Since the birth of the web, websites have been used as a research tool. Today, society is generally more prepared to make a financial decision than ever before because of that. With browsing now available within arm’s reach of many, nearly 24/7 using smartphones and tablets, a website becomes a very important part of that decision-making process, and thus a key factor to market your company.
With websites becoming more important for a list of reasons, not the least of which is validation that your company actually exists, construction and contracting companies are becoming more aware of how integral marketing is in the creation, management, and preservation of the website. Beyond the “who you know” this industry may be trending toward more “what you know” at times.
There are several pages within your website that house important content. If that’s the case, why should the “About Us” page (or pages) on your general contractor company website get special attention?
Your Company Perception is important
Beyond what you do, this is the ‘who you are’ and many ingredients go into the final product. What is the personality of your company? This should be somewhat evident through the rest of your site, but this is an area to visually show what your company stands for.
Are you active in your community? Sponsor a sports team, perhaps? There are many ways a company can be perceived but seeing people help people, be involved with programs for kids, helping at a homeless shelter, adopting an at-risk pet, these endeavors put a positive frame around your business. Showcasing this aspect on social media, as well as your website provides an outlet to spread that message.
Recognition for all your hard work is a great thing. Having a spot to boast about the company’s accomplishments is not only validation for that work but provides a sense of confidence in your capabilities to the viewer.
Your client list could be a supportive factor in this perception, as well. We see it often in the marketing industry where a national company logo is shown. The adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” a logo could be worth more than that! A longstanding client relationship also displays trust between the two companies. If there are clients that have been working with you for years it acts as an unspoken endorsement for your services.
What is the safety culture at your company like? We’ve had clients that have a dedicated and branded safety program. This shows that the contractor is serious about their initiatives. Enough so that materials such as flyers, pens, notepads, hats, shirts, booklets, and even create the necessary training courses and associated documentation are produced all under a specific safety label.
Your History is important
Decades of experience and staying power counts for something (here’s where “what you know” comes into play). If your company had a hand in creating the skyline of your city I would suggest showcasing those facts somewhere.
This area can be visually presented in many ways. It could be time-line based, framed like a picture-book story from start until the present, shown within an interactive slider area, or facts could be pulled out into an interesting infographic.
Do you happen to be family-owned? I can’t speak for other locations, but Pittsburgh tends to love the generational aspect of a company’s roots! Having the company torch passed down through the generations is something local media love to cover. Celebrate that upcoming big anniversary in style and publish that information in that “About Us” section.
Do you have a key figurehead or leadership? Many times, your company has a patriarch that’s been in the business forever (sometimes the company is named after this individual) – having a letter from the president that is a regularly updated commentary on the business, industry, and life, in general, is a great way to highlight a key figure for your business.
Your Unique Selling Position (or Unique Selling Point) is important
This term may be a very marketing-centric one, but it’s vital.
- A clear statement of what your contracting company does.
- Identify who would use your services.
- Explain why you are different and how that benefits your ideal client.
Let’s dive into each of these topics a bit.
What services do you provide and provide well?
These services can be pumped into their own pages flush with keywords to help you gain traction via search. But summarizing those services into a generally used term will play in your favor down the line. Try not to be too limiting in case you expand.
For instance, ‘Commercial Construction’ or ‘Residential Construction’ are different things, but if your organization does both then consider ‘Commercial and Residential Construction’ (or vice
Focus on could use these services (this is essentially the type of view you want on your website – one that will request bids or award you a contract).
Are you better-served positioning as a sub-contractor? That clientele is a different animal than one that would be looking to hire you directly.
Differentiators can be difficult to determine, but figuring them out can be key in how you position yourself in future bidding situations. Beyond that, this difference should play right into what your prospective client base would find appealing.
For instance: Is your construction outfit smaller than others? Perhaps the fact there isn’t as much overhead, rungs of leadership and your reputation for safety allows you to be more nimble and faster to respond! There are many ways to look at almost any given situation – just zero in on the positives until it can be refined into a simple statement.
For some specific examples see this great post on Shopify.
Showing the user what to do next is important
Just like directing traffic on the road, your website should provide access to other key areas of your website. Many times, a call to action can be missed if not placed correctly. These prompts providing the user with options of where to go next. Once they know a bit about your company, the next bit of reasoning would assume they would want to see a bit about your services and/or get in touch with you directly.
Final Considerations
Remember, content drives almost everything within a website. To have a great “About Us” page, you must organize a lot in order to determine the narrative for your audience. Key facts, stats, data, historic photos, first-hand recollections, testimonials… a lot goes into it. If you are considering a website update, take another look at your “About Us” page with fresh eyes to see how you could enhance this page or suite of pages even. Sometimes one page just isn’t enough for the story you are looking to tell.
Have a construction website and considering a bit of a renovation of your own? If you are thinking about an update, some refinement, and/or rethinking your contracting company’s ‘about’ section, we at 4CDesignWorks are happy to help! To reach out and learn about our limited-time offerings for Construction companies visit our website and learn more. You can also contact us directly to find out more!