Building a productive website

As a builder, you’ve likely learnt how to hit a nail on the head every time – but have you considered how to have the same success when it comes to attracting hits to your website? 

Just as a handshake can no longer replace a contract, word of mouth can no longer replace a website. This is because, even if your customer recommends you to a mate, chances are their next move will be to check you out online.

However, simply having a website is no longer enough. Just like any advertisement, it has to be seen by the right people to be effective. You might see roadside billboards when you’re driving, but your passengers may not. You might watch commercials during free-to-air television, but other consumers might use their personal device during commercial breaks instead.

The point is, while billboards and TV ads still work, the number of people who see them has gone down due to a change in consumer behaviour.

These days, most people who need a specific product or service will go online to find businesses that provide what they’re looking for, so they can compare several suppliers before contacting one.

What does that mean for me?

It means two things:

• The importance of making a good impression online is paramount.
• Perhaps more importantly, ensure that your business shows up on the results list when people are searching for builders.

To make this happen – without breaking the bank by boosting your site – you need to understand how searching online works and apply it to your strategy.

1. Start with your customers

Before you do any online marketing of your website, you need to truly understand your customer, because your business can’t exist without them.

Getting to know them thoroughly is one of the most important prerequisites to securing new business online. As you understand their concerns and the questions they are asking, you can customise your website to connect with their searches.

Start with your customers by building a list of what they say they want and what they say they need. List their top priorities, concerns and the key questions they are asking when choosing a building company.

Then each time you get an enquiry, ask how they found out about you. If it was online, you can ask what words they typed into the search box. You will learn heaps from this simple routine and it will help you shape your website.

2. Add content to your website

Assuming you have a website, one of the greatest strategies for increasing exposure is adding compelling content to your website. This can be done through blog posts, articles, videos or infographics. Your goal is to inform and educate your readers and viewers, which in turn helps make them more aware of your company.

When searching, Google reads zillions of website pages and creates indexes of the ones that are relevant to a search enquiry – the more pages you have on your website, the more chances you have of being found.

But quantity is not everything, as Google’s search engine also ranks pages according to the quality of the information on the page. Therefore, the better the information, the higher the ranking and the greater chance you have of being found.

What’s more, achieving higher rankings positions you as an expert in your field. This results in greater trust and respect and shows your potential customer that you know what you’re talking about.

3. Write compelling content

So, what should you write about for your website to get better rankings from search engines? What is ‘compelling content’?

The answer is simple: whatever answers the questions your ideal customer is asking.

So, depending on your particular service and on your ideal customer, you might write articles answering questions such as:

• How long does it take to build a custom home?
• What is your company working on at the moment?
• What should I look out for when choosing a builder?
• Where do I find an experienced renovation builder in Tauranga?
• What is the extra cost of building a two-storey house?
• How much will a new home cost? 

For example, if you create a well-written blog about ‘The things to know when renovating your home’ it may rank highly in the search engine indexes.

Then, if a prospective customer searching ‘renovating my home’ lands on your page and likes the answer you give, it may prompt them to explore your site further and eventually could lead to them choosing you to renovate their home.

So, start making a list of questions your ideal customer is asking (or might ask) and build a list of interesting answers that can become your blog topics.

You can do some research on the internet to see what others are blogging about. Then try to write a blog regularly. Start with just one a month – or one every two months – but make it routine. Keep it simple and include images or videos to keep it interesting.

What if I’m no good at writing?

Don’t panic. Just take one of the important questions from your list and note three to four key points that answer this question, or guide your reader to find the answer. For example, let’s consider our example blog ‘The things to know when renovating your home’ – your key points might be:

1. Is it worth doing?
2. Talk to your bank.
3. Designers can’t estimate costs like builders.
4. There will always be hidden costs.

Then enlist the help of a professional writer to help you write. But remember, while they may help you shape your content, you need to stay in touch with your market by becoming the expert on the questions your ideal customer is asking.

Taking the time to create great content for your website may not yield an immediate return, but it will ensure your website starts to show up more and more in searches.

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Graeme Owen, based in Auckland, is a builders’ business coach. Since 2006, he has helped builders throughout New Zealand get off the tools, make decent money, and free up time for family, fishing, and enjoying sports. www.thesuccessfulbuilder.com