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5 No-Fail, Go-To Favorite Blog Ideas for Residential Contractors
If you are like me, you probably have a love-hate relationship with the process of blogging.
You love it because blogging is a way to incorporate fresh, original content into your website – which is good for organic SEO. The blog articles can be shared across social media, which introduces your contracting firm to new people as well as solidifies the bonds you have with those who already follow you. Like breadcrumbs, those articles lead people back to your website where they read the entire article, learn about your services and perhaps even subscribe to your list – a critical aspect of any content marketing program.
Blogging, however, can also be a royal pain, as it takes a lot of time to write a decent article. Additionally, before you can actually publish, there is a checklist of things to do that will help your blog get better traction: sizing and alt-tagging images, performing an SEO check, writing an attention-getting headline and adding a strategic call-to-action, just to name a few.
But perhaps the biggest blogging pain is coming up with the ideas! So many residential contractors ask me, “Where do I find good blog ideas?”
Luckily, I am here to help!
5 no-fail, go-to favorite blog ideas for residential contractors
1. Frequently Asked Questions
Nearly every customer has asked you a variation of the same handful of questions. Turn these frequently asked questions into a blog article.
Some questions you could answer in a blog article include:
- What financing options are available for [my remodel, new home construction, replacing my furnace, installing solar panels]?
Guidance: In addition to listing the financing options, use the opportunity to provide detail about each one – listing the benefits and drawbacks. You may also want to mention your go-to financial institution and the reason why you recommend clients work with them (e.g., a streamlined and hassle-free process because of your long-standing relationship with the bank).
Instead of writing on this topic yourself, you may consider asking your lender to write the article as a guest post to your blog.
- What is design/build?
Guidance: For this article, it is important to highlight the benefits of why a customer would elect design/build instead of the design-bid-build process.
- How long does it take to [remodel my kitchen, build a custom home, install a new furnace]?
Guidance: This is a great article to answer in your blog because customers are always asking, “How long does it take?” They ask because they don’t know. They do not understand the multi-step process before construction can actually begin (defining a budget, making selections, ordering materials, finalizing drawings, obtaining permits, etc.). When you write about this topic, make sure you provide enough details so they start to understand why it takes so long to actually begin construction.
- What are the best [lighting options] for the [master bathroom]?
Guidance: This blog idea can be applied in a number of ways. Pick a feature [lighting] and a room [master bathroom] and illustrate the reasons why it is important to be thoughtful about this selection.
Note that answering these Frequently Asked Questions on your blog may not stop these questions from being asked, but by writing this content, you are educating potential new customers about how you operate – building credibility and good organic SEO.
2. The Process
I alluded to this idea in the FAQs above. As a residential contractor, one of the best topics you can have on your website is your construction/installation process.
- What is your process for determining whether or not a lot is the right one to build on?
- What is your process for remodeling a home?
- What is your process for building a custom home?
- What is your process for installing a swimming pool?
- What is your process for replacing my roof?
While you know your processes like the back of your hand, much of this “construction stuff” is foreign for most of your customers, and even if they’ve gone through a construction project before, every contractor works a bit differently.
BONUS IDEA: If your process is already on your website (as a page or blog post), write an article about the importance taking time to get the back-end tasks right to avoid delays and frustrating change orders, and link this new article to the page where your process resides.
3. Different Types of _________ .
There are dozens of products on the market for each selection your customers need to make: flooring, tile, appliances, plants for landscaping the backyard, kitchen sinks.
Write a blog article about each subject. If the category is too large (such as plants for backyard landscaping), you can break it down into sub-categories and write a series of articles (native plants, trees and bushes, perennials versus annuals, plants that attract hummingbirds).
4. How to Avoid _____.
Homeowners dread home-related issues because when discovered, they often disrupt the entire day and are expensive. A no-fail blog idea is to write articles to help these folks avoid these common hassles.
- How to avoid your AC not working on the first crazy-hot day of summer
- How to avoid a washing machine pipe bursting when you are on vacation
- Steps to take to avoid a complete roof replacement before your roof really needs one
5. [7] Things Every [Kitchen] Should Have
When customers are building or making improvements to their homes, they all too often blur the line between must-haves and nice-to-haves, but as a contractor, your experience and guidance can help them reach their goals and still get what they need.
Some other blog idea examples:
- [10] Plants That Will Withstand Intense Southern Summers
- [3] Energy-Efficient Features Every Home Should Have
- [6] Money-Saving Alternatives You Should Consider When Renovating Your Bathroom
Articles like these will help your readers understand that not every selection is weighted the same. Once they recognize this, they can be more thoughtful (and less emotional) when making decisions about which features they need and which they’d like to have for their homes.
One final thought
The reason why these are my no-fail, go-to blog ideas for residential contractors is because with little exception, these topics are evergreen – meaning they will be just as relevant in the future as they are today. This makes it easy to continue to share these articles via social media for months – and years – to come.
About The Author: Blue Corona's Editorial Staff is determined to help you increase your leads and sales, optimize your marketing costs, and differentiate your brand by passing on our tribal knowledge. The team vigilantly stays on top of the latest in digital marketing, bringing you the top insights with expert commentary. Want to see something on our blog you haven't seen yet? Shoot us an email and our marketing team will get to work.
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The information on this website is for informational purposes only; it is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. It does not constitute professional advice. All information is subject to change at any time without notice. Contact us for complete details.
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