The creator of Wikipedia Jimmy Wales once famously said: “if Google can’t find you, you basically don’t exist.” And of course, in order to be found by Google and the other search engines, you need a solid web presence.

Sure, listings on review sites and professional services sites like Angie’s List and Yelp are useful, and it’s important to maintain a presence on those platforms for both findability and credibility purposes. It’s equally important, however, to have a strong online presence created with the unique challenges of the homebuilder industry in mind.

Your Website, Your Reputation

As a contractor your reputation is paramount, and you can reach further than reputation alone can take you by leveraging a professional website and internet marketing. A website should reflect the values of your business, the ones that are important to your customers. So, if your customers value attention to detail, quality craftsmanship and the ability to build their dreams, your website should aim to clearly demonstrate that. If you have an old, outdated website that doesn’t work on mobile and whose content dates back to 2014, then potential clients might think twice about your attention to detail, your quality craftsmanship and your dedication to your business. Don’t let your website drag you down; it is a tool that should help you sell, and investing in a professional site is invaluable. If it brings in just one new client, it will have paid for itself over and over again.

The Foundation of Your Marketing Plan

A business website is the central hub around which your online marketing revolves, for a number of reasons:

• You can advertise on many different platforms, use a variety of social media accounts, and participate in all sorts of review sites. The only aspect of your marketing over which you have complete control, however, is your own website.
• All advertising and social media postings have to link to a location that offers more information about your services. Your website serves as a destination for users, and you can tailor your messages to your particular audience. This means not only showing your best work and reviews, but speaking their language. Avoid contractor or industry jargon, and include popular and relevant search terms so that Google and your potential customers can find your site by searching for terms that fit the services you offer.

Key Elements of a Contractor Website

A successful contractor website needs to contain a few critical components:

#1: Projects

Your project pages are the most important part of your website. This is where you get to impress your potential clients. Put all your best, most recent projects up and keep adding and deleting depending on what you have to showcase. This is where you can inspire your clients and start to build trust. Make sure to include a small write up about your project. People are more likely to remember a project that tells a story and keeps them engaged. And if you have a testimonial put it next to the project it belongs to. That shows that the project was a success.

#2: Testimonials

No matter how impressive your portfolio, clients will need evidence that you really did the work you claim. Provide social proof in the form of testimonials or reviews from former clients. In this day and age people need to see social proof of your values, dedication and customer service. They need to know not only that you have completed your projects, but that the customer was happy and satisfied. It is hard to collect testimonials, the same way it is difficult to go back and take pictures after a project is over. So make sure you always ask for testimonials right after each project is completed, and then keep them somewhere safe.

#3: Lead Generation

To enable your website to deliver real leads from prospective clients, make sure your contact information is current at all times. Provide links to your social media profiles (including industry-specific sites like Houzz), and verify that you have a way for prospective clients to reach out and contact you. You’ll also need a way to capture, track and follow up the leads you receive to determine whether your marketing efforts are effective.

It is essential to have a professional website that enables you to present your services the way you want clients to see them. On your own business website, you can create the narrative and control the message that your visitors receive, as well as supply your complete portfolio displayed to its best advantage.

Tracking Your Website’s Performance

A home contractor website is only as good as the business it brings in, so it’s essential to monitor the results and see whether you’re attracting new potential clients. There are multiple free tools such as Google Analytics available to website owners, but the final test of your website value is not only whether Google finds you or not, but the number of leads you get that convert into customers.