Lead generation is the end-all, be-all for small businesses, from contractors and construction companies to boutiques and specialty shops. We’ve already discussed the pros and cons of working with lead gen services, companies like Angi and Angie’s List competitors (including HomeAdvisor), but, for this article, we’re narrowing our focus down to just Angi—the new name for Angie’s List.

You might already be asking yourself, “Is Angie’s List legit?” or “Is Angi worth it?” The answer isn’t a simple yes or no, but it definitely skews in one direction. We’ll put it this way: Angie’s List isn’t necessary to generate leads for your business, and you just might save money in the long run if you steer clear of Angi and companies like Angie’s List altogether.

To help you make an informed decision about whether Angi is worth it for contractors, we’ll take a look at some red flags and Angie’s List reviews from contractors.

Red Flag #1. Angi has a limited number of members.

Because Angi is a subscription service for both contractors and homeowners, Angie’s List has a limited audience. Homeowners will only see your business listing or ads if they have a paid membership, which rules out potential customers who find you through Google and click on your Angi listing. Instead of being able to contact your business, they’ll be asked to buy a membership from Angi.

Red Flag #2. Angie’s List has self-serving interests.

If you have a business listing on Angi, they provide an icon you can place on your website. It invites customers to read your reviews on Angie’s List—which could help you get more business. However, instead of displaying your hard-earned reviews, the link takes visitors to a sales page for Angie’s List memberships. Only visitors with memberships will be able to see your reviews. It also shows those visitors a list of your competitors, which could cost you a customer.

Red Flag #3. Negative reviews are out of your control.

If you’re unfortunate enough to get a bad review on Angi, especially if you have less than 5 reviews, it will be extremely difficult to recover. The one bad review will stand out and drive your potential customers to your competitors, which, in turn, will make it more difficult to bring in good reviews to drown out the bad one.

Red Flag #4. Only Angie’s List members can affect your review grade.

While it’s true that any of your customers can submit a review of your business on Angi, only members’ reviews will impact your grade. That means that if you aren’t bringing in the majority of your customers through Angie’s List, your reviews won’t count. Even if you have tons of rave reviews from non-members, a single bad review from a paid member can tank your grade and cost you customers down the road.

Red Flag #5. You have to offer a steep discount or coupon to Angi members.

After you pay for your business listing and membership, it’s up to you to attract customers. The main way of doing that on Angie’s List is to offer steep discounts to members. That’s because Angi’s default sorting method in search results is to show businesses with coupons first. On top of that, only 14 businesses can offer a discount in a given category.

Technically, even if you pay to show up higher in search results, you must pay again by eating the cost of your exclusive Angi discount. Talk about getting nickeled and dimed.

Red Flag #6. Lawsuits galore.

HomeAdvisor and Angi, which are both owned by the same company, have faced a number of class-action lawsuits over the years, most of them accusing the companies of selling bogus leads, manipulating reviews, false advertising and other shady business practices meant to benefit their bottom line. It’s no wonder they’ve rebranded.

Here’s a look at how Angie’s List has evolved over the years:

  • 1995: Angie’s List was founded by Angie Hicks and William Oesterle.
  • 2017: HomeAdvisor and Angie’s List merged to form Angi Homeservices Inc.
  • 2021: HomeAdvisor Pro rebranded to Angi Leads.
  • 2021: Angie’s List rebranded to Angi.

Red Flag #7. Angie’s List reviews from contractors say it all.

Want to see what actual customers have to say about working with Angi, previously known as Angie’s List? Check out these Angi reviews by contractors:

Better Business Bureau Reviews

Angi_BBB_review
loading...

Read more reviews of Angie’s List on the Better Business Bureau here.

Site Jabber Reviews

Angi_sitejabber_review
loading...
Angi_sitejabber_review2
loading...

Read more reviews of Angie’s List on Site Jabber here.

Trust Pilot Reviews

Angi_trustpilot_review1
loading...
Angi_trustpilot_review2
loading...

Read more reviews of Angie’s List on Trust Pilot here.

You can read more about what contractors have to say about working with Angie’s List here.

Generate Your Own Exclusive Leads Without Angie’s List

So, is Angi worth it for contractors? Not really.

Signing up with Angie’s List might not be a great business decision, but the good news is that you don’t need them (or companies like Angi) to start generating your own exclusive leads! We’ve already created huge lists of lead generation ideas for rooferstowing companieslandscapersplumbers and HVAC specialists, but these are the basics you need to remember:

  • Start with a professionally designed website.
  • Invest in an SEO (search engine optimization) strategy to get your business on the first page of Google search results.
  • Ensure all of your directory listings have the most up-to-date info on your business so customers can contact your directly.
  • Respond to your online reviews promptly and professionally, especially on Google.
  • Choose a marketing partner who always has your back.

Townsquare Interactive is a local digital marketing agency committed to helping small business owners get found online, attract customers and grow their businesses. You’ll work with a dedicated digital marketing specialist who builds your marketing strategy and coordinates with our teams of content writers, web designers, SEO specialists and other subject-matter experts.

Want to learn more about how we can help you generate your own exclusive leads without Angie’s List? Contact Townsquare Interactive!

More From 104.5 THE TEAM