*Note: this is a guest post from ContractorWeb.net. ContractorWeb.net designs and builds websites for contractors.
These days, many people within your inner circle are tech-savy. From smartphones to tablets to social media platforms to apps, we live in a tech-savvy world. But that doesn’t make us all programmers, coders, app developers, and website designers. Let’s take building a website as an example. Today, there are many applications on the market that makes it easy for anyone to build a website. DIY website builders, blogging software, and even general education for high schoolers provide an opportunity for non-developers to get their feet wet with building a website. Many of these websites will look “homegrown,” but some may look near professional. But at the end of the day, there’s much more to it than meets the eye, especially when it comes to lead generation. That’s why many contractors opt to hire a professional website company specializing in Contractor Website Design.
Looks Matter for Contractor Websites
Despite all of the technology and tools available to build your own contractor website, many consumers can spot a homegrown website when they see one. Most of the website builders out there offer common themes and templates that are used over and over again by many contractors, including your competitors at times. First impressions are everything. If your website does not offer a professional look and feel with organized content, what might a potential customer think of your business? Poorly designed websites turn customers away rather quickly. Customers can simply move down to the next search result on Google to find a contractor that provides immediate appeal. A professionally designed, custom contractor website conveys several key items to a consumer during their search: Professionalism, Trust and Credibility.
Proper Design & Website Maintenance
It’s important that a website utilizes professional code from the start. With the wide array of devices and browsers available to consumers, proper code and site architecture is critical. What may look good on Firefox may have significant display issues on Internet Explorer if proper code is not utilized. In addition, every website should be built with mobile friendliness in mind. The website must have either a mobile version of their website or built with a responsive design in order to display properly on all devices. Not only is mobile-friendliness important for a good user experience, it also impacts search rank. Since April 2015, Google has been adding more emphasis to mobile-friendliness to their search algorithms.
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It’s also important that a website is properly maintained over time as well. As technology evolves, the website must evolve with it. If a website is built in HTML/CSS, it’s important that the code abides by the current standards. If the website is built in WordPress, it’s absolutely critical to stay on top of updates for WordPress versions, theme updates and plugin updates. Failure to do so can result in a poorly functioning website and more importantly, can open up your website to vulnerabilities such as hacking and malware.
SEO Optimized Contractor Website for Traffic
This is the most important aspect to get right if you want to generate traffic to your website. Although some tech-savvy contractors can pull off a decent looking website, it’s likely it will be lacking some key elements to actually drive traffic. Some business owners rely on a friend, their niece, or their cousin’s uncle to build a website. And in some cases it might look pretty good. But the majority of such websites miss the most important aspect — ensuring the website is optimized for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). There are many intricate details that make a contractor website properly optimized to generate traffic resulting in contractor leads. From the code itself to proper site structure to SEO specific tactics, making a website search-engine friendly is a complex task that should be reserved for the professionals. The days of keyword stuffing and meta keywords are over, yet many amateurs still employ these methods. Not only will the wrong SEO methods lead to poor ranking, it can actually do more harm than good. If Google gets a whiff of a poorly designed website with spammy SEO techniques, the website can be blacklisted from Google’s search results.
Hiring a Contractor Website Design Company
When it comes to home repairs, installations, and modifications, many rely on experts like you — whether it’s remodeling bathrooms, troubleshooting an AC system, or replacing a roof. Consider doing the same when it comes to building your business website — hire a professional. If you’re looking for a professional website design company that specializes in Contractor Websites, you may want to check out www.ContractorWeb.net.
