Contractor Marketing: 21 Easy Tips & Ideas For 2023

As a contractor, you spend most of your time serving clients on the ground. But there won’t be any clients to serve soon if you don’t have a marketing campaign that can get you in front of prospects and referrals. 

As a contractor marketing agency, we have numerous contracting companies build a consistent stream of leads and conversions. In this article, you’ll learn 21 marketing ideas to build a lead engine DIY. But first, let’s look at a few tactics relevant for 2023.

1. Create a Cohesive Digital Marketing Strategy

Your digital marketing plan starts with your business goals. Identifying what to achieve with your marketing efforts enables you to determine the different channels and platforms you’ll use to reach out to your audience. Below are some of the objectives to consider for your strategy:

• Increase visibility by getting your business in front of your target audience.
• Generate a sustainable amount of website traffic consistently.
• Build an online following by engaging and providing them with immense value.
• Turn them into leads that you can convert into clients later.

You should also know who your target audience is. Figuring out their demographics, like age, income, interests, likes, and dislikes, allows you to develop marketing messages that appeal to them. This, in turn, can help effectively communicate your business to them, if not convince them to try out your services

2. Get a Mobile-Friendly Contractor Website

Lots of potential clients use mobile devices to access your website. A site not optimized for mobile viewing and that loads longer than three seconds will cause 32% of your visitors to leave your site. So, making a mobile-friendly website for your contractor business is in your best interest. 

For starters, a responsive web design helps your site adjust to the device’s screen size, whether on a desktop or smartphone. Depending on your content management system (CMS), choose a responsive theme for your site to solve this issue. Or let your chosen web design company create a custom design for you.

Next, run your site on Google Mobile-Friendly Test to know if your site is optimized for mobile viewing. You can also use Google PageSpeed Insights for suggestions on improving your site’s website design and loading speed. Using both tools gives you ideas on presenting your site in the best way possible to your audience.

3. Conduct a Search Engine Optimization Audit

Search engine optimization (SEO) causes your website to appear on top of search results for your target keywords using different tactics. Once your site does, you can get highly targeted organic traffic that you can easily turn into clients. And you can drive even more traffic if you target more keywords. 

But before you or let an SEO agency develop your site’s strategy, you must know what techniques to implement and how you should execute them. To help you determine these things and get the best results from your SEO efforts, you must perform an SEO audit.

Its report shows issues your website has so you can improve your site before launching your campaign. Using Ahrefs Webmaster Tools, check on-page SEO problems that keep your site pages from ranking higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). The tool can also spot potential technical SEO problems preventing search spiders from crawling and indexing your site pages. 

Part of a comprehensive SEO audit also includes reviewing your content and link profile. Regarding the latter, Ahrefs lets you organize which links are authoritative and cause your site to not climb up the rankings (which you should consider disavowing). 

For content, Surfer SEO’s Domain Planner analyzes your site for page ranking on SERPs. It then measures how optimized your pages are for these terms. Enable the Low Hanging Fruit filter to narrow the list to pages with the highest potential to grow their traffic. From here, you can optimize them to increase their scores and chances of higher ranking.

4. Build High-Quality Backlinks

The number of referring domains to your website is important in determining your search rankings. To build authoritative backlinks, find websites relevant to your industry that you don’t have links from yet. You can refer to sites outranking you on SERPs to build links to your website and match their authority, if not leapfrog over them.

Aside from Ahrefs, you can use SEMRush’s backlink gap tool to identify these competitor links. In this example, we plugged links among three roofing companies in Manhattan, New York. And we’re considering that we want to find the gap for “Skywardroofing.com”:

On clicking ”Find prospects,” we see a list of referring domains Skyward Roofing can target:

From here, you can incorporate a link building plan to fill the gap between you and your competitors.

5. Establish Your Contractor Expertise Through Content Marketing 

Developing and implementing a content strategy allows you to share your knowledge as a contractor with people. Once the articles rank and more people can find them, you can get more people to read them and generate more inquiries for your services. 

Search for question keywords using tools like Semrush to get the ball rolling. Aside from filtering keywords that ask a question, you can view the search volume and keyword difficulty (KD). Use these to find keywords that people search for on Google and have low competition to maximize your campaign. 

6. Analyze Your Competitors for Keyword Gaps 

You can also use Semrush’s Keyword Gap feature to view keywords your competitors are ranking for, but you aren’t. Add multiple competitors in your search to help you identify keywords for which more than one site is ranking. This process could reveal keyword ideas you probably won’t find in your initial search.

7. Write Content Optimized for Search Engines

Aside from be as informative as possible when creating how-to guides, mention your target keywords in the content. Surfer SEO helps you optimize the articles by including related words and phrases the tool provides in the content. This helps increase its chances of ranking for its search queries. 

8. Run PPC Campaigns

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is where a business places ads on popular marketing channels. The advertiser (i.e., you) or a PPC agency working for you pays the platform from your budget every time your prospective client clicks on your ad.

Though relatively expensive, Google Ads can deliver high-quality leads for your business. They are a ticket to the top of the search results and get business while your contractor’s SEO efforts have still not started bearing fruit.

Social media ads work the same way, except that they appear on the feeds of users who meet the demographics of your campaign. In particular, Facebook Ads can boost your lead generation efforts since most people have an account on this platform. Also, consider launching your ads on other social platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Another option is local service ads (LSAs). These appear just below the search bar with a “Google Guaranteed” tag on all three ads. You will pay for these once a user clicks on them. That said, you need someone who’ll not only manage your LSAs for you but also get you to show up here in the first place.

9. Target Local Search 

Optimizing for local search allows your contractor business to increase its visibility on SERPs. It gives you a chance to appear on the local 3-pack located above paid ads and organic search results. You can see the location, phone number, operational hours, and website of the top three business listings for the local keyword.

10. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

To appear here, you must claim your Google Business Profile (GBP). Next, fill out your company’s name, address, phone number(s) + website (NAP + W). Also, mention your target keywords in its company description. Observe other GBP optimization practices to help your listing appear on the local 3-pack and potentially capture more new leads and clients.

11. Build Local Citations

They refer to your company’s NAP that appears on your Google Business Profile. The goal is to achieve NAP consistency across various online platforms. This helps the search engine show the latest contact information of your business on local search so you can attract phone calls and new clients.

Local business directories like Yelp and Angi are great places to create your business profile and enter your NAP. Industry-specific directories like HomeAdvisor and Houzz can also boost your local SEO efforts. Sign up for an account and enter the same NAP on all your profiles.

For contractors with existing business profiles, use Moz Local to help you locate them. Enter your old business name, ZIP code, and address. The tool will then identify listings containing these details. From here, log in to these profiles and edit the NAP to your most recent one to ensure NAP consistency.

12. Encourage Customers to Reviews Your Contractor Services

Don’t hesitate to ask for reviews in person after fulfilling the service to customers. You can also request them to complete a satisfaction survey on-site (customer’s home or office). If possible, supply your contractors with tablets so customers can write or answer the review on the spot.

Another approach is to send your review request via e-mail. Following the format below, the email should point your customer to a link where they can write the review. Be courteous and thank the customer for their time.

Getting on a call to ask for customer feedback is a valid alternative and can even add a personal touch to your business. Make sure to have a script or template ready during the call so you don’t forget what to say while keeping things natural.

Finally, you can choose to send customers a text/SMS. Sending a text message to your customers might look like this:

An important yet overlooked aspect of online reviews is responding to them as soon as possible, whether positive or negative. Doing this builds your online reputation despite getting negative feedback and improves your word-of-mouth marketing.

Finally, be wary of Google’s review policy, where businesses should not offer incentives in exchange for reviews. If you decide to do so, be transparent in your message and mention that the review must be truthful and authentic. So, even if you incentivize a bad review, you can get the necessary feedback to help improve your services.

13. Pursue Social Media Marketing

A clear and consistent marketing strategy walks the line between promoting your contracting business whenever possible and providing value to your audience. You can do this by publishing social media posts about home repair and renovation tips and advice.

You can also share your latest project or before and after photos of a project. This gives prospective customers a clear visual of the level of service you can deliver. This allows you to showcase the quality of service you deliver to current clients, which can convince people on the fence about your packages to pull the trigger.

In line with providing value to your audience, post your latest blog articles on your desired social channels. This enables you to educate your readers and fortify your online presence as a knowledgeable and trustworthy construction company, which makes converting them into customers much easier.

Finally, posting about local events and trade shows you’re sponsoring can build brand awareness outside online marketing platforms. These in-person events provide a more personal approach that online marketing campaigns can’t replicate. They also allow you to collaborate with other businesses and help each other connect with prospects much more seamlessly.

14. Leverage Video Marketing

Video marketing is rising, and more companies are adding it to their content marketing strategy to reach their target audience. The beauty of this tactic is it doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars to create engaging videos for contractor marketing since you can now record and edit one just by using your smartphone’s camera.

More importantly, video content enables you to communicate your tutorials and tips visually, which makes following your directions much easier. You can also record your team at work or behind-the-scenes footage of your company. Both can show your company’s professionalism and personality in ways that other content types can’t show.

You can also record customer testimonials to share client success stories in video format. Either bring them to your office to record the testimonial or ask them to send over their video testimonials via email. Feature the videos on your website to help convince potential customers to sign up for your services.

15. Consider Paid Advertising in Local Directories

Aside from creating a business listing on local directories for contractors, you can also increase your visibility on these platforms by purchasing ad space. Inquire about the rates and determine how your business will be featured on the site.

16. Do Email Marketing

To start, choose an email marketing platform like Constant Contact or Aweber to store and organize your subscriber list and send automated email sequences. Then, set up an opt-in form on your website to collect subscribers to build your email list. You can have a web developer do this or use WordPress plugins like Optinmonster and Bloom.

Pick a strategic spot to place the opt-in form on your site. It can be a pop-up on your home page, a sidebar on the right or left of your website, or the bottom of your blog posts. The idea is for your opt-in forms to grab the attention of visitors so they fill it up and join your list.

Why Building Links To Your Roofing Website Is Crucial

Also, organize your subscribers according to groups. This lets you send out laser-targeted emails guaranteed to bring them down your sales funnel until they become clients. This also means you need to create different opt-in forms that speak to each segment for them to sign up for your list.

Once you have a sizable mailing list, the next thing to do is write your emails. Some email types to send out include:

• Thank you email – Welcomes your new subscriber as part of your list.
• Blog post update – Share your latest blog post.
• Customer satisfaction survey email – Asks customers to give feedback or write a review about the service they received from you.
• Triggered emails – Sent based on a customer’s action from your automation workflow. Examples include post-purchase, re-engagement, and birthday/anniversary.

Over time, analyze email marketing performance metrics like open rate, click-through rate, and conversions and improve your digital marketing tactics. You can even identify non-active subscribers and find ways to engage them. If not, ask them to unsubscribe (or remove them) so you can keep your list healthy.

17. Generate Leads Offline

Just because most general contractor businesses focus on digital marketing doesn’t mean you should disregard offline marketing. For example, print your brand logo and contact details on the vehicles you use when servicing homes and clients. This informs others in the service area about your services.

Then there’s also direct mail, the precursor to email marketing. Unlike emails, postcards are tangible and give off a more personal feel. So, sending them to your mailing list could produce more positive results. Also, include QR codes on your mail that link to your landing pages so you can combine your offline marketing with your online campaigns.

If you’re attending conferences and networking events, bring business cards to hand out to people. You can even design brochures and flyers using Canva to give away if you have a booth set up. The print materials should contain all the information people need to learn more about your services and how to contact you.

Finally, rent billboards and ad spaces in locations where you offer your contractor services. But make sure to do your research first before securing the spots. While these areas have high foot traffic, not everybody may be your potential clients. Nonetheless, billboards can successfully raise awareness of your business, especially if you have come up with a compelling ad copy.

18. Enable Website Call Conversions

The importance of knowing the effectiveness of your contractor marketing cannot be overstated. And since most digital marketing methods are measurable, the challenge is knowing which to measure. 

You can use a standard set of key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess your digital marketing campaigns’ performance. One of them may be your website’s call-to-action (CTA) that comes as a button that links to another page on your site or a phone number. 

If the latter, use a free call-tracking tool like Google Ads or a paid one like CallRail to track website call conversions. Use the gathered data to help improve the number’s placement and visibility on your website for higher conversions.

19. Track Traffic Sources

Knowing where your website traffic is coming from is essential for a winning digital marketing strategy. Using Google Analytics, identify your valuable and relevant traffic source (within your location) and focus on boosting your visibility on those sources.

20. Determine Top Web Pages

Learning which pages people visit the most on your website helps you improve and optimize them to get more leads. You can use Google Analytics and go to Reports > Engagement > Landing Page. You can conduct an on-page SEO audit for these pages so they rank higher in search while delivering the best user experience.

21. Hire a Contractor Digital Marketing Agency

The tips above should help you develop and implement an effective contractor marketing strategy. However, wouldn’t it be better to focus on serving the leads and clients you receive from your marketing campaign? Since you’re not a marketing expert, it’s highly recommended to hand the keys to your marketing plan to a digital marketing agency.

The company you’ll hire should have the knowledge, experience, and proven track record to grow contractor businesses like yours. We at On The Map Marketing check all the boxes and can help generate steady leads and clients for your business. Get a free marketing audit to know how we can help you achieve your goals.