As a contractor, you know that marketing is essential for growing your business. But with so many marketing channels and tactics to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know where to focus your efforts. One area that should be at the top of your list is content marketing. Content marketing involves creating and sharing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — with the goal of driving profitable customer action. For contractors, this means creating content that educates, informs, and engages your target customers, ultimately leading them to choose your services over competitors. There are two main aspects to a successful content marketing strategy: Content Creation: Developing original, high-quality content that showcases your expertise and provides value to your audience. Content Curation: Discovering, organizing, and sharing relevant content from other reputable sources that your audience will find useful. In this guide, we'll dive deep into both content creation and curation, exploring why they matter for contractor marketing and providing actionable tips to help you implement them effectively.
Why Content Creation Matters for Contractors
Creating your own original content is a powerful way to differentiate your contracting business and build trust with potential customers. By producing helpful, informative content that addresses your target audience's pain points and questions, you position yourself as a knowledgeable expert in your field. Some key benefits of content creation include:
Establishing trust and credibility: High-quality content shows that you know what you're talking about and are committed to helping your customers.
Improving SEO: Search engines reward websites that consistently publish fresh, relevant content with higher rankings, leading to more organic traffic.
Generating leads: Valuable content attracts potential customers to your website and encourages them to contact you for services.
Nurturing relationships: Providing ongoing value to your audience through content keeps you top-of-mind and fosters loyalty.
So what types of original content should contractors create? Here are some ideas:
Blog Posts and Articles
Writing in-depth blog posts or articles on topics related to your contracting services is one of the best ways to showcase your expertise. For example, a plumbing contractor could write about:
Common causes of leaky pipes and how to prevent them
When to repair vs replace a water heater
How to choose the right plumbing fixtures for a bathroom remodel
Aim to create comprehensive, detailed posts that thoroughly answer your audience's questions. Use images, infographics, and videos to break up text and illustrate key points. And always include a clear call-to-action at the end encouraging readers to contact you for service.
Case Studies
Case studies are an excellent way to demonstrate your expertise and show potential customers the results you can deliver. Identify a few of your most successful projects and write detailed case studies that describe:
The customer's challenge or goal
Your solution and approach
The end results and customer feedback
Include plenty of visuals like before-and-after photos, blueprints or schematics, and customer testimonials. Case studies provide powerful social proof and can be very persuasive for prospects considering your services.
"Case studies have been a game changer for our remodeling business. By showing real examples of the beautiful work we do and the happy customers we serve, we've been able to attract a lot more high-quality leads." - Tom Smith, TSR Home Remodeling
Videos
Video is an increasingly important content format, with consumers often preferring to watch a video over reading text. As a contractor, you can create engaging videos that:
Showcase your projects and craftsmanship
Explain common issues and how-to tips
Introduce your team and company culture
Feature customer success stories and testimonials
You don't need a big budget or fancy equipment to get started with video. A smartphone, good lighting, and a microphone can be enough to capture footage. The key is planning your content, keeping videos concise and focused, and always providing value to your viewers.
The Power of Content Curation
While creating original content is important, it can also be time-consuming, especially for busy contractors. That's where content curation comes in. Curating content involves finding, organizing, and sharing relevant content from other reputable sources. Some benefits of content curation include:
Saving time and resources: Curating content is generally quicker and easier than creating content from scratch.
Providing additional value: Sharing useful content from other experts provides extra value and resources to your audience.
Building relationships: Curating content can help you connect with other influencers and thought leaders in your industry.
Improving SEO: Linking out to authoritative external sources can boost your own website's credibility and search rankings.
Some smart ways for contractors to curate content include:
Industry News and Trends
Keep your finger on the pulse of the latest contracting industry news, innovations, and trends. Share the most relevant and interesting stories with your audience through social media posts, email newsletters, or roundup blog posts. Add your own commentary and insights to provide additional value.
Expert Advice and Tips
Follow popular contracting publications, blogs, and influencers to discover helpful advice and how-to content you can share with your audience. For example, a roofing contractor might curate content on topics like:
Energy-efficient roofing materials
Signs it's time for a roof replacement
How to prepare your roof for winter weather
Always credit the original source and provide your own take on why the content is valuable for your audience.
Customer FAQs and Concerns
Pay attention to common questions and concerns you hear from customers and curate content that addresses them. You might share articles on topics like:
How to budget for a major home improvement project
What to expect during a kitchen remodel
How to choose a reputable contractor
Curating content that speaks to your customers' pain points shows you understand their needs and want to help. It positions you as a trusted resource.
Putting It All Together
The most effective contractor content marketing strategies incorporate a mix of both original created content and curated content from other relevant sources. Aim for a balance that makes sense for your business and audience. Remember, the goal of all your content should be to educate, engage, and ultimately drive leads and sales. Always keep your target customer in mind and create content that is truly valuable to them. By consistently implementing content creation and curation as part of your contractor marketing plan, you'll be well on your way to increased visibility, credibility, and growth. If you need help developing and executing a winning content marketing strategy, contact the experts at D&J Contractor Marketing. We specialize in helping contractors like you get more leads and customers through effective digital marketing tactics tailored to your business.