Being found online can make an enormous difference in the health of your contracting business. An estimated 70-80 percent of people will research a small business online, and 97 percent of people have looked online to find local businesses or services.
You don't need a dedicated marketing department or even a huge marketing budget to get found online. All you need is these three things:
A Website that Works
Want to be found online? You need a home on the internet. That’s where your contractor website comes in.
40% of small businesses don't have a website, which means 4 out of 10 small businesses are missing opportunities to be found by people looking for them online.
Don't have a contractor website yet?
You may be a little behind the curve, but it's never too late to catch up with the competition.
If you're going to invest in a website, be sure you're getting one that WORKS.
Unlike your print marketing materials -- you know, those brochures and business cards lying around in boxes -- a website can actually work hard for your business.
In addition to helping you get found online, a website that works:
- Is mobile-friendly: it looks great on screens of every size
- Contains clear call-to-actions (CTAs): compels visitors to take a specific action
- Is secure: protects customers' private information
- Designed for lead generation: helps build your pipeline
- Inspires trust: looks modern and professional
- Regularly updated: new blog posts/ pages added all the time
A Social Media Presence
Is your construction business on Facebook? With 45 billion active users, Facebook is the undisputed king of social media.
You may or may not have a personal Facebook account, but, regardless of your personal thoughts or activity on the platform, adding a business page for your artisan contractor business makes it easier for you to get found online.
Social media provides a great opportunity for your business to engage with the community and demonstrate that your business is legitimate and recommended.
Here's how to get the most out of your Facebook efforts:
- Create a Facebook business page (don't use your personal account)
- Post regularly (3 - 5 times a week or more)
- Use social scheduling tools like Hootsuite or Later to preschedule posts
What other social media platforms should you use for your contracting business?
You don't have to master all of the social media networks. Facebook is a no-brainer, because of the sheer number of users. But you may also want to consider:
YouTube: One-third of all people online log into YouTube, making it the 2nd most visited site in the world (behind Google). YouTube users often search for "how to" videos, so if you like to showcase your skills and like being on-camera, don't neglect this powerhouse.
Twitter: Want to keep it brief? The most common length of a Twitter post is 33 characters, despite the platform's 280 character-count limit.
LinkedIn: The largest professional network has a completely different audience type compared to other social media platforms, giving you more opportunities to connect with senior-level influencers and decision-makers.
Instagram: Do you have incredible project photos? This photo-centric platform is a great place to showcase before and (stunning) after pics. 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business -- it might as well be yours!
Directory Listings
Local SEO is the art of helping search engines understand what your business does and the geographical region you serve.
One easy way to tackle local SEO is to list your business in online directories.
When you add your business to a contractor directory, be sure to pay attention to your NAP:
- Name
- Address
- Phone Number
Having consistent name/ address/ phone number information on your website, social media accounts, and contractor directories can help search engines understand exactly where your business is located and what region you serve.
Marketing to get found online can be challenging for small businesses, who often do not have the resources to dedicate to an entire marketing department or very large scale campaigns. But you don't need to have an entire marketing department or giant budget to be found online: you just need to follow these three steps to get in the game.