A successful local contractor needs to know how to showcase their expert skills in a way that will grab the right customer’s attention. A strong online presence can offer a competitive edge needed to attract new customers and get recurring business for the long run.
In this article, we will discuss digital marketing for contractors that will help you market your contracting business on the internet. It could also help make sure you get found by search engines and customers. Let’s jump in!
Digital Marketing for Contractors: 9 Expert Tips
1. Maintain an Optimized Website
A professionally designed website that’s responsive across multiple devices and easy to navigate puts your best foot forward. It’s often the first encounter a potential customer has with construction companies. A website allows potential customers to better understand your services and business values.
It will also show search engines that your site is authoritative and relevant. Regularly updating and adding to your website’s content can peak customer interest and trust. Especially when it’s information they need to know. Your business can do this by writing about industry breakthroughs, added services, and offering professional tips and insights.
2. Implement an SEO Strategy
If you want your website to help drive more traffic and revenue for your business, implement an organic SEO strategy. SEO stands for search engine optimization. It helps search engines find relevant web pages on your website and rank them on search results in front of potential customers.
It’s often thought of as more of a long-term strategy than other digital marketing strategies. With time, it can help your business drive recurring revenue and market your services in a cost effective manner.
If your contracting company focuses on a specific region, affordable local SEO practices can give your company the competitive advantage it needs online. Local SEO gives your website more exposure by ranking it in two different spots: the traditional SERP (search engine results page) and the Local Map Pack.
3. Run Paid Search Campaigns
While organic search and SEO provide free options, there are paid search options as well that can help bring additional benefits to your contractor business. SEO takes time to see results. However with paid campaigns, you’re able to get quick results and progress with the specifications you’re wanting. Paid advertising places your business at the very top of search results for a set period of time.
Your business can utilize two of the most helpful types of paid advertising: PPC services and Display Advertising. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can become hyper-targeted and can help increase leads and conversions more quickly than SEO. This is all while SEO is generating its authority and value at a slower pace. Display advertising is great for retargeting individuals who have visited a website. So you stay top of mind, thus increasing the likelihood of them converting at a later date.
4. Create Engaging Content
As you work on building, updating, and optimizing your website, create engaging content tailored to potential customers. Focus on creating content that speaks to your target market directly that specifically helps them with their needs. Here are three areas to focus on as you create engaging and targeted content:
How-To Videos: Some individuals prefer to work on things themselves or want to learn how to complete a project. Simple, informative videos on how to perform certain tasks creates engaging content for individuals and potential consumers. Keep them short and to the point for the best results.
Blog Posts: On-site blogging helps you answer potential customer questions within the general contractor industry. It also helps you rank for “informational” type of searches. As people find your site as a source of relevant information, it instills trust and authority to both customers and search engines.
Before and After Galleries: Before/After photos are especially effective because people want to see the quality of your work. Showcase your services through this type of gallery so people can see the difference.
5. Use High-Quality Images & Videos
You want to give future customers a proper representation of your professional work. Don’t let quality slide just to get a photo or video shared to your social media pages. Use good lighting, and share high-resolution photos or videos of your crew, finished projects, or equipment.
This concept also applies to your company logo. Investing in a quality design will reap years of benefit for your business.
Create a Visual Online Presence
With the photos and videos you share on your website or social media channels, remember to make a quality online presence. People will search and find information about your company digitally, so it’s important to create a visual presence that people will enjoy.
Along with publishing high quality content, focus on your overall theme and feel of the website or social media pages. They should include elements that stand out while still creating a professional feel.
6. Ask Your Customers for Reviews
Online reviews are crucial to your SEO and digital marketing strategy. Detailed Google Business Profile reviews from real customers help boost your local search rankings! Previously known as Google My Business, this is a free business listing offered by Google. You need a profile to rank in the Local Map Pack.
If you don’t already have a Google Business Profile, you need to make one ASAP.
Reviews also allow potential new customers to read about previous customer experiences. Did you just complete a major renovation project or addition? Ask your customers to share how much they love your work!
You can motivate your customers to leave you a review by sending a link directly to them or by announcing a contest with prizes.
Publish Testimonials
Once you begin to receive positive reviews from your customers, work on building and publishing testimonials. Similar to reviews, testimonials should help convince customers why your business is the best option for their needs.
You can use data and feedback from reviews to create and publish testimonials. Publish them on social media and your website to give potential customers an idea of the benefits and quality of your business. Testimonials are also effective in the sales process, as you can show interested customers what to expect through others’ experience.
7. Implement a Social Media Strategy
Implementing a social media marketing strategy enables your company to be where your customers often spend their time. Sharing content of value to your followers on social media fosters engagement, ongoing interest, and a personal connection between your business and your followers. Not sure what to post?
There are many different topics and formats you can use to keep your posts fresh and exciting. Such as an album of before and after photos from a recent job. Or a live video showing your crew actively tackling a project like building a new deck. Or a list of DIY tips for reclaimed wood home decorations.
Here are six social media platforms that your general contractor marketing strategy should focus on:
- Facebook: Great for posting company information and updates.
- Instagram: Share quality photos and videos of your business and services.
- TikTok: Create short videos showcasing your work along with useful tips and tricks.
- Pinterest: Share ideas for everyday consumers on how they can improve their space.
- LinkedIn: Raise brand awareness and promote the company image to the public.
- Houzz: Provides ways for contractors to directly interact with consumers and offer advice.
8. Keep Your Information Consistent
Along with the other tips discussed above for digital marketing for contractors, it’s beneficial to keep your business directory information consistent. From your local listings, to your website, to your social media profile and more, your business information should be identical. Your phone number, business hours, company name, and even your logo should match exactly across all different platforms.
If you have holiday or seasonal hours, make sure to update these as well! Your target audience is looking for information about your business quickly. Having consistent information in multiple places promotes confidence in customers and signals to search engines the activity of your business.
If you aren’t sure where to start, check out greatinflux’s Premium Listings Management. You can get listed in up to 70+ trusted and relevant online directories. We’ve made it easy to manage and update your business listing information all from one dashboard saving valuable time.
9. Engage with Customers
When followers respond to your content by commenting, sharing, or leaving you a good review, thank them personally and keep the conversation going! Feature your customers in a blog entry or as a story in the next social media post to keep things engaging. With their consent of course.
This will keep your followers feeling valued and personally recognized by you. A personal, sincere interaction from companies is a great way to instill trust with potential customers. In addition, it helps your overall brand reputation management.
Don’t Drop Off the Grid
With any social, content, and digital marketing strategy, it’s important to stay consistent. Create calendars to plan out your social content to make sure you update and keep your content updated. As your digital tools engage with customers, it creates a relationship. Nourishing that relationship through consistent communication will help continue to grow your brand.
Finding it hard to maintain your social media accounts or keep your website updated? There are many helpful resources that your business can use to stay on top of your content and online presence. Tools such as Hootsuite make it easy to schedule out future posts and manage your content.
Get Started on Your Digital Marketing for Contractors
With many aspects of digital marketing, it can present a unique challenge for your business. Digital marketing for contractors will help get you started.
As a small business owner or manager of a contractor business, digital marketing is likely not your area of expertise. Your experience revolves around providing quality services for your clients to help them with their building and project needs.
As you manage your day-to-day tasks, you should have the time to focus on your services. In order to save time and money for your contractor business, reach out to our team of digital marketing professionals today.
Check out the various services our digital marketing agency to help your small business achieve its goals:
- Organic SEO Services
- PPC Consulting Services
- Display Advertising Services
- Business Listing Management
- Affordable Website Design Packages
