alexfdanuk

[alexfdanuk]

Finding those people on Facebook who are more likely to click your ads

I think most people have at least dabbled in Facebook ads. Who hasn’t boosted a post, eh?

From what I hear most people are underwhelmed by the results from their Facebook ads.

Yes, those algorithms keep changing and that can be a real pain.

Do you know that you can find those people who are most likely to click on your ads – actually you won’t believe, or perhaps you will, what you can find out about people on Facebook.

Here is a screenshot from an ad I ran using the Facebook audience insights to clearly target who I want to see the ad and who was most likely to engage with it. Spending £3 for 550 days this ad reached 205, 931 people and had 17,356 engagements.

Let me show you how to find those click happy people using Facebook audience insights:

Watch the video and then leave a comment to let me know about your experience with Facebook ads.

The post Finding those people on Facebook who are more likely to click your ads appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/facebook-audience-insights/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/finding-those-people-on-facebook-who-are-more-likely-to-click-your-ads

[alexfdanuk]

The Ultimate Guide to Setting Up A Successful Online Shop

The world of retail has been changing since the dawn of time, but it has perhaps experienced more change in the past 10 years than the previous 1,000.

Online shopping has become more and more popular, threatening established offline retailers massively (that could be subject of another post sometime couldn’t it). It has transformed the way people buy forever.

If you want to enter this world and setup an online shop of your own, then you have made a wise decision.

Ecommerce is taking over how we all shop and you want to join the online market.

However, there’s a fly in the ointment: how do you go about setting up a successful ecommerce site? “Successful” being the important word here. Anyone can setup an online shop. But what do you need to do to make it a successful shop?

#1 – Get your landing page right

Your landing page is your opportunity to make a good first impression. It is the first thing a potential customer will see, so it needs to represent your shop in the best possible way. Here are a few improvements you can make to your landing page today:

Use a primary headline that is designed to be eye-catching; something that will make people want to know more.

Add customer testimonials to help give the page an authentic feel right from the moment a prospective customer lands on it.

Use high quality images; it is better to have one great image than several low-quality images

Introduce a call to action button as quickly as possible, so those who are ready to buy are able to do with ease.

Use contrasting colors to help draw the eye of the reader and make the page as distinctive as possible.

Add your social media buttons so customers can learn more about your company if they wish to.

#2 – Make sure your site is mobile responsive

Ecommerce sites have to be mobile responsive. 62% of customers have made a purchase online via their mobile phone, so you have to ensure your site is ready for mobile sales.

#3 – Perfect your product photos

Product photos might not be the be-all and end-all of the success of an ecommerce site. They are, though, arguably the most important single component when it comes to generating a sale. If product photos are poor or lacking in some way, few customers will feel brave enough to buy “sight unseen”.

That’s why it’s essential that you abide by the essential rules of product photography:

Product photos should be high quality. You can hire a professional or use a DSLR yourself; but whichever option you use, the images should be the highest possible quality.

Product photos should be well lit. A professional photographer will manage this for you, but if you’re photographing for yourself, this is an issue you will need to examine in depth. At the very least, you’ll want to make your own light tent to photograph your products in.

Product photos should vary what they show. You need at least two photos of the whole product, and then photographs of individual key points. These include detailing, important labels, and other key points.

For smaller items, a size reference is also useful. Coins are popular choices, though a tape measure tends to look more professional.

#4 – Enhance the user experience with product videos

Product videos are a great way of showcasing a product, and are particularly suited to products with moving parts. Here’s a few tips for creating great product videos:

You don’t have to talk on the video, but if you’re going to, then script yourself. If you “uhm” and “aah” your way through a video, this won’t reflect the product in the best possible light.

If you just want to demonstrate the product in motion without having to actively ‘present’ it, upbeat music is a good choice.

Keep the video short and useful. There’s no need to go for a full-on infomercial; keep it short, light and easy to digest.

#5 – Write compelling product descriptions

When you’ve got your images, you now need to write the descriptions for those images. Here are a few aspects you should be thinking about:

Focus on the benefits to the buyer. What problem is the product going to solve? How is it going to make their lives easier?

Use an SEO keyword in your description, provided it blends seamlessly in the text. SEO is important, but the descriptions can’t be keyword stuffed or compromised just to accommodate it. The primary purpose of descriptions is to tempt someone to buy, not to increase the visits to the page.

Use short bullet points to highlight the key advantages of the product, then a longer paragraph that expands on these bullet points.

The longer description can incorporate more keywords if you wish but, again, don’t let this compromise the actual description.

Integrate customer testimonials into the product description. This way, prospective customers can see the item in question is useful both in concept and in practice.

Include technical information and specifications wherever possible. Size, measurements, capabilities, compatibility with existing products. These are all things that most customers want to know before they buy. As this information is quite dry, it’s best to keep it out of the main descriptive sections, but a “tech specs” table is always worth including.

#6 – Use calls to action throughout the site

Calls to action are exactly that; an eye-catching part of the site that is designed to prompt the desired behavior from a customer. In most cases, calls to action are used to try and encourage someone to buy a product. They can also be used to encourage email list sign ups or follow the company on social media.

Calls to action should be distinct from the rest of the site. Bright colors and text changes are commonly used to help distinguish the call to action from its surroundings.

Simplicity is the key for a call to action. Opt for basic statements such as “Buy Now!” or “Try Here!”. Anything more in-depth than this risks losing the urgency that a call to action should be seeking to create.

Calls to action work best when they are placed in the top-half of your website. As a call to action is an immediate command, you want your customers to see it instantly rather than having to scroll to find it.

#7 – Encourage people to register with the site

Not everyone who wants to buy from your online shop will want to register, but it’s very beneficial to you if they do. A customer registering helps you to build your email list and gives you better options for promotions and marketing in the future.

Provide incentives for customers to register; for example, you could offer 10% off their first order when they sign up to the site.

Explain the benefits of registering to customers, such as easier order tracking and simpler management of their purchase history.

Make registration easy; a name and an email address is more than sufficient to begin with if that works for your business. Customers are liable to abandon a registration attempt if they have to fill in too many fields, so keep things simple. You can always ask for further details, such as their address and phone number, when they make a purchase.

#8 – Simplify the checkout process

Buying from your site should be simplicity itself. Some customers will simply abandon a cart if the process is taking too long, so getting this area right is key for converting sales:

Keep your checkout basic. Adding additional steps — for example “items you might be interested in!” pages — before the checkout is not recommended. Use these after checkout, rather than before: get the sale first!

Allow guest checkout. As beneficial as it may be for customers to register on your site, it’s more important to get the sale, so don’t make registration compulsory to buy. Many customers prefer guest checkout, so it’s important you allow this option for those who want to use it— hopefully, they will sign up eventually anyway.

Offer as wide a range of payment methods as you can. The last thing you want is for a customer to click away from your website if you don’t accept their preferred payment method.

#9 – Add supplementary pages

Finally, build trust with your customers by providing supplementary information. There are a few different pages you may want to add:

FAQ pages help to reduce the amount of time you will spend answering the same questions to customers. This can help customers feel more confident about the buying process.

Policy pages are a must. Be transparent and open with these pages, and make it clear where the customers stands and what their rights are. Use clear, simple English. You don’t want to confuse your customers with impenetrable legalese.

A contact page is an absolute must for any ecommerce site. This should include relevant phone numbers, your email address, a separate contact form, and links to the site’s social media accounts. Not only does this reassure customers that they will be able to discuss any problems with you, but it can also help to boost your tribe.

Successful ecommerce shops take a lot of work, a lot of instinct, and even a tiny bit of luck sometimes. However, with the right ingredients, your ecommerce shop could soon be flying high alongside the biggest and the best.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Setting Up A Successful Online Shop appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/successful-online-shop/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-setting-up-a-successful-online-shop

[alexfdanuk]

Create an Online Shop FAQs

The post Create an Online Shop FAQs appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/create-an-online-shop-faqs/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/create-an-online-shop-faqs

[alexfdanuk]

3 Game Changing WordPress Workshops

The post 3 Game Changing WordPress Workshops appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/game-changing-wordpress-workshops/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/3-game-changing-wordpress-workshops

[alexfdanuk]

His Words made me Cry

Video Transcript:

Hello, it’s Tosca from Wicked Spider. Now, I’m not the type of person to wear my heart on my sleeve, but I did have a tear in my eye the other day when I saw the words that he wrote to me.

Now, it wasn’t the words themselves that were causing the problem, it was the number of words that he sent to me. It was 112 words.

Now, of course, I’m talking about the number of words that I got sent to me by a client a few weeks ago for the home page of their website.

Now, let me show you 112 words. That is 112 words.

Now, these could be the best words that you’ve ever written, or that your copywriter’s ever written, or that my copywriter’s ever written, but they’re going to have very little, if any, impact on Google whatsoever.

Now don’t worry, I’m not asking for essays, but I sort of say aim for 400 words.

You don’t need to worry that it’s going to look boring, because they won’t, but what you do need to bear in mind is that the more relevant, original words that you write, and obviously when I saw original, you can copy and paste from other websites, but that’s not going to help you, so the more original, high-quality, relevant words that you write on your website, the more chances of people seeing your website and what you do, and the products and services that you have to sell.

Now, what happens is, Google will gobble up all these words and store them for future reference and then when somebody searches for what you do, so when somebody searches for red shoes, for example, if that’s what you sell, and you’ve got a web page about it, Google says, oh look, here’s a web page, it’s good quality, and it gives enough information, let me show this page to Joe Blogs or Josephine Blogs, ’cause they were asking for red shoes.

So please, don’t make me cry, send me more than 112 words, and your competitors could be crying.

The post His Words made me Cry appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/his-words-made-me-cry/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/his-words-made-me-cry

[alexfdanuk]

Blogging is a waste of time

The post Blogging is a waste of time appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/blogging-is-a-waste-of-time/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/blogging-is-a-waste-of-time

[alexfdanuk]

5 Local SEO Tips for the Construction Industry to win more Work

Local SEO Tips

Claim and fine tune your Google My Business listing

Optimise the SEO title tags on your website for locally relevant keywords

Insert your keywords into unique descriptions on local online business directories

Make sure that your business name, telephone number and address are the same across all online platforms

Publish posts to your Google My Business listing regularly

The post 5 Local SEO Tips for the Construction Industry to win more Work appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/local-seo-tips-construction/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/5-local-seo-tips-for-the-construction-industry-to-win-more-work

[alexfdanuk]

What is a Website Privacy Policy?

I’m Rachael Chiverton, The Contract Lady, I make sure your contract covers you so you get paid on time, every time. Tosca has asked me to write an article on privacy notices to help you ensure you have the right documentation in place and you are compliant with the law. My aim is to make this article informative and helpful, hopefully not dull and boring!

A website privacy policy is:

a document that explains how an organization handles any customer, client or employee information gathered in its operations.

Source https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/privacy-policy

However, we need to clarify one thing immediately, it shouldn’t be called a privacy policy if you are using it on your website, it should be a privacy notice.

Why do you need a Website Privacy Notice?

Providing Privacy information is a requirement under the Data Protection Act (DPA) , which will be succeeded on May 25th 2018 by the Eu’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

You should view your privacy notice as a flexible document that you can deliver in different forms and through a number of channels, sometimes using more than one.

For the remainder of this article I will be focusing on Privacy notices for websites.

Website Privacy Notice, what to include

To start with you need to make sure you tell people the basics:

who you are;

what you are going to do with their information; and

who it will be shared with.

Under the DPA this is the bare minimum you should include, however under GDPR there is more information you need to provide.

New rules for your privacy notice

So what do you need to include now?

Background

Who you are

What are your customer’s rights?

What data do you collect on them?

How will you use that data?

What legal basis will you be processing their data?

How you will be storing and sharing their data?

What are cookies and how will you use them?

Changes to your privacy notice

Some of the above seem to me to be very self explanatory, so I will explain the ones which you may need guidance on.

3 – What are your customer’s right?

This section need to include:

Right to be informed

Right of access

Right of rectification

Right to be forgotten

Right to restriction of processing

Right of portability

Right to object

Rights in relation to object to automated processing & profiling

5 – How will you use that data?

Here you need to include:

How long you will store the data for

A list of the ways you may use their data.

How should you write your privacy notice?

As with everything, you need to keep in clear and concise, in simple English assuming not everyone understands the same terminology you do.  You should do you research and draw on features in other privacy notices. You need to be truthful, write it in your style so it fits with the rest of your website. Finally make sure they are consistent across all platforms and you can update each platform easily.

Can I help you with your privacy notice?

I offer a standard template you can purchase that you then fill in the highlighted areas by yourself to create your privacy notice. This template has in it all the areas above, all you need to do is insert the correct information for your processes and website. If you would like to purchase one of the templates, please contact me via this link.

The post What is a Website Privacy Policy? appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/what-is-a-website-privacy-policy/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/what-is-a-website-privacy-policy

[alexfdanuk]

How to use Overlays in Canva

How to Use Overlays in Canva Video Transcript

Hello! I’m Tosca Lahiri from wickedspider.com and today’s tutorial is about how to use Canva to create your images for your website, for your blog posts, for your social media posts as well. And particularly how to use the overlay features so you can have a pictures in the background and some text on the front.

So what I am going to do is start with a custom size. This can be anything you like. I’m going to use 1024 by 607 because I’m going to use it on my blog post. Click on design. Wait for Canva to launch the next stage. Now you get the layouts over here. Don’t worry, this is not the pictures. Just choose a layout. I just want a plain one here.

Now I want to put a pattern in the background. Again this could be anything. It can be patterns, photographs.

Let’s chose that greeny blue one. I want to make it fill the thing so just grab it and give it a little shake and it does it’s magic there.

Now I want to add a shape part of the way through it so I can put some text on it. So let’s click on elements.

Click on shapes. and here are the shapes. You’ve got some nice ones. I’m just going to use this one here.

I’m going to change the transparency so I can see some of the bluey green coming through. Just adds some depth and interest to your image.

I’m going to resize it.

Let’s go right to the edge. You can do anything you like with this. Be very creative.

This is what I’m going to do. I’m going to change the colours.

The darkest bit is too dark.

Drag the colour wheel like that. then slide this across. Ok. that’s going to stand out isn’t it.

I’m also going to…I’ll think I’ll leave the grey on this time. So that’s fine.

Now I want to add the text here. Click on the text.

Add a heading.

And you can see that little grid.

and we can drag it in here. Can you see those cross hairs? Pinky purple. And when it snaps it means it’s in the centre a bit like when you go shooting at the fun fair.

We are going to change this to “How to use Overlays in Canva”

I’m going to select it all because I want to change the colour.

Click on this plus and that gives you another colour. I’m going to use white.

Six Fs make white.

If you want to change the font as well just double click to select it that way.

They’ve got some interesting names for fonts haven’t they?

Let’s what shall we use? Oh I like a biryani. Let’s use Biryani Bold.

It doesn’t fit any more so let’s change the size. 36…is that going to fit? Yes.

Because we have changed the size we’ll need to reposition it.

Let’s wait to we see that…there we go.

Now we need to see it snap again.

There you go!

Ok.”How to Use Overlays in Canva”

I want to add my logo you can use this principle to add anything you like.

You just click on “upload your own images” and that goes to your computer and you find what you want there. I’m already got my logo here.

I want to make it a bit smaller. So I’m holding down the control button and then getting the corner.

and dragging that down a bit.

I’m going to put it towards one side. I wouldn’t put it right on the edge as sometimes it can get chopped off depending on what app opens it up.

There you you. “How to use Overlays in Canvas” with your logo there so that when people see you blog posts, your Facebook page they see it. You don’t always have to put your logo. Sometimes I use there as well.

page they see it. You don’t always have to put your logo. Sometimes I use there as well.

So that’s it. If I want to download it to my computer I just click on download.

I would just use a png and click on the download button.

It’s preparing the design. And it will be on my computer. I will save it somewhere and I can use it anywhere I like. So, all you need to do now is go any have a go yourself. As I said canva.com is free to start off with. See you soon and have a Wicked week.

The post How to use Overlays in Canva appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/how-to-use-overlays-in-canva/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/how-to-use-overlays-in-canva

[alexfdanuk]

GDPR Checklist

If you have managed to get through the last few months without hearing about GDPR (General Data Protection)  then it is a miracle!

I thought I would put together a brief outline of some of the resources out there that I have found helpful, including a free GDPR checklist, and an overview of how GDPR affects websites.

As I do not have any legal training I cannot advise a business about what they need to do to be GDPR complaint. What I have done is copy the principles from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website and list the most common areas where GDPR and websites intersect.

GDPR Principles

These are the 8 principles that you need to address. “Processing data” includes just holding data too and GDPR applies to digital and non-digital data -i.e. Bits of paper.

The GDPR provides the following rights for individuals:

The right to be informed

The right of access

The right to rectification

The right to erasure

The right to restrict processing

The right to data portability

The right to object

Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling.

(Taken directly from The Information Commissioner’s Office website https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/)

GDPR Checklist & Other Resources

The Information Commissioner’s Office are the guardians of GDPR and if you call them I hear they are very helpful. I cannot endorse any of the organisations in this list – but I have found them to be helpful.

The Information Commissioner’s Office

Suzanne Dibble’s GDPR Checklist (free)

Suzanne Dibble’s GDPR Facebook group (free to join)

Suzanne Dibble’s GDPR Compliance Pack

Any professional bodies you belong to may have GDPR support

Robin Adam’s MailChimp Answers Facebook group

I hear that if you are a member of The Federation of Small Business they have a GDPR support department. Rachael Chiverton, The Contract Lady may also be of help.

GDPR and your Website

Here are a few items (not exhaustive) you need to consider on your website and provide content and/or instructions to your web designer company:

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

Lead Magnets (ebook downloads in exchange for an email address)

Ecommerce

Google Analytics

Facebook Pixels

Contact Forms

Enquiry Forms

Quotation Forms

Blog comments

e-Newsletter Signup Forms

Web Hosting

Website Maintenance

Data processing contracts with your web design company, web hosting company and website maintenance provider.

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/accountability-and-governance/contracts/

Security Certificates

I would also recommend that you add a security certificate to your website so that the data transmitted is more secure. You will know if this has been done if your website link has https in the link or if in Google Chrome you see a padlock and  “Secure” text in the browser like this:

The security certificate is required by Google anyway now irrelevant of GDPR regulations.

Google is flagging websites up as insecure if they don’t have the SSL certificate. This is what your clients would see if your website is insecure:

Your Next GDPR Steps

There are some grey areas  – how I hate grey areas!.  But if you are not already in Suzanne Dibble’s free GDPR Facebook group that would be my first recommendation. And of course her GDPR Compliance Pack would be my second. The pack costs £147 at the time of writing – I believe there is a price rise due on the 25th April 2018.

If I’ve created your website for your business then let me know what you want to do with your privacy and cookie notices and data processing contracts and I’ll get in touch with you about the next steps.

You will find templates in the GDPR Compliance Pack if you need them. I am sure there are other places to get templates from but just ensure it is a reliable source.

*Some of the links included in this post are affiliate links.

The post GDPR Checklist appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/gdpr-checklist/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/gdpr-checklist

[alexfdanuk]

How to Find your Cookies

Here are step by step instructions to find a list of cookies that your website uses.

If you prefer to watch a 30 second demo scroll down…..

In Google Chrome open a new incognito window

Enter the website address

On your keyboard tap F12

Click on “Application” across the top

On the left handside look for “Storage”

Click on “Cookies”

Click on your website URL

You then see the cookie names and Expires/Max-Age

Watch the 30 second video below if you prefer to see how to do it visually.

 The post How to Find your Cookies appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/find-website-cookies/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/how-to-find-your-cookies

[alexfdanuk]

Why Word Of Mouth Marketing Is Not Enough Now

In years gone by, there was nothing more powerful and persuasive than word of mouth marketing when it came to choosing a construction company. Today, however, the way we go about sourcing and locating products and services is very different. If you run a construction business, it’s incredibly beneficial to try and move with the times and embrace new marketing methods that will attract new customers and keep loyal clients on board.

If you’ve been reliant on word of mouth marketing alone and you’re keen to learn more about modern marketing in the construction industry, you’ve come to the right place.

The Power of the Internet

The Internet has changed the way we live, work, communicate and learn. Many of us use the web to contact friends and family and keep abreast of the news

But the internet can also be an amazingly useful resource for both business owners and consumers. Whether you’re food shopping or you’re looking for a local business to provide you with a service you need, it’s increasingly easy to find what you need by pressing a few buttons and clicking on links.

As a business owner, the internet gives you a platform to promote and advertise your business and tell people more about the services you offer.

Many of us have asked for recommendations from colleagues, friends or neighbours when choosing a building firm. But today, it’s much more commonplace to look to the internet too for answers.

Consumers locate services in their local area using search engines and social media, they can access reviews and testimonials, and they can also learn more about individual businesses and what they offer via a company website. If you’re not already set up with a site or you’ve got a dated website that isn’t doing your company justice, creating a new online presence could be hugely beneficial for your business.

Google alone has processed more than 65,781Google searches today in 1 second – with thousands of those search looking for businesses in the construction supply chain. This last month in the UK there have been approximately 27 thousand searches for building merchants on Google; timber merchants just under 15 thousand and 14 thousand searches for builders.

Online Marketing for your Business

Offline marketing techniques can still be very effective for building companies, but it’s increasingly important to combine offline and online methods. Clients are now starting their quest to find a local construction firm online, and if you haven’t got a fantastic website, you could lose out to competitors.

The first step towards success in marketing in the construction industry lies in designing a website that showcases your business in the best light. Your site should look professional and smart, the pages should be informative and interesting, and the navigation should be simple and swift. Avoid using long paragraphs and text, create pages that link to each other, answer questions, and use images and clips to make the content more engaging.

Having a blog is a useful resource, as it gives visitors access to more information and you can optimise the content to make your pages SEO-friendly. This means that your links will appear higher up the page when a customer uses a search engine to look for anything that is related to your business. Include your web address on anything that carries your brand name, for example, vans, trucks and company cars.

Social media is very popular these days, and you may benefit from creating profiles and accounts on sites like Facebook. Your page enables people to get in touch with you, you can encourage clients to rate your company, and you can share promotions and events and informative posts about the services you offer. And of course send people to find out more about how great you are on your website.

Word of Mouth Marketing with Online Marketing

Word of mouth can still be a very useful tool when it comes to marketing in the construction industry. However, you are missing a trick if that is all you reply on and you are losing out on more business if you are not looking at embracing digital marketing.

I was with a new client the other day who hasn’t had a new website since 2002. They are getting telephone enquiries and have noted that people are asking more and more for their website address. They are embarrassed to give out the link and realise that they are not giving a good impression online. They have concluded that it is time to have a new website that gives them some credibility online and gives people some up to date information about the business.

I am not saying that word of mouth marketing doesn’t work – I’m am saying that it isn’t enough.

The post Why Word Of Mouth Marketing Is Not Enough Now appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/word-of-mouth-marketing-not-enough/

from Wicked Spider - Blog http://wickedspideruk.weebly.com/blog/why-word-of-mouth-marketing-is-not-enough-now

[alexfdanuk]

How to Build Trust Online for the Construction Industry

Wicked Spider - Web Design

Marketing for the Construction Industry – The Challenge

Businesses in the construction industry are often slated for a lack of professionalism aren’t they? You must have heard stories about builders, roofers, joiners and suppliers not turning up when they promised, disappearing off a job, not supplying the materials needed on time or just doing a bad job.

Not all organisations in the construction industry are like that are they? But how do you prove that you are the builder, tradesperson or the supplier to be trusted? Yes word of mouth certainly helps with this but that method alone has a limited audience.

I am going to outline how you can use your website to prove that you are trustworthy, reliable and just downright brilliant at what you do.

Before and After Pictures

Take photographs before you start a project and when you complete your job. Now, I know that when you finish your task the whole project may not be complete. It would be good if you could return to the project to take some pics when the site is less like a building site and more like a place suitable for living or working in.

Case Studies

Case studies in the construction industry are pure gold marketing material. You can start off by explaining a bit about who your client is and what challenges they faced. Then explain why your client came to you to help them. Now explain what it is that you did for them – remember to speak in a language that they will understand and focus on the benefits your company brings to the table.

And then wax lyrical about the results – and of course you can intersperse your case study with your before and after photographs.

Regulatory Bodies

You will need  to have evidence that your organisation complies with the relevant rules and regulations for your specific industry. If I’m looking for a gas engineer to install central heating on a new development I will want to see that they are registered with Gas Safe. On your website you can do this by showing the Gas Safe logo, registration number and a link to the certificate itself possibly.

If I am looking for a new timber supplier for a large self build project I will be looking to see if the wood is environmentally sourced and if they are accredited for timber chain of custody by PEFC for instance. You can have all of this on your website.

The construction industry is heavily regulated. Buyers will research online for suppliers and trades people who have evidence that they comply with regulations – you can prove this on your website. It’s not that hard is it to tick that box.

Testimonials

If case studies are marketing gold then testimonials or recommendations collected by a trusted source are at a  platinum level when it comes to looking at marketing assets. When I say trusted sources I mean platforms like Google Reviews, Facebook, LinkedIn or Trust Pilot. Yes, there can be fake reviews put up on these platforms and of course people use these tools to make complaints but in general they are considered more reliable than you getting someone to scribble something on a scrap of paper. I collect reviews online and then copy them onto my website. And try to get permission to use names if appropriate.

Don’t forget to ask for very short video recommendations that you can record on your phone at the end of a project. Then just pop them onto your YouTube page and share them onto social media and embed them onto your website.

Your next customer will research online for your services. You might like to read about the buyer’s journey now to how customers find your services or products today.

Marketing for the construction industry isn’t easy I know. But from your everyday work activities you have the evidence to build trust with your next customer.

Does your online presence present you as a reliable and trustworthy organisation?

The post How to Build Trust Online for the Construction Industry appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/build-trust/

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[alexfdanuk]

The Top 5 Construction Industry Twitter Accounts you need to Follow

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Marketing for construction companies comes with it’s own challenges.

Whether you have just started out in the construction industry or you supply the construction industry then it’s all going on in the world of Twitter. Do you have an account their yet? You should really. I’ve done some research in your field and found these 5 amazing Twitter accounts that I recommend following for tender opportunities, training and loads more:

Construction Online

Who are they?

Construction Online are on Twitter to make your job of applying for tenders easier. They are all about helping the construction industry with procurement and supply chain management.

Why you should follow them?

Well, this one is easy – if you want to apply for contracts and you need to go through a procurement process then Construction Online have your back.

How many are following them?

Construction Online have a massive 21.4 thousand followers.

UK Construction

Who are they?

UK Construction help businesses in the construction industry use the internet better.

Why you should follow them?

As I write there are 10 thousand tweets all about the construction industry. You will find out about opportunities to tender, how companies like yours are using technology to great advantage and developments in materials – there is so much here.

How many are following them?

You might not believe me when I say that UK Construction have over 61 thousand followers on Twitter.

Construction News

Who are they?

Construction News is a print and online magazine that provides market intelligence, lets you know about trend data and forecasts what they think will happen. The market analysis section looks very interesting I have to say.

Why you should follow them?

Construction News is read by the UK’s top 100 contractors and they have a reach  that engages with and audience that has their hands on a combined budget of £60bn+. They publish construction industry news and offer helpful analysis of how the news could affect your business.

How many are following them?

Construction News has a very impressive 83.6 thousand followers. And from a quick look they look like they are from genuine Twitter accounts.

Construction Index

Who are they?

Construction Index are a free news source for those working in the building services. If you look at their website they have news about projects coming up looking for suppliers, they sell building equipment such as wheel loaders and dumper trucks and you can advertise on their website.

Why you should follow them?

What stands out about Construction Index is that they list opportunities that you can bid for, they have plant news and give you an opportunity to list your services in their Fast Index.

How many are following them?

So far this is my favourite Twitter account to follow because it covers everything it seems in the industry. And I’m not alone has another 77.8 thousand people follow them too.

CITB

Who are they?

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is a social entreprise founded in the UK in 1964. It works with companies to give them a competitive edge in a turbulent marketplace.

Why you should follow them?

I am writing this article in the week that Carillion, the second largest construction company in the UK, has gone into liquidation. The CITB’s pinned tweet is about what they are doing to help apprentices that were on Carillion’s books. They have a tweet about the first ever house building degree and many others about the best learning approaches for those in the construction industries.

How many are following them?

CITB have a very healthy 39.2 thousand followers from a diverse range of people and companies in the construction industry.

So, that’s 5 Twitter accounts to follow to keep up with all that’s going on in the construction industry.

Have I missed anyone that you follow on Twitter and really rate? Let me know in the comments below and I will have a look at what they are doing on social media and add them to this list.

Marketing for construction companies just got a little bit easier didn’t it?

The post The Top 5 Construction Industry Twitter Accounts you need to Follow appeared first on Wicked Spider.

from https://wickedspider.com/top-5-construction-industry-twitter-accounts/

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[alexfdanuk]

13 Signs that your Website is Losing you Sales and Enquiries

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The Buyer’s Journey

How often do you research online before you go to meet someone face to face to make a  purchase for your business?  Over 80% of people check out companies online before buying services and products – and the number is growing.

This buying phenomenon is sometimes referred to as the ROBO Effect which stands for research online, buy offline. The buyer’s journey is strongly influenced by what is found online now. In fact, according to Stanford University, 75% of people judge the credibility of a company based on its website (credibility.stanford.edu).

ROBO isn’t new, but it is becoming the norm in your buyer’s purchasing journey and it is a big incentive to make a great first impression online. Imagine what happens when a potential customer looks you up online before calling and they see a “vintage” or even broken website. Your credibility goes down the pan doesn’t it? This is the reality now for the buyer’s journey.

A recent article on Forbes.com states that:

74% of B2B buyers research half or more of their work purchases online before buying … The same study found that 30% make half or more of their work purchases online today, and 56% expect to make half or more of their work purchases online in 3 years.

So if you think that your sales come from word of mouth only or that it doesn’t matter if your website is dated or not working properly then the statistics say otherwise – search for yourself if you think I might be using the numbers to suit my purposes ?

What does your vintage or broken website say to people?

Do you leave the house for work or a meeting wearing the same clothes you wear dossing about doing the garden, putting up the curtain track or sorting out the boxes in the attic? I doubt it. You put your best foot forward I suspect – most people do don’t they?

Of course your website is available day and night so people can see it at any time. Is your website making a good first impression?

So here they are…

13 signs that your website is losing you sales and enquiries

Your website doesn’t load or you see a weird error message

The website looks like something you would find in a museum for marketing artifacts

The telephone number or email addresses on the website are outdated and no-one responds

The website doesn’t work very well on a phone

The links on the website itself don’t go anywhere or give you another weird error message

Your business no longer offers the services or products referred to on the website

The blog section was last updated a very long time ago

Your website is very slow for people to use

Your website is made with something called Flash (animations)

You can’t make simple updates to the website yourself

You have outgrown your website

You have repositioned yourself in your market

You are ashamed give out the link to your website!

Steps in the buyer’s journey

The buyer’s journey, whether you sell widgets to wine drinkers, timber to house builders or stunning paintings to the art lovers out there, includes these three steps:

Awareness – the buyer has a problem, a need or just an itch they want to scratch.

Consideration – the buyer starts to consider their options available to address the problem/need/itch.

Decision – the buyer has found several options and makes the decision where to buy from.

If you want to feature in the consideration stage then the statistics say that you need a website that does you justice. In the research stage 72% of buyers will go to Google first – isn’t that what you do? It would be even better if you featured well online so that you are in the back of your next customer’s mind even before they have the problem that your product or service addresses.

The buyer’s journey is even more complex now than it was with so many online channels. With this increase in complexity your marketplace has probably become more competitive – mine has.

Look at the list above and see what you can do to today to be proud of your website and more importantly, see the sales and enquiries roll in.

Make a strong impression in your buyer’s journey.

 The post 13 Signs that your Website is Losing you Sales and Enquiries appeared first on Wicked Spider.

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