Deciphering Your Online Search For “Local Security Companies In Buffalo”
For some, it important to find a reputable local company to provide home security. For others, the more popular national brands are just fine. Regardless of your preference, searching for a home security company in Buffalo can be a bit overwhelming.
Open the phone book, and you won’t find just a simple list of phone numbers. You’ll find page after page of expensive ads from security companies in Buffalo, NY, large and small both national and local. A Google search for “Home Security Buffalo” yields pages of online results. With this information overload, how do you choose which security companies in Buffalo, NY are worth investigating?
Online Search For Security Companies in Buffalo, NY
Online search has overtaken the traditional phone book for consumer search. In fact, the IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau) estimates that online ad spending has grown at a compound annual rate of about 20% over the past 10 years, while spending on traditional phone book has plummeted. Consumers have tremendously benefited from search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo. They’ve certainly made shopping for anything a whole lot easier over the last decade. (Do you even remember the “old days” without the internet?)
These search engines save consumers a ton of time by instantly delivering a list of top companies to call for products as diverse as car mufflers to home security systems. The list, however, is what I’d like to discuss here… How do companies make the list… and are the companies on the list the best choice for your home security?
Interpreting The Results
The list is comprised of both paid and organic results:
- Paid results (those listings at the top and right-hand side of the page) are where advertisers appear
- Organic results (those listings that appear naturally in the middle of the page) are where non-paid listings appear
Without painfully dissecting an actual Google results page, suffice it to say that companies pay big money to be listed at the top and right hand side of the search page. This graphic illustrates that the paid listings are worth it. A whopping 85% of consumers will click on the first thing they see at the top of the page.
Problem is: In most cases, the companies with the deepest marketing pockets win the listing war – and in many cases – your business. This article is a “shout-out” for us David’s out there who are fighting Goliath to, at the very least, be heard!
Digress: Bringing Google Search Back To Home Security Buffalo
The whole point of my rant today was to illustrate how easy it is for huge companies like ADT, Lifeshield and Frontpoint to capture your attention. Let’s face it: If you’re searching for Home Security Buffalo, aren’t you looking for a local security company… you know, someone who really knows the market?
Back To The Point…
If you’re serious about protecting your family and decide that a security system is a way to go, check out the local companies who may appear a little further down the page. Be sure that the company you ultimately deal with isn’t just the one listed at the top. Make sure they are easily accessible (i.e. they answer their phone!), and they can deliver what they promise.
Keep in mind these tips when deciding who to work with:
- Ask how long the company has been in business. Alarm companies come and go. Be sure that they’ve been established for more than five years.
- Ask for referrals from their customers. Imitation is the highest form of flattery. A quality alarm company will have lists of happy clients who would be more than willing to share their experience.
- Make sure the company you choose handles the installation from start to finish. Many national security firms use subcontractors. While this might not pose a problem immediately, consider who you might call should a problem arise in the future.
- Ask about the company’s insurance. A quality alarm company carries general liability, workman’s compensation, and errors and omissions insurance. Beware: Any claims or losses may fall on you if the company in is not properly insured.
- Ask about the contract! Review this carefully before you sign. Don’t be pressured into signing a long term contract. This is where security companies make their money, so they want you to be locked into their service for a long time! Companies like ADT won’t budge should you decide to cancel, so make sure that you’re in it for the long run if you decide to sign with them.
