Working independently as a professional home improvement contractor is a way to create your own schedule while working in areas that are most interesting and enjoyable to you. If you are working as a home improvement contractor and you want to expand your clientele, you can do so by developing an online presence with the right home improvement contractor websites and social media pages. Knowing what items home improvement contractor websites should have today will help you ensure you are getting started on the right track, whether you’re new to the home improvement industry or if you’ve been working in the industry professionally for years or even decades.
1. A Good Domain Name
Whether you’re working as a local pool remodeling contractor or providing commercial lawn tractor rental services, you will want to take some time to research and register a good, solid, memorable domain name. Choosing to register a domain name for your business is a way to establish a professional reputation in the digital realm. When it comes time to choose the best domain name for home improvement contractor websites, it is important to select a name that pertains to your actual business and a name that is easy to type, remember, and spell.
Choosing a domain name that is irrelevant to the actual name of your business is not conducive to building a brand or professional reputation for yourself. Avoid using unique spellings and odd characters, including hyphens, when registering a domain name to represent the home improvement services you intend to offer. When you are registering a domain name, you may also want to spend a bit of time researching similar home improvement companies and contractors to ensure you are not taking the same name as them, even if you chose an alternate domain extension.
2. Fast Web Hosting Services
One of the most important items to keep in mind when you are building home improvement contractor websites to represent your services is fast web hosting providers. Whether you are working as a drainage contractor or commercial demolition expert, a fast web hosting service is key to preventing your bounce rate from skyrocketing. The bounce rate of a website is the percentage of visitors who exit a website immediately after visiting the first homepage or landing page they are directed to from an external link or even from search engine results.
The Importance of a Fast Web Host
A fast web host can mean the difference between attracting new clients and turning them away from your website altogether, costing you potential revenue and sales. Today, most web users will only allow a few seconds for a website to load before they choose another source, especially if they are in need of services in an immediate timeframe. If you are using a shared server or a web host that is not reputable, you run the risk of increased downtime and time-outs, which can cause frustration in users and a loss in potential clients for your business over time.
Finding the Best Web Host for a Home Improvement Website
When you want to establish your online presence as a home improvement contractor online, you will want to take some time to research and compare different web hosts that are available today. Read thorough reviews of web hosts to compare storage space, bandwidth allotments, and the type of servers and hosting packages that are available. Find verified reviews to determine which hosting provider is right for you and which is optimal for the budget you currently have set aside or in place.
3. Responsive and Mobile-Friendly Design
When you are designing any home improvement contractor websites, keeping both mobile-friendly and responsive design in mind at all times is a must. Because users browse the web with a variety of devices and browsers today, responsive design may be the key to ensuring you do not miss out on potential clients in the future. With the right responsive and mobile-friendly design solutions, maximize your reach and appeal to visitors whether they are attempting to learn more about your home improvement services while using a traditional computer or even attempting to access your website with the use of their own smartphones.
What is Responsive Design?
Responsive design is a fluid design solution that allows the layout of a website to adjust accordingly based on the type of device or browser an individual is using at any given time while they are browsing online. A responsive web design solution will ensure that your website’s content and information are accessible and visually appealing to all users. Whether your visitors prefer to visit your website to learn more about your home improvement services with the use of their own mobile phones or if they are typical desktop users, a responsive website can go a long way in helping you build the clientele you need to succeed in just about any market or industry today.
4. Properly Integrated SEO Techniques
When it comes to building a website and establishing a reputation for yourself as a home improvement contractor, incorporating the right SEO elements can have a significant impact on the outcome of your digital marketing campaign efforts. Working alongside professional SEO companies is one of the best ways to go about choosing the right phrases and keywords to focus on when promoting your own home improvement services and packages, especially if you intend to do so to a local audience in your own community. Understanding the benefits of SEO and how to integrate SEO using natural and organic methods can ensure you a spot within the top search engine results with enough commitment and hard work.
The Benefits of SEO Today
SEO is still a leading digital marketing tactic that is used by individuals and corporations alike, whether you intend to spread the word about an idea or if you are currently selling a product, or attempting to garner new clients. SEO is a way to boost a website’s ranking within top search engines, such as Google, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo!, and even Bing. When a website appears on the first page of any search result, it is much more likely to receive visitors, which in turn can result in an increase in sales or ultimately, revenue.
5. Localized SEO Tactics
In addition to traditional SEO techniques, it is also imperative to keep localized SEO tactics in mind if you are working as local roofing contractors or representing a local water well drilling company in your area. Localized SEO is always recommended for contractors who have an interest in honing in on a specific audience based on demographics and needs that are most relevant to the types of services they currently have to offer. Using localized SEO tactics can also help you outperform other home improvement specialists and experts near you who are competing for the same clients as you.
6. High-Quality, Evergreen Content
When you are building home improvement contractor websites, producing high-quality, evergreen content is essential to help your business stand out, whether you are working as a group of local septic cleaners or if you provide a drain cleaning service to those in your city or town. Creating the right content can help you stand out while establishing a professional reputation as an authoritative figure in your industry, regardless of the type of work you currently offer to clients. Well-written, informative, unique, and interesting content will help attract readers, followers, and in turn, loyal, long-term clients.
7. Optimized Media
Anytime you are building a website, you will want to take your time to ensure any media you upload and share to your site has been optimized and compressed. Optimizing and compressing videos, graphics, and photos will not only help to save on space in your web hosting account, but the process will also help your site load much faster for all visitors. Taking your time to optimize any media you upload to your site can be done with integrated solutions such as WordPress and various plugins that are designed to crunch and optimize uploaded media automatically.
8. Social Media Links
Creating modern home improvement contractor websites would not be complete today without first integrating relevant social media links into the site you’re building. Whether you are working independently as a home improvement contractor or if you represent commercial roofing companies, including social media links on a website is key to maximizing reach and potential engagement. When users are able to access your social media pages with the click of a button, it is much easier to attract and garner new followers in a shorter period of time.
In addition to linking your own social media pages, you can also take the time to integrate social media sharing solutions, plugins, or coding. Allowing users the ability to quickly share one of your pages of content or even one of your blog posts is a way to boost your visibility and SEO online. When you provide social media sharing buttons on each of the pieces of content you publish, you will also help maximize your reach with those who may have a genuine interest in the home improvement services you are currently offering.
9. Live Blog Updates
Creating your very own blog is always recommended when you are working in the home improvement industry, especially when you are doing so on your own as an independent contractor. Providing live blog updates consistently will not only help to boost your website’s SEO, but it will also help you remain relevant when prospective clients visit your website to learn more about your skills and abilities. Using a blog is one of the best ways to stay in touch with your online visitors while building an entire directory and repository of the skills and knowledge you have picked up and wish to share with the world throughout your career.
Tips for Creating a Blog as a Home Improvement Contractor
Developing a blog as a contractor will require you to consider the areas of work you prefer and the skills you have acquired through the years. Provide content that offers valuable insights into specialty skills you have honed and different tips and tricks you wish to relay to your loyal fans and followers. Use your blog to showcase work you have completed and testimonials from satisfied clients to appeal to a much broader audience.
10. Newsletter for Visitors and Clients
Incorporating a newsletter for visitors and prospective clients is another way to establish an online presence with a website as a home improvement contractor. Newsletters provide the perfect opportunity to share news, updates, and even promotional materials regarding the services and/or packages you are offering at any given time, regardless of the season you are in during the promotion. Using a newsletter is also a way for you to increase response rates and engagement when you are attempting to communicate with past clients or garner new clientele, based on the type of work you are interested in and the time of year.
11. Visible Customer Reviews and Testimonials
When it comes to launching home improvement contractor websites, no professional website is complete without verified reviews and testimonials. Showcasing verified reviews and testimonials from previous clients you have represented can help you establish a professional reputation while also attracting new prospective clients. When new visitors to your website are able to readily visit and access more information regarding reviews and testimonials that pertain to your work, it is much easier for them to place their trust in you as a professional home improvement contractor near them.
Anytime you are in the process of developing and building home improvement contractor websites, keeping a few trends and elements in mind for your site’s design can go a long way in the outcome of your project. The more familiar you are with the current websites and social media pages of competitors in your industry, the easier it will be for you to develop a winning marketing strategy that is sure to attract new clients for years to come. With the right elements and a vision for your own business as a contractor, you can build the best home improvement contractor websites for your services in no time, even if you have little to no experience in crafting websites on your own.