Five Simple Steps Flooring Companies Must Take to Protect and Boost Market Share

Every year, I travel throughout the country to help flooring companies make their phone ring and boost market share. Your success can help a family turn a floor they’ve been “living with” into a beautiful hardwood floor that they always envisioned in their dream home.

This article outlines key steps to help your flooring company succeed in 2026. The more you focus on these things, the more happiness you’ll be spreading – because who wants to be spending all their time on scuffed up, scratched and worn-out floors?

Secure your placement on Google.

Everyone likes free, and showing up high on the first page of Google’s search results – or what we call organic reach – remains as important as ever. But as Google has matured, it has increasingly focused on various paid advertising placements, which you simply cannot ignore. You want to keep your flooring company top of mind as well as at the top of the page by paying for Google ads, which is one of the easiest ways to protect market share. The best part, however, is that unlike Facebook, which charges for impressions, you’ll only pay when someone clicks on your advertisement.

I also want you to consider this: By having your advertisement on Google, you’re not just boosting your chances of earning a click and potential customer, you’re also taking away a top position from a competitor who wants to cut into your business. If someone sees your advertisement and doesn’t click, that’s not such a bad outcome since you’re taking that real estate away from someone else. If they do click, that is even better.

Make your Google Business Profile as robust as possible.

If you have not done so already, claim and verify your Business Profile on Google and complete the verification process, usually done via phone or email. Next, ensure your information is accurate and complete, and verify that your business name, address, and phone number match across all platforms and directories, which indicates to Google you are a real business and boosts your search ranking.

One mistake I see too many flooring companies make is that they fail to indicate they are open 24 hours. While I understand that the doors to your showroom may not be open at 10 p.m., if you have an answering service or a professional message that provides people with information, directs them to your website and invites them to leave their information so you can call them back, you want to capture those phone calls – no matter what the time.

Another key step is to add high-quality photos and videos to your listing. Before-and-after shots of floors that have been professionally installed (preferably with a smiling customer or two off to the side) work beautifully.

Enhance your website to convert visitors into customers!

When I speak to flooring professionals, they know their website needs work, but they do not know where to start. To rank highly on Google, publish fresh content on your website and cultivate a sense of trust in the community. Articles on hardwood options as well as how to maintain hardwood floors will position you as an expert who cares.

We trust people, and too many websites fail to include headshots and biographical information about staff members on the About Us page. If people don’t see you, and if they can’t find out information about you, how can you expect them to trust you – especially when it comes to something as important as installing a great hardwood floor at a fair price?

Even if it’s just one person – the manager or the owner – try to make your website personal by including at least one face. The more the better. You may even want to consider including headshots of customers with testimonials (with their permission of course).

Make getting positive reviews a priority.

Everyone asks the same question: How many reviews does my flooring business need? The answer is always the same: There is no set number, but a good rule of thumb to go by is at least one more than your competitor. Ideally, you want to boost that distance with your primary competitor over time, making sure reviews are high quality, of course.

There is an entire process to minimize the damage of negative reviews, but the main thing is do not ignore them. If you get a negative review, take a deep breath and respond when you are in the right frame of mind. Many times, a customer may have a legitimate complaint or gripe, and listening and responding may be enough to turn a negative review into a positive one.

Get involved on social media.

You need to do more than simply boosting a post here and there on Facebook to promote your hardwood flooring company. You need to actively network, which means following, liking, and commenting on the pages of businesses and individuals you’d like to cultivate or continue a relationship with.

The rule of reciprocity will usually result in them liking your page, too – or at least becoming curious about you and your business. That curiosity could lead to referrals, or at least a willingness to learn more about the services you provide.

The trick with social media is to turn virtual relationships into personal ones, which can be a multistep process. First, you want to push people to your website. After that, the next step may be getting the to subscribe to an e-newsletter – or get them to keep coming back, so they think of you when a flooring need arises.

When you consistently monitor social media, post and engage with others, your efforts will pay off over time.

Welton Hong is the founder and CEO of RRM@Home, a marketing firm specializing in solutions for home improvement businesses and the author of Your Digital Floor Plan: Digital Marketing Strategi