Contractors do need a website in 2023 if they plan to acquire new customers online. Failing to publish a company website prevents you from appearing on Google’s organic search results. Furthermore, companies without websites also have trouble showing on Google Maps results (Google Map 3-Pack).
As a contractor, it goes without saying that all of your business is done by using your hands. Any kind of business that requires construction of any kind shares this commonality. So, you might ask yourself why I need a website anyway?
Many businesses out there still operate without a website because they feel as though they do not need one despite the continuing trend of businesses moving towards more of a digital footprint.
So, why exactly does your contractor business need to have a website? There are more than a few reasons, but here are some of the most prominent.
Contractor Websites are a “First Impression”
You may not have realized that now more than ever, potential clients and customers use your company’s website as their first impression of your business. Because of the ease of finding out about a business online, this is how customers are vetting businesses.
And even more often, customers go straight to a prospective company’s website. They want to see what that business offers and why that company should be the one they choose. For this reason, it is imperative that your company has a website regardless of the industry.
Guess what happens if a customer looks for your business online and can’t find a website? They will move on to the next one. A website is one of the quickest ways to vet a business; not even having one is the quickest way to turn off a potential customer.
Websites Validate Your Business
Perhaps the top reason contractors do not have a website is that they rely on word of mouth only to get their business out there to prospective customers. They will “knock on doors” to get their company name out there and tell you how you should be using their service, but sustainability is a huge problem with this method.
Even for companies who experience success with word of mouth – and this comes in other forms like advertising in phone books, local free papers, Craigslist (basically anything that doesn’t cost that much money – it can only last so long, and then you’re back to fishing for those word of mouth referrals.
This is why contractors need a website. Ultimately, your business should be constantly marketing itself because no matter how busy you are, there can come a dip that can last far longer than you are comfortable with. As a matter of fact, most contractors are already operating on a roller coaster of a workflow.
Having a properly optimized website for today’s search engine turns into a steady drip of contractor leads. And that’s the goal of any contractor business: a consistent, steady business that can be turned into consistent, steady growth.
Websites Foster Customer Interaction
This is not only about your website but other aspects of your online footprint, but we will get into that later. Your website is arguably the best way that you have to interact with customers, both current and potential.
This is great for a few reasons. The first is that you can have them leave testimonials or reviews. These are the lifeblood of SEO rankings these days, and the better (and more) rankings you have, the higher your search rankings will be. And the higher the search rankings, the more eyeballs that will see your website. This is the best way to generate those essential leads for any business.
Also, those reviews help you identify any concerns or issues that customers are having and how you can potentially correct those actions. This allows you to eliminate issues that your business might be having and shows your customers that you are dedicated to their satisfaction and improving your business. This is huge in the eyes of customers.
In this aspect, you should really be working to grow your social media presence. To some, social media seems like a stupid and useless platform for people to share opinions. But it is those opinions that businesses value.
If utilized properly, social media can be a fantastic avenue to get customer feedback and drive traffic to your website. That instant interaction with current and potential clients shows that you actively listen to your customers.
You can also use coupons or deals advertised through your social media accounts to drive additional traffic to your website. Doing this means there are more eyeballs directly on your website, and those views are the leads you need to convert to sales.
Hire a Contractor Web Design Agency
Let’s say that you have finally realized just how important a website is to any business out there and decide to take the plunge into the digital world. It cannot be emphasized enough that you should absolutely not do your own website.
I know what you think: it’s far cheaper to do your own website. And that isn’t wrong, but spending money on your website now will not only save you a ton of headaches in the long run, but you will probably make that money back if your website is maintained properly.
One of the biggest mistakes that businesses make is doing their own web work. You can’t afford to have a website, and you definitely can’t afford to do it yourself incorrectly. Far too many business owners hastily slap together a website and think that’s all they need. But if it looks unprofessional, customers will ignore it and think your business lacks credibility.
Hire a professional web design team to do your website for you. They will not only make your website look as professional as it can and should look, but they will ensure its functionality is where it needs to be so that potential customers can find what they need with little issue.
Also, one of the biggest reasons businesses fail is that the owner refuses to delegate and takes on everything themselves. Wanting to do everything is understandable – it’s cheaper and, for some, it is a point of pride – but it is also the quickest way to fail.
If you spend time designing and maintaining your website, that just means that other areas of your business are not getting the attention they need. And when your business is not getting optimal attention in each area, there will be dips and lags that can lead to a downturn in business.
Don’t be cheap for the sake of being cheap; it can really hurt your website and your business in the long run, to do your website yourself.
Contractor Website Components for 2023
There are more than a few things that a good business website needs to have, but the first and most important is your contact information. Even if you have the most beautiful and informative website online, customers are gone if they can’t find your contact info within a click or two.
Contact Information
It is helpful to have your contact information at the footer of every page or on the banner of every page. Ultimately, you want your customers to be able to find it on each page that they visit so they never have to wonder how to contact you.
Informational Content
You also need informative content. This can come in a few different forms, whether through a description of your services and products or a blog where you walk readers through how-to guides. Your website must also be informative because this is how search engines properly select relevant websites. It is essential for a variety of reasons.
User Experience
Almost as important as having easy-to-find contact information is that your website has to be easy to read. This is both in a visual sense and in terms of content. More than ever, online users have a short attention span. If you give them content that is visually difficult to read or that is lumped into long form, they will skip right by it.
The first step is to ensure that you have selected easy-to-read fonts and colors. The next is to make sure that your content is broken up effectively. Avoid huge blocks of text. Implement headings wherever they make sense to help break up the text. Add pictures to do the same and help optimize your site through alternate image descriptions.
Calls To Action
Having a website for your contractor business does not necessarily mean that the business will start flooding in. You must insert calls-to-action (CTAs) like phone numbers and contact forms throughout your site. If it is done right, your business should see a steady stream of customers that visit your website and jump into using your services or products altogether.
If you thought your contractor business didn’t need a website, you must think again.
