Today, nearly all of your potential customers are turning to the internet to do the majority of their contractor research before engaging, so it’s become imperative that businesses maintain an online presence in order to be considered in a saturated marketplace. With all of the technology options available today, there is no longer any excuse not to have a professionally updated, mobile-responsive website where customers can learn about your business, make decisions and ask questions about their projects before contacting you for a roofing quote.
If you’re not comfortable with technology, or feel like it’s impossible to keep up with technology trends, consider making small but impactful changes to your website that will help you keep search volume high, and meet the expectations of the digital consumer.
Why Having an Updated Website Matters:
According to Roofing Contractor, “Between 80-90 percent of homeowners conduct Internet research before making a major purchase.”, and nearly 60% are searching from their phones, which means no matter what avenue a potential customer takes to find you, they are likely to end up on your company website at some point. Having an outdated, clunky website that views poorly on a phone will not appeal to new customers, and can deter people from learning about your company and contacting you for a quote.
If your website is old, or hasn’t been updated in awhile, think about this – ITD Interactive says,
“Your customers want to do business with whoever they perceive to be the best. Having a bunch of outdated posts, wrong dates, staff members who don’t work there anymore – they all make a very bad first impression.”
What Your Website Should Do For You:
Having a website that is up to date, is easy to read on both a desktop and a mobile phone, as well as an obvious way to contact you will help present your business as a technology-savvy company that puts pride into their brand and online perception. Websites that are well-designed showcase your work and answer common questions that can save you time, inspire confidence, and demonstrate to potential customers that you are trustworthy and reputable.
Read More: How Technology is Changing What It Means to Be Successful in the Roofing Industry
Tips for Any Contractor Website:
- Have clear, easy to read messaging and professional-looking font.
- Show that you are both a licensed and insured contractor – whether that’s a logo, a headline or even a link to your Better Business Bureau page.
- Include testimonials that you have permission to use from previous clients.
- Include FAQs to demonstrate you know the kinds of questions, and have the answers that your customers are searching for.
- Before and After Photos demonstrate pride and quality of workmanship.
- Make your Contact easy to find – include both email and phone numbers where potential clients can reach you from anywhere on your website.
Make sure that the keywords and phrases you are using to describe your company, services, location and other pertinent information are clear, descriptive and up to date. This will help with your Search Engine Optimization, as well as helping potential customers have a good understanding of who you are and what you do before they get in contact. If you need help in this area, consider a marketing firm like SureFire Local, that can help guide you along best practices.
Cost of Maintaining a Website
It can be daunting to think about the cost and the continued maintenance of updating your company website, but it’s also important to remember that people’s first impressions matter. When they come to your website, they should automatically associate you with being and looking like the professional contractor that you are.
Template websites like SquareSpace, Simbla, and WordPress are affordable, responsive (mobile-friendly) and easy to create, update and use. Once it’s set up, you won’t need to rely on a designer to make updates for you.
It All Comes Back to You:
The point of using your website as a marketing tool is to drive potential customers to you. Whether those leads are coming from Service Recommendation websites, Social Media or referrals, when a potential customer lands on your website, what they see, how they see it, and what they do with the information you give them can either result in higher sales, or missed opportunities. The effort you put in will directly result in the responses you see returned.
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