Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is no longer considered an optional strategy for any modern business. There was once a time where only the cutting-edge businesses engaged in paid digital advertising or search engine optimization. Times have changed. At this point, the competition is so steep in just about every vertical, that every business needs to have a well-thought-out digital marketing strategy, and this includes construction companies.
Given the nature of construction, many business owners have been reluctant to make the move into digital. The construction business is decidedly local, often resting on word-of-mouth and local signage for customer acquisition.
As the digital revolution has evolved, it has become critical that construction companies stay current and build a digital marketing strategy that will build brand awareness and provide a steady stream of new construction customers for years to come.
Every Company Needs an Online Presence
While it may be hard to accept, there are still those who claim you do not need a website for a business. Each year we see the percentage of businesses that do not have a dedicated website declining because more and more consumers prefer to do research on a prospective company by browsing their website.
While the implementation of a well-planned marketing strategy is not inexpensive, the cost of not having a marketing strategy is more expensive and hurtful to a company’s bottom line. That being said, construction companies need to have an online presence, and a business website is the central point of today’s marketing strategies. A website is typically the first impression a potential customer has of a company. Therefore, it needs to present your business in its best light and showcase your work and five-star reviews making it easy for potential customers to take the next step and contact you.
“Cutting corners on a web design project is often ill-advised as it may result in a poor-performing website,” says Adam Stetzer, Ph.D., CEO of HubShout.
It is astounding how many business owners will shell out big bucks for advertising and search engine optimization but will not invest in the website that the traffic ultimately comes to. This is counterintuitive.
Content Marketing Pulls in Potential Customers
Content marketing has become extremely popular over the last few years as the competition for organic traffic has increased. It was once true that a website with thin content could rank in Google and have a steady flow of visitors. This is no longer the case since Google has shifted their algorithm to reward sites with well-researched, long-form, visually attractive websites.
In the construction industry you may have noticed that many websites actually give away valuable information for do-it-yourselfers. This may seem counterintuitive when the objective of that content is to bring in new clients. However, content marketing is built on the assumption that if you give valuable information away for free, Google will reward the website with free traffic from their search engine.
Reviews Matter
Whether your business sells business-to-business or business-to-consumer, reviews about your business are critical for potential customers when considering asking for a proposal or quote. Managing your online reputation is of the utmost importance.
As negative reviews come up online, as they might from time to time, it’s important to give a thorough and empathetic response. This is often difficult for small business owners or contractors who are already working long hours on construction sites. Your web design firm or digital marketing agency is an ideal candidate to do this work for you since it can be time-consuming.
The thing to remember is that when responding to negative reviews, you are not really responding to the person who wrote the review but rather showing other potential customers how you interact with clients more generally.
Your Website is a Sales Assistant
Contractors needs to realize that consumers do research online when considering whom to hire for an upcoming project. If you think through the process of online research and reputation management, you will realize that your website should be designed to assist in the sales process. It's best to view your website as an assistant closer. It is not that the website alone will win you deals in most cases. But a poor website -- or no website at all -- may cost you business.
Most consumers expect that a serious company or a contractor with a long history of successful projects will have enough resources to invest in a good-looking, modern website and a strong digital presence. When they search your name online and do not find what they expect, trust is not established and they are likely to pass on contacting you.
Conclusion
Building and maintaining a website and a strong digital presence is no longer a luxury in the construction business. Monitoring your online reputation is critical as many potential clients will Google your name or your construction business to see what others have said. Ask your agency or web design company for help with this activity to ensure that every review is responded to in a timely fashion. Competition for contractors is fierce and you need an excellent-looking website to assist in closing your deals.
