Many of you tell us that you generate enough work simply by relying on the good news spreading through your region about your great workmanship and customer service. But if you’d like to squeeze some more homes into your pipeline, harnessing the power of digital marketing and advertising is certainly something to consider.
As technology fast becomes inseparable from daily life, digital marketing can boost the success of any growing business – and the construction industry is no different.
To increase business and brand awareness and generate more sales, consider these top six simple digital marketing strategies:
1) Create an appealing business website
The home of your business online, your website should clearly demonstrate your brand and points of difference to potential clients.
Consider the colour scheme, quality of images, ease of navigation and prominence of your business logo. Ensure that your services, contact details and photos of previous work are all readily available.
The majority of online users search from mobile devices, including their smartphone or tablet. To get the most from your website, make sure that it’s mobile-responsive, meaning that it adapts to any screen size.
A business website doesn’t have to come with a high price tag. There are many user-friendly, free tools online to help you construct your own – Wix, Shopify, Squarespace and WordPress are all great places to start.
2) Use Search Engine Optimisation strategies
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) means giving your website the best chance of being presented to people who are looking for your services on search engines such as Google. SEO is an effective means of driving traffic to your website without using paid advertising.
To enhance your SEO it is important to consider the search terms regularly used by people who are seeking building services in your location. Add these terms to the metadata descriptions in the back end of your website to increase the chance of your business popping up when these terms are searched.
A blog is another easy way to maintain or boost the SEO of your website. By regularly generating fresh, relevant blog content, your website will be favoured by search engines and more likely to be presented to potential clients.
3) Hop onto social media
Facebook, Instagram, YouTube…social media has become an integral aspect of our lives, and it’s a tool you can use to drive leads toward your business.
Successful social media campaigns deliver a clear and simple message with a strong visual element that captures attention. The online equivalent of word-of-mouth, social media can help create positive conversations about your business.
Take the time to interact with your followers, responding to any queries or concerns in a positive and timely manner. If you receive negative feedback on social media, apologise for any inconvenience and offer further assistance – don’t engage in a public argument.
While it’s free to set up a Facebook or Instagram account, the real power of social media is in its ability to help you build an audience by presenting your posts to target audiences that you select. Such ‘sponsored’ or ‘boosted’ posts do cost money, but because you set your own budget, you only need to spend what you can afford.
4) Email marketing
Email is one of the most effective tools in the online marketing belt because it allows you to connect with an audience that has already shown interest in your brand.
Whether they have signed up to your newsletter or had a previous interaction with your business, email marketing allows you to talk to an audience that’s ready to listen.
Generate email content that is relevant to your client’s needs. Offer valuable tips and advice, highlight new products and trends, and demonstrate your professionalism via recently completed or exciting projects.
5) Pay-per-click advertising
Google AdWords is the most common method of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.
Cost-effective and easy to create, Google Ads are small, carefully worded advertisements designed to encourage people to click through to your website. Google AdWords is a paid service, but it’s up to you how much you want to spend per day (even $10 per day will go a long way towards advertising your business).
Google AdWords allows you to select keywords – when people type these into their browser, Google will show them your ad. It’s important to select keywords that potential customers use when trying to find building services online. This will increase the number of people who see your advertisements and discover your website.
6) Be consistent
Across all facets of your online marketing and business collateral, ensure branding remains consistent. From the logo to tone of voice, images and colour scheme – your digital marketing should paint a clear and compelling picture of your business and the services that you deliver.