Does your artisan contractor business really need a blog?
Your business blog is a marketing channel - just like email marketing, social media, and direct marketing - that you can use to reach potential customers.
3 Benefits of Blogging for Your Construction Business
Blogs are an important marketing tool that businesses can use to help bring more people to their website (aka "web traffic") and to help convert that increased traffic into qualified leads.
Your blog also provides a unique opportunity to earn the trust of someone who has just visited your website for the first time - a benefit that is practically priceless.
Blogging Benefit #1: Drive More Traffic
There are two types of traffic that comes to your website, and a blog can help with both:
- Organic traffic
- Paid traffic
Organic Traffic
Let's imagine you've recently published a blog titled "10 Sustainable Kitchen Counter Materials."
Someone sits down with their tablet and begins a Google search for "sustainable kitchen counter materials" and finds your blog post. Now you've got a new visitor to your website, reading your blog post and finding the exact information they've been looking for.
If you've done your job right, this website visitor isn't reading a sentence or two of this blog post and then bouncing off your website.
Instead, they are diving deeper into your site: possibly reading more blogs and site pages.
They've decided they like what you have to say and they want to know more. Maybe they sign up for your email newsletter, or maybe they bookmark some of your before-and-after photos for inspiration.
They may have even decided to find you on Facebook or Twitter and follow you there, as well.
This whole journey wouldn't have been possible without your blog post.
Now, there's no guarantee that writing a blog post will lead you to show up at the top of the search results page.
In reality, there could be thousands of contractors blogging about sustainable kitchen countertop materials across the country. And search engines take a LOT of factors into consideration when they're trying to determine who gets to show up on the first search results page for any specific keyword/ search term. (But that's a whole 'nother topic for another day.)
But there's another way you can use that same blog post to bring in the other type of traffic:
Paid Traffic
Have you tried your hand at digital ads yet? You can advertise your contractor services on Yelp, Google, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube...
The list is practically endless.
But Facebook is pretty much the reigning King of social media accounts and not a bad place to start if you want to invest in digital advertising.
And your blog is the perfect foundation for your Facebook ads.
Want to bring in more website visitors from your local region? Facebook allows for detailed targeting of its ads, allowing you to serve up your ads to a very specific audience.
As in, homeowners who live within 25 miles of you and are interested in HGTV, Fixer Upper, and DIY Magazine. Then add in some more interests like "sustainable living" and "conscious consumerism."
Sound like someone who may want to invest in a sustainable kitchen counter makeover?
Yeah, we think so, too.
So take your blog post about sustainable kitchen counter materials and head on over to Facebook. Create your targeted audience and send that post out to be seen by the people who may really want your services.
Blogging Benefit #2: Convert Traffic to Leads
Now that you've got people coming to the blog on your contractor website, you have an opportunity to convert that traffic into real-life leads.
By including calls-to-action in your blog posts, you can invite your website visitors to exchange their contact information for something of value, like:
- Kitchen remodel budget estimator
- A guide to surviving a remodel project
- A permits and planning infographic
Once you have their information, you can begin to email this list information about planning, budgeting, and surviving a remodel project. Send out before and after pictures of projects for inspiration.
Blogging Benefit #3: Be the Authority
Your blog provides an opportunity for you to showcase your expertise in your niche and earn the trust of visitors and leads.
Think of the questions that arise again and again as you work with clients. Can you answer these questions on your blog?
Imagine the situations that cause road bumps along the way with projects. Can you prepare potential clients for these issues and provide solutions on your blog?
The more you can talk about the pain points, problems, and solutions your clients face, the more they see you as a trusted authority.
And the more you earn their trust.
One single blog post has the power to bring more people to your site. But the best part is, your post can bring in more qualified traffic - the people specifically looking for the products or services you provide - and help convince your prospects that you are indeed the right contractor for the job.