Construction and Trades Website Tips
In the construction and trades industries, a website is an essential way of showing your potential clients the scope of projects that you are capable of undertaking. You may well be recommended, but online examples of what you can do will reassure your visitors that you can deliver. So, in order to attract and retain the sort of clients you want to work with and be appointed for the projects you want, here is our guide.
Target Audience
Before you start, make sure you know who your target clients are, and make sure that your content is created with them in mind. For example, a high-end residential construction company may well find themselves dealing with women, aged 35-50, who have a bit of money behind them and a very specific idea of what they want. However, a commercial heating and ventilation engineer is more likely to work with the building manager of a commercial company.
Plan your Content
“Content” is simply the text and images used to create pages, information sheets, case studies or other resources that people can access on your website. If you create useful content, then your dream clients are more likely to see you as someone they trust.
A great idea is to create a content section of your website designed to help clients through the process of working with you. For example, on residential builds, you might like to include some useful documentation on the building process.
Some ideas are:
Stages of the building process
How this could affect your client
Dealing with council
Building design tips.
Ideas to save money on your new home.
Creating Content
Images - Ideally the images ought to reflect the work you have done, and whilst it is useful to see some projects in progress, most of your clients are going to be interested in the finished product and making sure the process does not negatively impact upon them.
Text - If you are struggling with the wording, most good website designers will be able to recommend a copywriter to help you – and allow you to get back to what you do best – running your business!
Video – video is another useful tool to make your website engaging – modern day cameras are usually more than up to the job of creating a video of a completed project or a happy client.
Your Home Page
The first page that most visitors will land is your home page – this is the place to hook them in. By the time they finish your home page they should know who you are, what you do and where you do it plus why you are the best company for the job!
You will also have your logo or company name (which should be visible on every page), tempting calls to action and clear navigation – all of which we cover in more detail further on.
An About Page
Click on this text to edit it.
Services Pages
Whilst you will have touched upon these briefly in your home page, your services pages will outline what you do in far more detail.
For example if you are an electrician do you offer services for commercial, retail, domestic or public sector clients? If you install a particular product, what makes those stand out?
Project Pages
Project pages are an invaluable method of showing examples of the best projects you have undertaken. Before and after images (but not too many “in the middle images!) are a great way to showcase your work. Try and make it clear what you were contracted to do and what the end results was. A photo and a testimonial from a happy client is also worth its weight in gold next to a project.
Navigation
Your website should be easy to navigate around and should not require multiple clicks to find the content that your visitor is looking for. Also try to avoid “jargon” in page names – for example don’t just use the name of a product you use as a page name, make it clear what it does as well.
Call to Action
Every section of your website should have a clear call to action – what do you want your reader to do next! Be it “read more”, “contact us” or “get a quote” – spur them into action so you can get that sale!
Contact Details!
Make sure it is easy to contact you! Your website is not much use if a potential client does not know how to contact you. On your contact page you should have an email address and a phone number, not just a contact form – many people distrust a site if this is all it contains.
Ideally, your phone number and email address (ideally not a Gmail or yahoo address etc.) should also be clearly visible on the header and footer of your website.
So I’ll practice what I preach, so…
Give Suzy Perry, who heads up it'seeze Web Design Bristol a call on 07837 003 937 or email suzy.perry@itseeze.com – we would love to have a chat with you about how we could help improve your trades or construction website.
Alternatively fill in the contact form below and we will get back to you soon.
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