Powerful web design for contractors increases conversion rates against competitors and drives brand success: 6 Tips for a successful contractor website.
Now being 2020 often the first experience your potential clients receive from you is engaging with your website. Therefore making it one of the most vital brand touchpoints to nail on the head. A quality website will present the information visitors need in a clear & concise format.
Your goal is to establish an online presence that provides an unforgettable experience positioning your company as a superior contractor. This will allow you to stand out from your competitors and break through the noise. Now, these tips are custom-tailored for a successful contractor website, however, some of these tips can apply to websites in other niches as well.
#1 Your homepage is your foundation
For a strong homepage there should be a section that offers a brief window into every other page of your website, starting with the most important. A few of these sections among contractors tend to be an about us section, services, portfolio, and contact. After going through the content on your homepage your user should have a great understanding of your company.
Since this is an industry where relationships are critical, trust needs to be built on the homepage as well. I will cover how exactly to do that in #3. Once you have laid a strong foundation you are ready to build up.
#2 Define the goal of your website
In order to clearly define the goal of your website there are two main questions to ask yourself. What is the number one goal when someone visits your website? Who is visiting your website and what are they trying to achieve?
The goal for most contractors is to turn visitors into a name, email and number aka generate leads. It is important to know the goal of your website so you can design a strategy that best fits your aim.
When taking into consideration user flow on your website it is essential to format the site structure in a way that guides the user into your call to action. A call to action is typically a button on your website that is asking the user to do something, such as actually reaching out and contacting you or your team. It is important to place the call to actions systematically throughout your entire website in order to make it as simple as possible for your user to know what action to take.
#3 An Industry built on relationships.
Make it a priority to build trust with your user. One of the main goals for any great website is to develop trust with the visitor. Trust is the foundation of any great relationship. When someone visits your website not only are they looking for information, they are also hoping to build a connection with your brand.
A great way to build trust with any user on your website is to incorporate social proof. This can come in several forms such as video or text testimonials, affiliations, awards, publications, etc. When incorporated properly on your website social proof will build trust and connection with your user which is vital for visitors to reach out and contact you.
Another great way to build credibility and trust with your audience is to utilize your about page to its full potential. An effective about page will allow the user on your website to gain insight into the background and history of your business. It will allow the user on your website to get to know you and your team, build a personal connection, trust, credibility, and most importantly a stronger relationship.
Working with a home building team is a very personal and relationship-centric process. It’s important to show the user, you’re a personable team that cares about client and customer relationships. It gives the user a feeling of connection to your business. It is a great idea to have photos of your team on your about page. The human connection is one of the best ways to build trust through a more personal connection with your user.
Focus on using a friendly and personable tone through your copywriting as well. If you keep these few points in mind when building trust with your customers you will be off to a great start.
#4 Showcasing your work in the best light possible
If your business has incredible work that you’re proud of, make it a priority to showcase this in the best light possible. Many websites in the contractor and construction niche overlook this part of their website. The main reason for people coming to your website is to gain an understanding of the quality of your work. Now where many websites fall short is not taking advantage of their portfolio section, it should be the emphasis of your website.
A quality home building portfolio is easy to navigate so users can view all of your work with ease. It’s important to invest in quality photos that are displayed in high-definition across your user’s entire screen. When executed properly a user gains new confidence that your work is superior to other construction companies. Your portfolio should serve as the cornerstone of your website.
#5 Mastering the service page
The service page of your website is a core page that needs to be designed depending on what type of jobs you are looking to get. Look at your website from the perspective of your user. Place the services that you are looking to sell most in the most prominent locations. Pair descriptions of each service with visuals to better illustrate your offering. Nowadays people have attention spans of goldfish so many people will not read large bulky text without visuals.
Focusing on writing about the benefits of your services and only briefly mentioning the features. Your customer wants to know how your service will solve their problem, not the specific project features. It is important to also highlight how easy it is to get started. Many people will not reach out to you if your process comes across as difficult and a lot of work. Make it clear to your user how easy it is to get started.
#6 Local discoverability and gaining qualified leads
Since most contractors only work within certain areas it is important to focus on local business. One of the most important ways to make your business thrive is to make it as easy as possible to discover your business. The best way for contractors to achieve this is to show up first in search results.
Make sure to set up your Google My Business profile. This will allow your business to be easily accessed through the web.
Here is a guide to setting up your Google My Business profile:
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/google-my-business
Once you have verified your Google My Business listing you will also show up on google maps. A great next step would be to ask your past clients to review you on google. This will improve your credibility in the eyes of Google and dramatically increase your local discoverability.
Conclusion
You have no choice but to take a digital approach with your marketing in 2020, especially with the pandemic we are currently experiencing.
Sure, in the past most contractors got business from other ways besides online traffic, but if you go after all of the online search traffic your business gains will add up.
And the foundation to make the transition to a strong online business is with a great website. I know you are probably using word of mouth and bidding on projects, but I bet you aren’t taking advantage of all the leads actively looking for contractors through google.
So, how many marketing channels are you using?
