It’s hard to believe that a little over 10 years ago, iPads and contractor mobile apps didn’t exist. In addition, mobile sites were still part of the unknown. So much has changed within a decade, and so has content marketing for contractors.Every year, marketers ask if content marketing is dead. Well, it’s 2018, and content marketing is still alive and well–but, it is now with a focus on high-quality content marketing that provides value to the intended audience.For instance, during the initial stages of online content, content marketers were focused on quantity and posting as much content as possible. Today, successful content marketing geared toward the types of pieces that offer value to targeted audiences –in this regard, content marketing is thriving. And, the sky is the limit.So, why should service contractors care? Well, we are living in a consumer-driven and a “we want it now” market. And, the “we want it now” market spends a lot of their time online–searching for products and services. As a result, your business should engage in content marketing to ensure you get noticed by your target audience. Keep reading to learn more.
Content Marketing is Not a Fad
In 2016, over 90% of businesses utilized content marketing. Service contractors can no longer rely on word-of-mouth or referrals to keep sales churning. Every successful business today uses content marketing to expand their reach.So, what is content marketing? It is a form of marketing where the focus is on distributing high-quality content–consistently–to help gain and retain customers. It is also a strategic form of marketing to develop long-term profits. To produce valuable content, you must think of these key consumer factors:
- Their needs
- Wants
- Interests
- Concerns
- Questions
Then, what form of expertise do you have that would benefit your ideal customer? What type of content do your prospects and customers want? And, can you be consistent and relevant with your content?Why is consistency important? Because, with content marketing, “one and done” just doesn’t cut it. Your competition publishes content regularly, and you should too. Remember this: out of sight, out of mind.And, relevancy simply means that your content aligns with the interests, wants, and needs of your customers. Furthermore, the objective is to establish your company as a trusted expert.
Keep Your Business Top of Mind
Many service contractors fall behind when it comes to planning. For example, electrical contractors can be fully product-oriented. Yet, with today’s fast-changing and digital markets, that strategy no longer works. Instead, it is crucial to adopt a customer-focused marketing strategy which includes producing valuable content.The last thing you need is to be left in the dust by your ever-evolving competitors. Sure, sticking to a strategy established by earlier generations seems to be the way of the industry–but, that must change. Customers are more sophisticated, and the competition is embracing new ways to reach their market.Stop falling for old idea of, “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” It’s time to get out of stagnation and into operating on all cylinders. One way to do that is with content marketing–tailored for your target audience.Since the modern consumer is online, you must go where your customers are. If they can’t find your business on the web, producing content regularly, they will go elsewhere.When people are ready to make a purchase, your business must be where they can find you. Producing valuable content will help your business reach the top of the search engine rankings for your category. And, customers will see that your organization is ready to do business.
The Internet is Bursting with Information
As you well know, you can find anything online. Since this is the case, consumers are becoming a lot more picky about sorting out the good information. Put yourself in the shoes of your customer, imagine the journey they take before making a purchase.Think of how they might read reviews, look at prices, and compare services. If your company has good content, the customer feels that they can then make a more informed decision. Instead of feeling as if they have been “sold” by advertising, they can read through your high-quality content to determine their final response.In fact, 92% of consumers trust user-generated content over traditional advertising.
The Search Engines Want Good Content
Landing on the first page of a search engine query is critical for any business. Most consumers won’t even go to the second page. In addition, search engines are in the business of offering more relevant results to search queries. Therefore, they continue to update their algorithms. This is why it is important to create the best content for your market.Produce content that is unlike anything else out there in your industry. And, it doesn’t take a massive budget either. Start by hiring one good writer to publish consistently good content, and you will see the leads and traffic start to pour in.
Content Marketing Positions You as a Leader in Your Industry
Content marketing is blog posts, but it is also emails, infographics, videos, and social media posts. It is a way of engaging with your customers before, during, and after they make a purchase. You are keeping in touch while providing informational content.Do this consistently, and soon you’ll establish your business as a leader and the go-to expert in your industry. To illustrate, if you provide pool maintenance, you can write posts on how people can take care of their pools in each season.In addition, content marketing lets you keep warm relationships with your customers. They are more ready and willing to buy when they see that you know your stuff. And, you can easily use your CRM system to find upsell opportunities for these warm leads.
Getting Started with Content Marketing for Contractors
As you can see, to keep your business churning, it is important to get started with content marketing. The consumer market has changed, they live in a digital world, and so should you.
