Types of Content You Need to Grow Your Contracting Business

By Grace Dela Cruz

Introduction

You want to grow your construction business, and you’re hearing from all the online gurus and (some of) your friends that you have to “show up” online. These gurus are 100% right in saying that producing content and distributing it to the correct platforms can impact your business for the better.  No matter what kind of business you're in, the best way to grow your brand and become an authority in your industry is to create and share compelling content online. When used effectively, this can truly transform your contracting business. 

What does creating content mean, and how do you even begin? The topic of content creation could be scary for the average contractor because, well, why in the world would you be creating content when you could be renovating a home or business? This post will help you understand the different types of content you should consider creating to organically build your construction business, and provide you with a clear idea on where you can begin. 

Blogs

Blogs are a great way to share valuable content with your audience. Here's what you need to know about blogging:

• Your blog should be helpful and unique. You want to provide information that isn't available anywhere else on the internet, or at least not in as much detail or quality.

• It needs to be easy for people who aren't experts in your field (like contractors) to understand and implement. This can include step-by-step instructions or even video tutorials on how to do something specific within your niche industry.

• The content must be easy for readers to share with others via social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc., so they can spread the word about how awesome it was! This helps drive traffic back through those channels, which is great because it means more exposure/traffic for you, which equates to more leads coming through, which leads to the potential for more money in your pocket! :)

• Blog topics - identify a few content pillars you’d like to talk about on your blog, ranging from your favorite tools, your creative process, your favorite materials, etc. Make it a fun topic that you can write an easy 500-1200 words about and boom,you have yourself a blog!

• Always have a call to action (CTA) at the end of your blog. Whether it is encouraging your readers to sign up for your email list, or to book an intro call with you, you should begin writing your blogs with an end goal in mind. 

  
  
  

Infographics

Infographics are a great way to make your message more visually appealing, and they can be used for all kinds of industries. They're also a great way to help people understand what you do in an easy-to-digest format. For example, if you're an HVAC contractor in the Dallas area who specializes in heating and cooling systems for commercial buildings, an infographic about how these systems work could be useful for potential clients who want to know more about what goes into installing them!

Now you’re wondering, how do I create an effective infographic? Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Make it easy to understand - Infographics should be able to explain complex topics without being boring, or overwhelming readers with too much information at once. Try using visuals (like charts) as well as text so that even readers who aren't big fans of reading will still get something out of it!

• Make sure it's interesting - You don't always have time to draft long paragraphs when also creating infographics; instead, opt for shorter sentences with a good amount of white space around them so everything is easily readable and looks nice on screen, thus reducing the busy, overcrowded visual of using words alone. If possible try adding some humor into your piece too -- this can go along way towards making you stand out and seem more relatable to your potential customer.

• Not sure how to create an infographic? There are plenty of free tools online to help you out, like Google docs, or free graphic design tools such as Canva. 

  
  
  

Email Marketing

As a contractor, you likely work with many different clients. That's why it's important to have an email list that allows you to quickly and easily keep in touch with your customers and potential clients. By building an email list, you can create valuable relationships with the people who are the most interested in your business – and help keep them excited about what's happening at every stage of their project.

Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways for contractors to communicate with their audience because it requires little effort on their part - you do all the work! It gives recipients more control over when they want updates from your company as well as how much information they receive from each message; if someone doesn't want another update until next month, that option is available!

Here are some tips for getting started:

• Create an email list using a tool like MailChimp or Klaviyo.

• Send out a welcome email to new subscribers to introduce yourself and let them know they're on your list. This also gives you an opportunity to offer special deals or incentives for first-time customers.

• Offer content that helps people with specific projects, whether it's advice about hiring the right contractor or how to choose materials for their home renovation job.

Podcasts

Podcasts are a great way to build trust, by showing your expertise on a subject and helping to educate your audience, you get to share your message and show why you’re the right one for the job! Podcasts can also be used as an additional revenue stream through sponsorships or product sales.

Podcasting is hotter than ever right now because more and more people tune in to podcasts to get expert advice right from their phones, even while exercising at the gym or out for a run. Podcasts allow people to obtain huge amounts of knowledge about certain topics without having to read the information on the internet or in a book. This gives podcasters ample opportunities to engage listeners with creative, helpful, and easily accessible material; which makes them more memorable and much more likely to get picked for a job.

Social Media Posts

Social media is a great way to connect with your target audience; however, it can be difficult to figure out how to use social media effectively. If you're not sure where to start, here are some tips:

Use descriptive hashtags when posting on Instagram or Tiktok. Hashtags help people find your posts more easily and makes them more visible in search results. Make sure to use hashtags that are relevant for the type of content that you're sharing; for example, if you post about construction safety, use might want to use #ConstructionSafety.

Post regularly so that followers know what kind of content they should expect to see from you next time they check their feed – and so that potential customers know when they should buy from you! Keep in mind that your posts may not get momentum initially, and with every new topic or venture you share, you’ll start to see results after several months of interesting and consistent content. Be sure to engage with your new followers as often as you can to begin building your new community.

Testimonials 

Testimonials are a great way to get your name out there. When you have happy customers talking about their experiences with your company, it not only helps build trust, it also fhelps attract new business. You can even turn testimonials into content - write a blog or create a post about it, or if your customer is willing - talk about it in a podcast or video!

You’ll want to send the testimonial request at least 30 days after the job has been completed or the service provided. A sample email asking for a testimonial might look something like this:

“Hi [name],

I'm writing to ask if we can use your story as part of our marketing efforts. We would like to share basic information about the project we completed for you, your experience working with us, and the value it has added to your business. If you're okay with us sharing your story (and the work we completed), please reply to this email and include any specific photos or other materials that you'd prefer we use to spotlight the work that was done.

Thanks for your time and consideration.”

Conclusion

Hopefully this post has given you some helpful ideas around how to grow your contracting business using content marketing. There are a lot of other types of content out there, and these are the ones that I think are most important for contractors to focus on first. If you don't have these techniques in place yet, don't worry! The most important thing is to get started on one or two types of content so that it becomes part of your routine, and from there you can expand your techniques as time goes on. For more advice on growing your contractor business, follow Flume on Instagram @Flumepay, and be sure to check out our blogs at flumepay.com/blog.