As a builder, you know your trade inside and out. You know how to handle a variety of construction projects and challenges, and you always work hard to satisfy your clients at the end of a job. However, are you an expert in the world of online marketing? Probably not. If you are going to track down plenty of clients to keep your business thriving well into the 21st century, you are going to want to learn how to leverage the power of online marketing to your advantage. While the world of digital marketing can be confusing and a bit intimidating, it is possible to find your way in this highly competitive arena.
It probably isn’t a surprise to learn that online marketing is the process of using the internet to promote your construction business. Just as you can turn to traditional forms of advertising – such as newspaper ads, radio spots, etc. – you can also use the web to get the word out about your business. Of course, there are many advantages to using digital marketing rather than the old-fashioned channels. In fact, once you see just how powerful online marketing can be, there is a good chance that you will decide to focus all of your advertising efforts in this area.
There is a long list of options available to you when it comes to online promotion for your company. The bullet points below highlight some of the most popular forms of online marketing.
In reality, the list above could go on and on and on. To give you a more detailed understanding of the options you have as a builder for online marketing, we have gone into greater detail below on some of the key marketing techniques.
In this day and age, content marketing is a strategy which most businesses cannot afford to live without. The idea here is quite simple – you add content to your website which is optimized for a specific set of search keywords. These keywords are targeted to match up with the searches your target audience is likely to perform while looking for your services. By including relevant keywords and phrases on your site in a number of places, such as blog posts and other articles, you can increase your chances of landing on the first page of search results – hopefully ahead of your competition.
So, as a basic example, imagine you are a residential builder in Denver, CO. Some of the possible search queries for this kind of market would include ‘Denver house builders’ and ‘residential construction Denver’. By including these, and many other similar phrases, on your website, you will have a chance to move up the search rankings for a variety of terms. And, of course, by moving up the rankings, you will increase your chances of landing new customers.
Content marketing is relatively easy to implement, it is typically quite beneficial, and it is a strategy which is built to last. As a side benefit, your website will gain quality content which informs a visitor as to your services and products. Even aside from the search engine optimization benefit, which is important, there are other gains to be enjoyed from the power of content marketing.
You have probably heard a lot about the importance of social media for businesses. Most likely, you already use social media on a personal level, as most people check in on the Facebook account on a daily basis. While there is no doubt that social media is a major force in the world, you will have to use it in a logical manner if you are going to see any benefit for your business. It is certainly possible to use social media effectively as a builder, but you can’t just open an account and expect instant success.
As a builder, you will want to think closely about the possibility of using paid advertising on the web as a way of promoting your business. Most likely, this advertising would come in the form of pay-per-click ads, which are exactly as they sound. When someone clicks on your ad, you pay a fee. If no one clicks, you don’t spend a penny on the ad. The cost of the click depends on a number of factors, including your market segment and the others who are bidding on the same clicks.
Why are paid ads such an important option for builders? Simple – you deal in high dollar transactions, meaning you have a lot to gain from just a single additional customer. Someone who is selling a product which only costs a few dollars is going to have a hard time making the math work out for PPC ads. That is not true for a builder, or others in industries which have large receipts. Running a PPC campaign which returns you even one or two extra customers can have a powerful effect on your business.
One of the great things about pay-per-click advertising is the tremendous amount of control you have over the amount of money you spend. You can easily set a budget for any amount of money, and you can also limit how much you are willing to pay-per-click. So, for instance, if you aren’t really sure about this option but want to give it a try, you could set an initial campaign budget for just $100. You would be able to run some ads, draw some clicks, and see if any positive results are generated. By testing with small dollar amounts, you can find methods that work without blowing through your entire marketing budget.
By now, you probably have a better understanding of the basic idea behind online marketing – but you still have no clue of how to get started for yourself. If you would rather pass this task off to a professional marketing agency, you are welcome to contact Market Igniter at any time. We have experience with all of the various online marketing methods which are relevant to builders, so we can offer you a full-service marketing experience without taking up any of your valuable time. Trust us to handle the marketing side of things while you do what you do best – manage the day to day operation of your business. We hope to work with you soon!
