Every home services company needs good web content, but most get discouraged because they don’t have the budget to hire an expensive content marketing agency. Fortunately, you don’t need an expensive blog to drive web traffic. You already have all the tools to make a good blog all on your own, you just need to use them.
When brainstorming new ideas for publishing content to drive traffic towards your website, companies often miss the mark. Companies will start by brainstorming topics that they find interesting. However, in order for fast-moving, innovative companies to drive the right traffic, they need to create content with their customer in mind. Getting started is often the hardest part. These eight easy content marketing ideas are great starting points for any home services company.
1) Sneak peeks at new products and services
A hard sales pitch is a huge faux pas when publishing content. People hate sales pitches, that’s why the strategy behind content marketing is to inform first, then gently nudge customers where you want them to go. A good way to do this is to focus on the products you work with or by talking about the services you provide.
If a company claims to be an industry leader, its content has to back them up. One example of doing so would be giving a sneak peek at a new innovative product or service. You might even consider giving a video demonstration of it. This reminds your customers of the services you provide and shows them that you’re ahead of your industry, making them more likely to book you without having to give them a hard sales pitch.
2) Company stories
Creating content about services you offer isn’t the only way to promote your business through content. Creating content about the history of your company and your accomplishments is a great way to connect with your customers. Most companies don’t realize it, but content tells a story from start to finish. Everyone has a life story, and good content is the life story of any successful brand.
Giving historical facts about a company’s founding is a good start, but it’s the company narrative that matters most when driving traffic. The idea is to tell a story that draws in your audience, sharing where your company came from and the motivation that drives it.
3) Team profiles
Building a successful home services staff is a journey, so why not share it with your customers? Content marketing is most effective when readers genuinely empathize with brand. By sharing your employees’ stories your customers will feel a more personal connection to you and your company.
Q&A articles are good examples of how to write team profiles that truly entertain. Keep it simple. You don’t have to get their entire life story. Focus on questions about their hobbies, family, and any industry related skills or accomplishments. The home services industry depends on building long-lasting relationships with customers, and showcasing each team member is an easy win (plus your employees will be excited to be featured).
4) Blog lists
You don’t always have to create a full blog from scratch. Many content creators will publish blogs that are simply a compilation of other blogs. For example, a company might have ‘maintaining your tile floor’ as their topic and will write a list of the best blogs for DIY tile floor maintenance. You just have to write a short intro for your list and explain what each one teaches. Make sure to link your copy to the right blog. Often those bloggers will return the favor with similar posts resulting in more exposure for you both and an ongoing relationship for future opportunities to work together.
5) Frequently asked questions
Effective content can also be writing a series of posts on frequently asked questions (FAQs). Try to get creative in your FAQs. You don’t just have to stick to questions about your company, go outside the box and answer common questions you’ve been asked about your industry. By giving your customers a little more insight into what you do, you’re presenting an opportunity to connect with them even more.
By creating content on FAQs you’re also giving your company the chance to differentiate your brand from your competitors, by explaining any common misconceptions and sharing what makes your company unique.
6) Tutorials
Good content can also be as simple as informative tutorials. A couple of options for formatting this are to create a video demonstrating a home improvement tutorial or you could create a list of tips and tricks from your industry. For example, if you’re in the carpet industry you could create a post about preventing stains on different types of carpet flooring. Or if you’re in the plumbing industry, you could share a tutorial video on how to fix a leaky faucet.
Website visitors will appreciate a company that shares a few trade secrets with them. By doing so you’re driving traffic to your website, while also building up your brand reputation and gaining your customer’s trust.
7) Contests
The best content is both informative and fun. Companies can differentiate their brands by giving website visitors a fun, entertaining read, and contests are a good example of how to publish entertaining content. Contests are a good way to drive traffic to your blog, promote your services, and create more engagement with your customers.
This is your chance to get creative. Think outside the box to create fun, entertaining contests. For example, if you’re in the carpet industry, you could hold a contest for the dirtiest carpets. Ask your customers to send you photos of their carpets and award the winner with a free cleaning. Each contest entry becomes a new lead, you’ll be able to show before and after pictures for the winner, and you’ll gain more engagement with your customers. Plus, your customers will be looking to your blog for future contest opportunities.
8) Events
Trade shows, networking events and business roundtable discussions are ripe content topics. If you go to any industry-related events, make sure to share what you learned. This gives you and your company more credibility and authority. The idea is to support your brand’s claim of professionalism by showcasing your company’s knowledge base.
Overall, content marketing is about driving the right traffic from the right readers in order to further grow a business. While you want to produce the right content for your company, it doesn’t need to be perfect. The biggest mistake you can make is overthinking it. Use these nine content marketing ideas as your foundation, get writing, and start publishing. Once you do, you’ll begin to gain new customers, drive more engagement, and direct traffic to your website.
