Does anyone here pay to advertise on Angie's list?

[Charlie Lyman]

I only have 4 reviews on Angie's list. Each time I get one, I get a phone call, email and a letter from them trying to get me to advertise with them. Has anyone done this? how have the results been?

 

[Joe Appleby]

Good question. Had them in my office today.

 

[Chris A]

I don't , but I'm also looking into it. I just got notice today that we won the 2012 super service award , whatever that really means. It does seem to be really taking off around here

 

[Charlie Lyman]

They gave me the line about their average customer having a $100k annual income. If they are talking about Idaho incomes they are full of crap. Nevertheless, I think if a consumer is willing to pay to be a member on that site, then they might be a better client to go after.

 

[The Great Oz]

They gave me the line about their average customer having a $100k annual income. If they are talking about Idaho incomes they are full of crap.

Angie's List is being sued by their own members for deceptive sales practices, and are in even more trouble for trying to hide the lawsuit from investors. Their salespeople all seem like they came from the yellow pages sales school and will tell you anything to get you to spend more money with them. Once their unethical behavior becomes common knowledge they may sink like Groupon.

Nevertheless, I think if a consumer is willing to pay to be a member on that site, then they might be a better client to go after.

Maybe, maybe not. Some have joined because they think there's value in the reviews and will become good long-term customers. Maybe an equal amount are coupon clippers that will pick your work apart hoping that the threat of a poor review will get them even bigger discounts.

You have to decide if the cost is worth the return, and how much pressure to spend more you can stand up to.

 

[Terry]

A few years ago I started to receive reviews from current customers who had joined angies list and gave reviews to contractors they were happy with. After a while a sales rep called/emailed to discuss advertising to get to the front of the page. After a while I did agree to a 6 month trial. My referrals from Angies list went down during that period for whatever reason. The sales guy and manager didn't believe me but I was able to copy from service monster where my customers were coming from and forwarded it to them.

I find the customers from Angies List to be more concerned about quality than cost and I've only lost 2 over the past 2 years to price.

Don't advertise with them but encourage customers who are menbers of Angies list to post a review for you.

 

[ruff]

I know some people that feel like they are getting their money worth. However Oz knows what he's talking about.

And even "tree hugging" bryan may have to admit that once them companies go public, the pressure to increase sale and through it their stock value, trumps their universal cosmic love.

 

[SMRBAP]

Search my posts regarding AL

We were "super service awarded" - when we got tired of the extortion, lack of ROI, biased review platform, we fled - and within a year were in the penalty box, for not responding to complaints, (which no notifications were received for), after responses were submitted in writing by mail, email, and called in - none of which were accepted because my rebuttal was not on their "form" (which waives my rights and lengthens theirs). Even with a recorded phone call and email with a review extortion threat - they declined it - placed us in the penalty box 3 times I believe.

To consumers, they sell, "protection", so sensationalized scary stories create the call to action- don't end up with a bad experience, come here where you can see reviews - the more "bad" they can parade around, the more valuable what they offer their members "is".

To us, they sell advertising to consumers that are supposed better customers..... customers that are members to seek better companies, and are willing to pay more - however, here they are playing mini-me to groupon.

http://my.angieslist.com/thebigdeal/welcome.aspx

 

[Doug Cox]

As soon as they asked me to pay (like Robison), I took a hike.

 

[idreadnought]

If you are looking for another marketing site on the internet angies list is relativaly small. I would put more effort into adwords or yelp.

Yelp is much larger and yelp is the default service and restaurant listing service for Iphones. If you type carpet cleaning in a search on the iphone a listing will show up that is taken straight from yelp.

I wouldn't advertise on either one but I would put effort into getting reviews that will increase your rank. As far as answering the phone when angies list or yelp calls I would never so no, I would string them along and make excuses and keep putting them off. I have heard horror stories of punishment from those sites when you refuse to advertise. On yelp I have heard about them removing your positive reviews and displaying negative ones

 

[steve frasier]

I know every time they contact me, it is someone different

 

[Connor]

If you have an iphone and use Siri to search for something local, Siri's search is done with Yelp.

 

[handdi]

Did 90 per month with them for 6 months
nada nothing a big fat 0
I give it a shot

 

[glenboy]

i did 90 a month also and ALL I GOT was a guy who was disabled from a motorcycle wreck and swore the bugs in his carpet were crawling all over him as well.and wanted to know if i was there to help get the bugs off of him and the carpet.i believe AL is a waste of money.i can get more customers just treating 1 good myself.

 

[Chris A]

I'm gonna try one ad in the spring book under the honor roll section and kinda test the waters. We've been getting more calls and reviews from al lately

 

[trojancarpetcare]

i have been looking into advertising with angie list also i will check to see how many members are in my area first

 

[tmdry]

I don't disagree with some of the things people have mentioned. In the first year or two the ROI in some months weren't that great, but the overall annual ROI was worth extending our annual contract w/ them (so yes, we do pay).

Over 70 A's reviews and 3rd year in a row super service award member, been w/ them for 3 years.

You'll get a better return when you start ranking up the reviews.

 

[Weebco]

I have been with Angie's list I paid 2000 last year got up about 60 reviews all positive a and have been super service award winner for like five years! This year what they wanted like 4400 or the 2000 I paid last year they said my customer data base I mean the Houston-area base had increased tremendously that's why the price increase I declined.

 

[Lars]

Thanks for the tip. I need to look into it more this year. it is strange to hear them advertise on the tv and radio that contractors don't pay to be on angies list, yet I know people who do pay...

 

[TomKing]

Here is the story on Angies List

They started in Indianapolis,
They have not been profitable ever
They took 60million VC money to move into other markets. This is why many of you see them as new. They have a 10 year track record here.
Most of the money has been used for national AD's

In our market they are implementing a web contact form for their clients.
They are basically trying to move service providers to selling your product and taking a %
They also tried rating service providers on their response times.
This is not working. I have had several long conversations with the VP of Angies List about these 2 items.

The growth in Angie’s List has caused the quality of client to decrease.

3 years ago we started advertising with them they had 45k members 2013 they now have 75k members
Up until this year the List has been very positive for us.
When AL members called price was the last thing they asked about they had already made a decision that they wanted you because of the positive reviews. Now members call and price is a huge factor. I can’t remember the last time a CSR told me she had a $400-500 AL order and they didn’t even ask about price. That used to be common.

We pay to be what is called Gold in the listings. When I started to use the gold listing they made me get 5 reviews to be Gold and promised me there would only be 10 gold listings. Today there are 14 companies listed as Gold. Gold listings rotate so 3 in 10 I was at the top of the list.

We have stayed on with the other top 4 companies in the city. In our city we have a company that has more reviews than any other company in the country. They currently have 975+ reviews. We have 369+ in the carpet cleaning category. My estimate from what I earn is that the number one company is earning between $180k and $250k per year from their Gold listing.

I do not believe this is going to last. Each year companies drop off and new ones come on. Several of the companies that have come on in the last year are killing the list. They are offering 3 rooms for $99 deals, 3 rooms a hall and stairs for $119. One guy even gives away a free oriental rug cleaning. The type of ads look for like Valpak rather than the high end customer base the List used to be. I have noticed in the last month even the #1 company is offering lower deals so they must be feeling what these other service providers are doing to the market. We have offer 20% off any cleaning service from day one.

For those of you in markets that AL is new here is my advice
Ban together if that is at all possible. Get everyone to refuse to pay if you are in a smaller market. Once someone starts you are all screwed

1. Do not low ball your offers or what AL can do for you will be lost.
2. Be the first in your area to get ahead of everyone in the number of reviews. When I started the #1 company had 900+ and the nearest company had 120+
3. The number of reviews you have directly corresponds to the business you will get.
4. Do not pay them more than 25% for a Big Deal.
5. Never let them pre sell your services. They will side with the consumers no matter what.

The end game of the list is to be sold and make the top officer very rich.
If it were not for the fact that the #1 company in the city engages so heavily with AL I would not bother. There are often things you must do in competitive markets you would rather not.

IF I could I would spend my money in other areas. I am working at growing other campaigns so that I can kick them to the curb. They are not service provider friendly.

Just look at this year’s Super Service Award. It has a big cartoon picture of Angie on it.

How arrogant of her.
Stay away if you can!

 

[Royal Man]

In my town they only have 2000 members. Not worth dealing with. They don't do the big deal here.

 

[Weebco]

Here is The rude email I got from them today, Angie's list

Gary,

You’ve blown me off the last 2 times I’ve called you, telling me you’re “not interested” before I get a chance to tell you why I’m calling.

I’m really surprised that you’re “not interested”, considering that during the last year you advertised with us, you generated 32 reports and got over 20% of our member reviews (with only 38% reporting). Since your advertising ended, you have generated only 1 report and only 3% of the member reviews.

I’d call that a SIGNIFICANT decrease in business!

If you’re not interested in hearing from us or our members, that’s fine, I can’t note your account appropriately and the calls will cease. But, could you please help me understand what happened to cause you to be so negative about Angie’s List?

Any response would be appreciated!


Ron Gregory
Advertising Consultant
1030 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46202
Direct Line/Fax: 317-396-3790
rong@angieslist.com


"Advertising is totally unnecessary. Unless you hope to make money."
Jef I. Richards, Ph.D.

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[Derek]

the best line of that email:

Click here to update your e-mail preferences or unsubscribe

reminds me of how i keep getting spammed from ramair. unsubscribe doesn't seem to work with them unfortunately.

 

[ted mcfadden]

Like any other marketing medium, AL should be exploited to the extent possible in your area. My experience with AL has been positive. It makes me money.

 

[Newman]

Like any other marketing medium, AL should be exploited to the extent possible in your area. My experience with AL has been positive. It makes me money.

X2 Thus far AL has been my best ROI for advertising dollars. The first year was slow building up reviews. I just hit 60 reviews on AL and am starting my 4th year. I only pay for the advertising that gets me into the golden box, no other frills. I do negotiate the terms and do not pay the rack rate.

If you are in the far west suburbs of Chicago, please disregard my previous statement because AL is not worth the money. Please refer to the negative statements above.

 

[Mikey P]

Well Gary, why aren't you interested?

 

[Mike Draper]

What do you mean by "rack rate"? And how do you negotiate your terms? Can you explain in more depth? Thanks.

 

[Weebco]

In August they told me they wanted $4400 I only paid 2000 the previous year so that is a huge increase. I kept saying no to their offers so on the last day of my contract they gave me another contract to re-sign for $2000. So they sure sounded desperate. Then they keep calling me over and over at first I explained in detail why I didn't want to do another contract with them. So now when they call I just tell them I'm not interested because I don't care to go over all the nitty-gritty details as to why?

 

[Bee Busy]

I used to advertise with AL paying $165 a month for a year, it brought serveral carpet and tile/stone cleaning jobs per month, but many elderly people that had been burned by other companies. When I decided not to renew, they constantly called to get me back. Then one salesperson told me I had a "great new review and your really gaining traction with your A reviews" so I decided to look. They had added a phony review with a name and address of a person we never we never serviced. They lost all credibility with me after that.

 

[ruff]

All publicly traded companies face a tremendous pressure to very aggressively grow their profit (some it seems at any cost.)
Once they stop growing the value of the stock plummets, as it is not a growth stock any longer. Which hurts the public share holders and the original share holders (if they have not already cashed in, which most do at least a substantial amount of their holding.)

The need for aggressive income growth to keep the stock price appreciation, is likely to create a conflict of interest between the subscribers, the share holders and the advertisers. Whose interest will be primarily served? For the answer I'd recommend that one check history, as it happens on Wall-street each and every day of the week.

Some (like Microsoft) become dividend paying stocks, however, that necessitates a dependable proven source of revenues. Most can't sustain that dependable revenue. Stay tuned.

I get a call from them every few months. It is a ritual by now. I ask if they can guarantee a certain return on investment and if I am not happy with it, in say a 6 months trial period, will they refund my money?
So far the answer has been- NO!
Mine was similar.