwan (a quote from today’s episode)

Episode Highlights:

• Video Marketers vs Videographers
• 4 types of videos to create in 2025:
  • Business Introduction Video
  • FAQ Videos
  • Introduce Services
  • Testimonial Videos

Missed an episode? Catch up with our full playlist of Trades Secrets podcasts found here:

• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-v2ElYWOqX8jZlaKuHz1krepsTZVY1As

Plus, explore MORE actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades here: https://tradessecretpodcast.com

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Read about the latest in the field: https://elevmarketing.com/blog/

Connect with us on social media:

• Facebook
• X
• Instagram (Elevation Digital Marketing)
• Instagram (Trades Secrets)
• LinkedIn

At Elevation Marketing we have a tight team of experts in SEO or Search Engine Optimization, Google Ads, Google Local Service Ads, Google Display, Social Media Ads, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Content Marketing, and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). With a niche focus on Contractor Marketing and working for the Trades, we've been able to make a significant impact on our home services clients. We are more than an agency, we're your marketing partner. Elevating you elevates us. Email us at experts@elevmarketing.com to talk!

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Trades Secrets: Contractor Marketing is for home services contractors and who are looking for easy to implement marketing tips and strategies. This podcast is for you if you're looking for actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades. We'll keep you apprised of what's new, and what should be on your radar for all things digital marketing.

In this episode of Trades Secrets, we go over the top 10 tips for contractor marketing to help you improve business growth and customer acquisition. We emphasize the importance of having a solid foundation in place before ramping up marketing efforts. Whether you’re a small business, a roofing contractor, or just someone interested in knowing more about effective marketing practices, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

Episode Highlights:

• TIP #1: Get your house in order before you do anything.
• TIP #2: Track everything (including acquisition channels)
• TIP #3: Invest in a quality website.
• TIP #4: Google Business Profile (GBP) is the most important social profile you’ll ever own.
• TIP #5: Consider Google Local Service Ads - Test this option if available in your area.
• TIP #6: Images and video are key to telling your brand story.
• TIP #7: Build a brand!
• TIP #8: Don’t go cheap on website hosting.
• TIP #9: Choose your primary service and optimize for that service.
• TIP #10: Identify the goals of your marketing efforts.

Missed an episode? Catch up with our full playlist of Trades Secrets podcasts found here:

• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-v2ElYWOqX8jZlaKuHz1krepsTZVY1As

Plus, explore MORE actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades here: https://tradessecretpodcast.com

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Read about the latest in the field: https://elevmarketing.com/blog/

Connect with us on social media:

• https://www.facebook.com/elevmarketing
• https://twitter.com/elevation_mktg
• https://www.instagram.com/elevationdigitalmarketing/
• https://www.instagram.com/tradessecrets/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevation-marketing-company/

At Elevation Marketing we have a tight team of experts in SEO or Search Engine Optimization, Google Ads, Google Local Service Ads, Google Display, Social Media Ads, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Content Marketing, and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). With a niche focus on Contractor Marketing and working for the Trades, we've been able to make a significant impact on our home services clients. We are more than an agency, we're your marketing partner. Elevating you elevates us. Email us at experts@elevmarketing.com to talk!

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Trades Secrets: Contractor Marketing is for home services contractors and who are looking for easy to implement marketing tips and strategies. This podcast is for you if you're looking for actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades. We'll keep you apprised of what's new, and what should be on your radar for all things digital marketing.

In this episode of Trades Secrets, we focus on critiquing and analyzing one of our client's websites. Inspired by “The Roast of Tom Brady”, we perform a detailed review of their website while also roasting some of its flaws along the way.

Throughout the episode you will hear typical mistakes made on company websites, with areas of improvement pointed out with our explanation of why you should avoid them. This episode is perfect for business owners curious as to how they can improve their website and anyone who found “The Roast of Tom Brady” funny.

Episode Highlights:

• The importance of strong headlines and clear communication of the company's services.
• There is a need for "meaty" content rather than thin content that doesn't provide value to visitors or search engines.
• The placement and effectiveness of call-to-action buttons are analyzed, with suggestions for improvement.
• Internal linking is valuable throughout the website's content.
• Insights on how to better showcase a company's unique selling points on the homepage.
• And so much more!

Missed an episode? Catch up with our full playlist of Trades Secrets podcasts found here:

• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-v2ElYWOqX8jZlaKuHz1krepsTZVY1As

Plus, explore MORE actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades here: https://tradessecretpodcast.com

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Read about the latest in the field: https://elevmarketing.com/blog/

Connect with us on social media:

• https://www.facebook.com/elevmarketing
• https://twitter.com/elevation_mktg
• https://www.instagram.com/elevationdigitalmarketing/
• https://www.instagram.com/tradessecrets/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevation-marketing-company/

At Elevation Marketing we have a tight team of experts in SEO or Search Engine Optimization, Google Ads, Google Local Service Ads, Google Display, Social Media Ads, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Content Marketing, and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). With a niche focus on Contractor Marketing and working for the Trades, we've been able to make a significant impact on our home services clients. We are more than an agency, we're your marketing partner. Elevating you elevates us. Email us at experts@elevmarketing.com to talk!

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Trades Secrets: Contractor Marketing is for home services contractors and who are looking for easy to implement marketing tips and strategies. This podcast is for you if you're looking for actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades. We'll keep you apprised of what's new, and what should be on your radar for all things digital marketing.

Welcome back contractors! In this episode, we dive into the biggest Google search algorithm leak in history, exposing thousands of APIs in a 2,500+ page document. We dissect just some of the bigger points from the leak, providing insights and actionable tips for contractors regarding search engine optimization (SEO) and website management. This is a must-watch for any contractor looking to gain insight and knowledge of the Google leak and wanting to capitalize on this valuable information!

Episode Highlights:

• The leak confirms that Google uses users' past 13 months of click behavior (called "Nav Boost") to determine search rankings for navigational queries.
• Google tracks users' entire clickstream data, including clicks from social media, emails, and other sources leading to a website.
• Toxic backlinks, especially those with spammy anchor text, can negatively impact a website's ranking.
• Every page title on a website has a site-wide ranking implication, not just for that specific page.
• The past 20 revisions or updates made to a website also factor into its overall ranking.
• Google sandboxes new websites for around 30 days, leading to an initial dip in organic traffic.
• Running paid advertising (PPC) campaigns can help improve organic rankings, as confirmed by the leak.

Missed an episode? Catch up with our full playlist of TradesSecrets podcasts found here:

• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-v2ElYWOqX8jZlaKuHz1krepsTZVY1As

Plus, explore MORE actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades here: https://tradessecretpodcast.com

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Read about the latest in the field: https://elevmarketing.com/blog/

Connect with us on social media:

• https://www.facebook.com/elevmarketing
• https://twitter.com/elevation_mktg
• https://www.instagram.com/elevationdigitalmarketing/
• https://www.instagram.com/tradessecrets/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevation-marketing-company/

At Elevation Marketing we have a tight team of experts in SEO or Search Engine Optimization, Google Ads, Google Local Service Ads, Google Display, Social Media Ads, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Content Marketing, and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). With a niche focus on Contractor Marketing and working for the Trades, we've been able to make a significant impact on our home services clients. We are more than an agency, we're your ma

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Trades Secrets: Contractor Marketing is for home services contractors and who are looking for easy to implement marketing tips and strategies. This podcast is for you if you're looking for actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades. We'll keep you apprised of what's new, and what should be on your radar for all things digital marketing.

Welcome back contractors! In this episode, we take a look at common marketing jargon you may have heard either with your marketing agency or on social media. If you’ve ever felt confused hearing some of these terms or want to have a better understanding of marketing lingo, then this is the episode for you!

Episode Highlights:

• Host - The server where your website is hosted and stored
• DNS - Domain Name System, which translates domain names (like mywebsite.com) into IP addresses so browsers can find your website
• CDN - Content Delivery Network, a distributed network of servers that can deliver website content (like images, videos, CSS) faster
• Google Analytics 4 - A free Google tool that provides data on how users interact with your website
• Google Tag Manager (GTM) - A tool to manage website tags (like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, etc.) in one central location
• SERPS - Search Engine Results Page
• Domain vs URL - A domain name is a human-friendly text form of the IP address. URL is a string that represents the complete web address of any web page

Missed an episode? Catch up with our full playlist of TradesSecrets podcasts found here:

• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-v2ElYWOqX8jZlaKuHz1krepsTZVY1As

Plus, explore MORE actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades here: https://tradessecretpodcast.com

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Read about the latest in the field: https://elevmarketing.com/blog/

Connect with us on social media:

• https://www.facebook.com/elevmarketing
• https://twitter.com/elevation_mktg
• https://www.instagram.com/elevationdigitalmarketing/
• https://www.instagram.com/tradessecrets/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevation-marketing-company/

At Elevation Marketing we have a tight team of experts in SEO or Search Engine Optimization, Google Ads, Google Local Service Ads, Google Display, Social Media Ads, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Content Marketing, and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). With a niche focus on Contractor Marketing and working for the Trades, we've been able to make a significant impact on our home services clients. We are more than an agency, we're your marketing partner. Elevating you elevates us. Email us at experts@elevmarketing.com to talk!

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Trades Secrets: Contractor Marketing is for home services contractors and who are looking for easy to implement marketing tips and strategies. This podcast is for you if you're looking for actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades. We'll keep you apprised of what's new, and what should be on your radar for all things digital marketing.

Welcome back contractors! In this episode, we look back at our 5 best-performing episodes of 2023 based on engagements and other metrics. While revisiting these episodes we discuss why we think they were so popular and give an overview of the key points of those episodes. So if you’re new here we encourage you to go back and listen to those as most are still applicable in 2024!

Episode Highlights:

• 5) Episode #8 - "Marketing During a Recession" - Discussed strategies for prioritizing marketing spend and tightening belts during an economic downturn.
• 4) Episode #35 - "2024 Marketing Plan: Why Now is the Time to Get Your Sh*t Together (Part 2)" - Dove into the tactical implementation of an annual marketing plan.
• 3) Episode #43 - "Lessons Learned and Scaling a Successful Roofing Company with Erica Smith" - Featured an interview with a successful roofing company owner sharing her experiences and advice.
• 2) Episode #3 - "Consistency is Key in Marketing" - Emphasized the importance of consistent branding, contact info, and ongoing communications for building trust and visibility.
• 1) Episode #9 - "What is Your Marketing ROI?" - Provided tips and tools for measuring the business impact and return on investment from SEO campaigns.

Missed an episode? Catch up with our full playlist of TradesSecrets podcasts found here:

• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-v2ElYWOqX8jZlaKuHz1krepsTZVY1As

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Read about the latest in the field: https://elevmarketing.com/blog/

Connect with us on social media:

• https://www.facebook.com/elevmarketing
• https://twitter.com/elevation_mktg
• https://www.instagram.com/elevationdigitalmarketing/
• https://www.instagram.com/tradessecrets/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevation-marketing-company/

At Elevation Marketing we have a tight team of experts in SEO or Search Engine Optimization, Google Ads, Google Local Service Ads, Google Display, Social Media Ads, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Content Marketing, and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). With a niche focus on Contractor Marketing and working for the Trades, we've been able to make a significant impact on our home services clients. We are more than an agency, we're your marketing partner. Elevating you elevates us. Email us at experts@elevmarketing.com to talk!

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Trades Secrets: Contractor Marketing is for home services contractors and who are looking for easy to implement marketing tips and strategies. This podcast is for you if you're looking for actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades. We'll keep you apprised of what's new, and what should be on your radar for all things digital marketing.

Welcome back contractors! In this episode, we dive deep into the topic of Google Ads and why it's not a silver bullet solution for contractors seeking leads. We discuss the potential risks and misconceptions surrounding Google Ads, emphasizing the need for proper testing, optimization and realistic expectations.

Episode Highlights:

• Google Ads requires a significant investment of time and resources for testing and optimization before seeing results.
• A single click on a Google Ad can cost contractors tens of dollars, even if the lead doesn't convert.
• Relying solely on Google Ads while neglecting organic SEO strategies can lead to an over-dependence on paid advertising.
• Google Local Services ads may be a more cost-effective alternative, as contractors only pay for legitimate leads or calls.
• The effectiveness of Google Ads can vary greatly depending on the contractor's industry and the buyer's journey.
• A balanced approach, combining SEO and targeted advertising, may be the most effective long-term strategy.

Missed an episode? Catch up with our full playlist of TradesSecrets podcasts found here:

• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-v2ElYWOqX8jZlaKuHz1krepsTZVY1As

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Read about the latest in the field: https://elevmarketing.com/blog/

Connect with us on social media:

• https://www.facebook.com/elevmarketing
• https://twitter.com/elevation_mktg
• https://www.instagram.com/elevationdigitalmarketing/
• https://www.instagram.com/tradessecrets/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevation-marketing-company/

At Elevation Marketing we have a tight team of experts in SEO or Search Engine Optimization, Google Ads, Google Local Service Ads, Google Display, Social Media Ads, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Content Marketing, and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). With a niche focus on Contractor Marketing and working for the Trades, we've been able to make a significant impact on our home services clients. We are more than an agency, we're your marketing partner. Elevating you elevates us. Email us at experts@elevmarketing.com to talk!

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Trades Secrets: Contractor Marketing is for home services contractors and who are looking for easy to implement marketing tips and strategies. This podcast is for you if you're looking for actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades. We'll keep you apprised of what's new, and what should be on your radar for all things digital marketing.

Welcome back contractors! In this episode, we cover questions you should ask when searching for SEO companies/agencies and why SEO proposals are apples to oranges! We also discuss why each question is so important and help you understand how to get the most out of your SEO marketing budget.

Tips:

• No two SEO packages are the same, so make sure you understand exactly what’s included.
• Higher pricing often reflects more comprehensive services, not unnecessary “fluff.”
• The right digital marketing partner for you depends on your business’ specific goals and needs.

Episode Highlights:

• Is keyword research included? Is it for just one focus keyword or a full strategy?
• How long will it take to see results? Do they allow time upfront for discovery and foundational setup?
• How are leads defined and reported? Are they inflated numbers or cleaned of spam and irrelevant contacts?
• Will I have a dedicated account manager? Or do they switch account managers frequently?
• To what extent do they provide website management services? Where's the line between SEO and web design needs?
• Ask for referrals, especially from clients in your industry to gauge real results.

Missed an episode? Catch up with our full playlist of TradesSecrets podcasts found here:

• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-v2ElYWOqX8jZlaKuHz1krepsTZVY1As

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Read about the latest in the field: https://elevmarketing.com/blog/

Connect with us on social media:

• https://www.facebook.com/elevmarketing
• https://twitter.com/elevation_mktg
• https://www.instagram.com/elevationdigitalmarketing/
• https://www.instagram.com/tradessecrets/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevation-marketing-company/

At Elevation Marketing we have a tight team of experts in SEO or Search Engine Optimization, Google Ads, Google Local Service Ads, Google Display, Social Media Ads, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Content Marketing, and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). With a niche focus on Contractor Marketing and working for the Trades, we've been able to make a significant impact on our home services clients. We are more than an agency, we're your marketing partner. Elevating you elevates us. Email us at experts@elevmarketing.com to talk!

Find out how we can help you grow your business: https://elevmarketing.com/

Trades Secrets: Contractor Marketing is for home services contractors and who are looking for easy to implement marketing tips and strategies. This podcast is for you if you're looking for actionable marketing tactics that are not over your head, and apply to ALL trades. We'll keep you apprised of what's new, and what should be on your radar for all things digital marketing.