As a prominent Portland SEO Agency we have had a lot of experience working with contractors in the Northwest who need to get a leg up on the competition in marketing and advertising online. In today’s world, advertising your business on the Internet is a necessity for any company to succeed and compete with others in their industry. The contracting industry is no different. General contractors, roofers, painters, landscapers, and others are all taking their company to the World Wide Web with the hopes of generating more business. While there are many ways of marketing on the Internet, some specific strategies may be more beneficial in the long run. Let’s take a look at some of the techniques we can implement to get your marketing campaign headed in the right direction.
Web Design
Getting your business on the Internet usually starts with a website. You need an easily accessible location to get in front of new clients and nowadays, this means a website. Having a website is the perfect way for people to find your business, get a sense of who you are, and see what you can do. For contractors, this presents a unique opportunity to display previous work you’ve done. Often times your website will be the first impression you make, so it’s important that your site be designed in a way that presents the message you want your clients to receive. There are a few things that are necessary for this to take place.
One of the best things you can do to enhance your website’s impression on your clients is to present a gallery of your work. Photos of what you’re capable of may be the difference maker in whether or not somebody chooses to hire you. People want examples and without some of your work to look at, chances are they’ll move onto the next website that does. Like the saying goes “a picture is worth 1000 words”.
The next technique that should be used is known as Social Proof. Whether someone is shopping for a product or looking for a contractor, they want to see reviews. They want to know what others think. Having a “Testimonial” page on your site gives you the chance to show them what others have said, so they can feel secure in their decision to hire you. Other examples of social proof involve marketing on social networking sites, such as Facebook. Having a Facebook page is almost like having a second website. It gives people the opportunity to see others “Like” your business and read what they have to say about your company.
SEO and PPC Marketing
Once you have a website that presents your business image and abilities, it’s time to get people to view your website. This isn’t always as easy as it seems. If somebody knows the name of your company or website address, they may be able to locate you without any problems. But what about those who haven’t heard of you? How will they find you? When someone looks for a business, they usually type some keywords into a search engine, such as Google or Bing. These search engines return results for those keywords, in order, based on a number of factors. How do you ensure that your website appears towards the beginning of the search results as opposed to a few pages away, where it’s unlikely to be seen by potential clients?
A few techniques we use to get you in front of potential clients are called SEO and PPC. SEO or Search Engine Optimization, is a form of getting the search engines to realize your website is what the client wants to see. The strategy consists of optimizing your site for specific keywords and relating your company to those keywords in multiple, consistent places around the Internet. Over time, this is the most effective method for sustained high rankings in search engine results.
Another technique to get you in front of clients is PPC. PPC, or Pay Per Click, is a way of advertising in the “Sponsored” section on search engine results pages. It gives you an immediate chance to target specific keyword searches and have your site right in front of the potential client. The “Sponsored” section usually appears at the top of the results, before the organic search results and are usually the first results people see.
Establishing a strong online presence is one of the best ways for your business to expand, grow and have sustained success. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Hopefully you’ve found this information helpful. We have a strong history of success helping contractors build their online presence and would be happy to assist you as well. For more information, please feel free to contact us.