According to IBISWorld, as of 2023, the United States has 72,302 swimming pool cleaning services. Success often means utilizing multiple creative and effective pool service advertising ideas to separate yourself from the competition.
But money and time are limited resources. To allocate funds properly and dedicate effort towards the most fruitful ventures, you must test multiple advertising strategies and double down on the best ones. This may take time, but the ROI will be well worth it in the end.
In this post, we'll detail 29 pool service advertising ideas to jumpstart your pool business and help deliver a steady stream of regular clients. Let's get started.
Table of Contents
- Traditional Advertising Ideas
- Online Advertising Ideas
- Social Media Advertising Ideas
- Video Advertising Ideas
- Referral and Word-of-Mouth Advertising Ideas
- Local Advertising Ideas
- Guerrilla Marketing Ideas
- Conclusion
Traditional advertising ideas for your pool business
Traditional advertising still has a home in the 2020s, even in an increasingly digital world. Many digital marketing gurus turn up their noses at "legacy" advertising channels, but consider this: according to a 2022 study, more Americans listen to the radio than use Facebook in a given week.
Let's look at some more traditional advertising ideas for pool businesses.
1. Radio Ads
Outbound marketing and advertising, such as radio commercials, could be just what your pool business needs to grow locally. As mentioned above, the reach of radio advertising is nothing to sneeze at. And most radio listeners are aged 50-64. Economically speaking, this demographic has some of the highest purchasing power of a given population.
By paying to get your ad on stations your target audience listens to, you can introduce them to your business. This is especially relevant for pool service companies that usually only serve their local area. Alternatively, if your target audience is proven satellite radio listeners, also purchase ad space there.
2. TV Commercials
At the same time your radio advertisements debut, you can also air television commercials as part of your pool service marketing strategy. You don’t need an expensive crew and CG magic to make a compelling, quality TV commercial for your brand.
Film in good lighting (natural or stage lighting, but don’t make it too bright), write a commercial script instead of going off the cuff, keep it short (no more than 60 seconds), and do as many retakes until you get the one. If you’re totally new to this world, check out this guide on how to make a commercial.
And don't be afraid to let a little lighthearted comedy into your script. This can be a great way to endear customers to you and showcase a bit of your personality, like this example from Great Valley Pool Service:
3. Vehicle Wraps
Your pool service business likely has a small fleet of vehicles you use to transport supplies like chlorine and long pool cleaning hoses. Put those trucks to work by purchasing custom vehicle wraps.
You can consider a vehicle wrap like a mobile billboard. You’re advertising your business everywhere you take your work vehicles to take care of your latest pool services job.
4. Door-to-Door Flyers
Although you might feel reticent to spend your advertising dollars on door-to-door flyers, this form of outbound marketing works surprisingly well. The one downside of mailing flyers is it’s impossible to gauge viewership. Research your target audience and send it to the most receptive parties to increase the chances.
Make the flyer as attractive as possible, keeping the design clean and incorporating brand colors and unique visual elements. Remember the sterling copy and a catchy headline. Include CTAs, don’t make ultra-time-sensitive offers (in case it takes your audience a few weeks to review), and keep the flyer content short.
5. Promotional Items
People love freebies, so why not print promotional items with your swimming pool business name and logo and hand them out? Keychains, magnets, and pens are great promotional items to consider. The design of your promotional items should include your pool business contact info and the name and logo. Make it simple for potential customers to get in touch. These tchotchkes are a great form of free promotion, especially at community events and local farmer's markets.
Online advertising ideas
While traditional advertising channels can be effective, having some form of an online presence is a non-negotiable in 2023 and beyond. Customers likely won't take you seriously if you don't have a website (and a clean-looking, mobile-responsive one, at that). Everyone is expected to have a Google business listing, a newsletter, and regularly post on all the latest social platforms.
Every new trend is like a wave, and you're just trying to stay afloat. So how do you manage your priorities? Let's look at some of the most effective online advertising ideas.
6. Banner Ads
A traditional but effective type of online ad is the banner ad. Also known as a web banner, a banner ad appears on websites across the Internet in high-traffic areas to attract attention. These ads can generate brand awareness and drum up interest in your pool cleaning services. The goal of the ad is to attract an Internet user to click and visit your website.
Your banner ad design matters in luring the right eyes, so keep the design simple and clean so you don’t detract from the main message. Your website should have opt-in forms and lead magnets ready to capture contact information and guide users through the sales funnel.
7. Retargeting Ads
Sometimes, a website visitor thinks about using your services but ultimately changes their mind. Retargeting ads are a second chance to win over that customer. Retargeting ads utilize a tracking code so the ad appears to follow the user all over the Internet on other sites they visit. Conversion rate optimization resource Invesp reports that customers who see a retargeting ad are 3x likelier to click the ad than new customers.
8. Native Ads
Our list of swimming pool advertising ideas, of course, includes native ads. As the name alludes, a native ad blends right into the content on which it’s appearing. For example, when you search on Google, the top few results will be sponsored ads intermingling with organic content. Since these ads blend right in, they don’t feel like advertisements, which can increase their effectiveness.
9. Podcast Ads
According to HubSpot reporting resource Demand Sage, podcast listenership in 2023 totaled 464.7 million people. The projected numbers in 2024 are 504.9 million. Podcasts are big business and a worthwhile part of your pool service marketing strategy. When targeting podcasts for ad space, focus on shows related to your industry to increase the chance of audience overlap.
10. Online Business Directories
Is your pool business on online directories? Applying to directories is free and quick, and this small step can pay back huge dividends later. From Angi (formerly known as Angie’s List) to Yelp, adding your name to the directory list will help new customers find you. Check out the example below of a Yelp listing for Timeless Pools in Salt Lake City, UT.
On a related note, your pool cleaning business should complete your Google Business profile if you haven’t already. Fill in all the details and upload photos. This profile will appear at the top of the results page when a customer searches for your company, so accuracy is key!
Social media advertising ideas
Social media remains a dominant part of everyday life, with marketing resource Sprout Social reporting that 4.89 billion people use social media globally. These people switch between seven social networks each month. These social media-centric swimming pool advertising ideas will help you harness the power of social media and expand your audience.
11. Social Media Stories
When your pool company has promotions, discounts, and specials, use social media stories to spread the word. Filming these videos is easy; you can do it on your smartphone, and social media stories are short.
For example, Snapchat Stories support footage up to 60 seconds long, but it’s only 20 seconds on Facebook. Keep your social media stories exclusive to make your news more remarkable and your discounts more covetable.
12. Social Media Advertising
From Facebook to Twitter, Instagram, and every platform in between, each has its own paid advertisement platform you can use to create eye-catching ads. You can spotlight your expertise, focus on specific services, and shave down your audience by criteria like location, age, and other demographics and geographic. In addition, social media ad platforms allow you to track the success of your pool service advertising strategy in real-time.
13. Live Streaming
Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook support live video streaming. Go live to share your expertise with your audience. For instance, you could provide tips and strategies for cleaning your pool or host live Q&As.
This high-value content will become the cornerstone of your pool service marketing. Your audience will come to rely on your videos and invite others to watch them. Before you go live, promote it to increase viewership.
14. User-Generated Content
How well does your pool service business get the job done? Don’t just spread the word yourself; let your audience get involved with user-generated content. UGC includes photos, videos, and other content that proves the efficiency of your services. Producing UGC isn't best for all types of businesses, but it's an absolute weapon for pool service pros.
Imagine your CPA making an Instagram reel for how awesome they are at doing your taxes. That's probably not going viral anytime soon. On the other hand, pool service is a business with demonstrable and highly visual results perfect for UGC.
Users upload this content on their own profiles. You can share and repost before and after photos with their permission. Many brands will actually use UGC as paid or promoted ads on social media with great results. What can be a better form of advertising than a happy customer sharing your work It’s also social proof to inspire leads on the fence to act finally (like this example of a customer review used as social fodder for Blue Ocean Pool Service).
15. Social Media Contests
You can host contests on social media to increase your followers and strengthen your brand. The contest rules should be simple, requiring participants to like, share, or comment on your post for the chance to win. As your contest posts spread, they’ll land in the newsfeeds of others who don’t follow you. These social media users will then look into your services.
You could even stack this strategy with the previous ones:
- Run a contest asking all of your current customers to record a testimonial showcasing your work and talking about their experience working with your business
- You select a winner that gets free pool service for a month (or whatever works for you)
- You then promote that UGC as a paid ad on Facebook, Instagram, and even TikTok, targeting your local area.
It's a triple threat! Why not try it out?
Video advertising ideas
Did you know that the typical Internet user spends 33.3 percent of their time online watching videos? That’s according to Loom’s blog, The Transcript. If you’re not already using video advertising to spread your pool service business, you should. Here are some advertising ideas to get you started.
16. Behind-the-Scenes Videos
What is a day in the life of a pool cleaner really like? With behind-the-scenes videos, you can answer that question. Check out the Pool Guys Weekly Pool Maintenance vlog series, where the Kentucky-based company American Pool and Spa gives a peek behind the curtain of what it means to be a pool service pro:
This video alone has over 61,000 views! If only .001% of those viewers turned into an inbound lead, that's still 61 customers! Introducing your audience to the day-to-day dealings of your company provides high-value content and humanizes your business. Customers will also appreciate the transparency. Further, you can use behind-the-scenes videos to showcase your expertise, professionalism, and unique personality.
17. Product Demonstrations
Educational content like product demonstrations is an excellent form of pool service marketing. Showing viewers how easy it is to clean their pool with your products and services might push some leads to convert.
You’re also inspiring trust among your audience as you display the efficacy of your products. You can even strike affiliate deals with certain pool equipment manufacturers. In exchange for an honest review of their product, you get a cut of every sale through your unique affiliate link.
18. Video Testimonials
On the note of building trust, few things do that more than reviews and testimonials. Testimonial company Boast reports that 92 percent of customers will read online reviews before purchasing. While text testimonials are fine, video testimonials can go more in-depth. You can show footage of a customer’s pool before and after cleaning it.
Between those images and the authentic words of the customer, audience members who see your video testimonials have a much higher chance of converting. And as we mentioned above, these can be endlessly repurposed into blog posts, podcast content, paid ads, and website copy.
Referral and Word-of-Mouth advertising ideas
Loyalty experience platform Annex Cloud states that the average person is four times likelier to buy a product or service when the recommendation comes from a friend. Referrals and word of mouth are incredibly powerful advertising areas for your pool company. Here are some ways to do it.
19. Sponsor Local Events
Local events always attract crowds. By sponsoring them, you can broaden the brand awareness of your pool service business.
20. Customer Appreciation Events
You greatly appreciate your customers. Rather than tell them, show them through customer appreciation events a few times a year like a barbeque or pool party.
21. Loyalty Programs
Loyalty programs are a smart part of any pool service marketing plan. By rewarding your customers with free pool services and special discounts after a certain number of visits, they’ll spread the positive word to others. These leads will hear how well you treat your existing customers and consider your pool business.
Local advertising ideas
Building a relationship with your local community will generate a buzz and positive word-of-mouth. Incorporate the following tactics as part of your pool service advertising strategy.
22. Partner with Local Businesses
What’s better than one local business? Two of them working together! You can stick to local businesses within your industry, such as pool supply stores, or you can go slightly outside your niche, working with landscaping companies to cross-promote one another’s services.
Offering referral incentives can make a local business partnership even more fruitful for both parties.
23. Advertise in Local Newspapers
Newspaper readership might not be what it once was, but many people still page through the paper, especially local publications. If your pool cleaning business targets a local paper and requests an insert ad rather than a full-page advertisement, you can budget well and still meet your business growth goals.
24. Host Free Workshops
Your pool cleaning business surely has a lot to teach your local community, such as how to maintain a pool, safe pool usage tips, and more. You can share that expertise by hosting free workshops, engaging with potential customers, and building strong professional relationships.
25. Offer a Customer Referral Program
Receptionist service Signpost says that 92 percent of consumers trust referrals from others they know. By starting a referral program, you can spread that goodwill and gain customers in the process.
How do you motivate customers to join a referral program? Offer them free pool services or exclusive discounts to sweeten the deal, like this example from Golden Tiger Pool & Spa.
Guerrilla marketing ideas
Although guerrilla marketing doesn’t have the best reputation, if you focus more on tactics that get people talking and less on the shock value, it has its place in any pool company marketing strategy. These five ideas should slot into your pool service advertising strategy nicely.
26. Chalk Art
Guerrilla marketing is all about memorable experiences. Hire or contract an artist to create appealing, larger-than-life chalk art drawings around the public spaces in your town that promote your company. This low-cost advertising option will attract a lot of attention. You could even have your chalk art featured on social media or in the local newspaper.
27. Pool Noodle Sculptures
Pool noodles are for more than poolside fun and babyproofing a home. They’re also an excellent material for creating sculptures. Display these fun, colorful sculptures in public places and include a promotional sign tying the unconventional art to your pool business.
28. Pop-up Events
Here’s a rather impromptu advertising option. Find a high-traffic area in your city or town and set up a pop-up event there. Shopping centers and parks are great places to consider, but you know your town best, so choose whatever works.
You can offer promotions like pool cleaning services or even product demos during the event. The goal of the pop-up event is to increase interest in your pool cleaning company.
29. Lawn Signs
When you do a job well done, ask your customers if you can install a lawn sign on the front of their property. As these signs begin amassing around town, you’ll drive curiosity and attract new business.
Conclusion
Pool cleaning businesses are growing in number, with an upward trend suggesting it will continue. We hope these pool service advertising ideas will help you find traction in growing your business, as well as develop strong systems for continual customer acquisition.
Remember, test everything. Let the results speak for themselves, and double down on what works. And if you're drowning in the monotony of tasks necessary for running a pool service business, it's high time to invest in pool service software like Skimmer.
