[ad_1]
(Ad) The average age of a house in the United States is now reaching 46 years, which means that most homes need some repair and improvement. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are now more aware of their home environment.
The need to feel more comfortable and happier at home has never been more vital. Hunkered down at home and tuned in to social media (with feeds of amazing Pinterest and Instagram homes) only increases this need to live (and now work) inside a beautiful home. Moreover, taking part in building a more liveable home for yourself is a task that rarely (if ever) one runs away from.
There has been a 12% increase in conversion rate from ads in 2020 vs. 2019; this only shows that the US market is ripe for better home improvement ideas.
With increasing customer interest and more home service businesses becoming digital-first – this is a market that is bound to grow. Let’s look at what you can do to ride the wave of this booming industry and expand your customer base and revenue.
But first, why should you advertise your home services company?
The global home services market is only projected to grow in the next few years by over 18.91% from 2019 to 2026. Yes, the industry has struggled during the pandemic, but it is now rebounding just the rest of the economy.
Looking at the stats shared above regarding the US home improvement market, we can confidently say that investing in advertising your home services company will reap dividends.
Do you even need to advertise your home services company, or is the advertising you’re doing right now enough?
Consider this: the inventory for homes has diminished, which means higher demand and increasing confidence of homeowners to invest in home updates that increase their market value.
Most home buyers and home improvement customers begin their search on their mobile phones via a search engine. If you’re not advertising on Google or Bing, you’re most likely losing out on making an impression with this first touchpoint.
So let’s look at what marketing channels you can consider.
What marketing channels should you consider?
Mobile and search are often the first (and essential considerations) marketing channels for your company. But you’ll also need to think broadly, picking channels fine-tuned to your business needs. Here’s how some of the most important marketing channels for your home improvement advertising can help:
Website Design
Your website is your digital storefront, and yes, it is a channel too! Invest in making it SEO friendly and easy to navigate. That first impression of your website can make or break a deal.
Search Engine Optimization
It is crucial to have an SEO mindset embedded across your marketing tactics – content, website, ads, and more! Good SEO is like building a good foundation for the rest of your marketing efforts to grow. We have written extensively about SEO, and you can use these to get started.
Content Marketing
Content is king! Create blogs, brochures, ebooks, and other content that is mapped back to your customer pain points.
Pay Per Click Advertising
PPC platforms like Google let you serve ads based on specific keywords, so if you specialize in remodelling, bid for those keywords and pay only when someone clicks on your ads.
Email Marketing
Not every customer will be ready to purchase first contact. Many will continue researching for weeks or even months before making a final decision; this is where email marketing (newsletter, nurture programs, email ads) helps.
Social Media
In a world of Pinterest and Instagram, social media is unavoidable when it comes to home improvement advertising. Here are more resources on social media to get you started.
Display Ads
Available across multiple platforms (Google, Bing, Twitter, Facebook, etc.), display ads are a great way to visually showcase your services on relevant websites.
Do home improvement ads work?
Word-of-mouth referrals still work when it comes to hiring home improvement contractors. Still, if you are only relying on that, you’re missing out on a generation of home improvement buyers who begin their search online.
Home improvement customers are now sophisticated enough to research multiple sellers, compare prices and services, and then decide on an option that fits their budget.
But do home improvement ads work? Yes, definitely!
It now takes about 6 to 8 touches before a customer is sales-ready; this means that building an online campaign across channels and ad formats will help you ensure those multiple touches happen.
This campaign should have a solid content marketing strategy, email marketing and paid ads for conversion, and a system for tracking leads across your sales funnel.
Segment your customers according to the funnel stage they are in and serve them custom ad copy that caters to the pain points in that particular stage. You can also segment them basis demographics, psychographics, and lifecycle.
Targeted ads can also create a word-of-mouth affect and have customers speaking about your business for years to come.
Looking at the current spend trends, you’ll quickly realize that these ads pretty much pay for themselves.
6 unique home improvement advertising ideas and what made them successful
#1 Use video to your advantage
A picture can say a thousand words, and a video can say even more poetically. With the current obsession with watching videos on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram Reels, and more, videos are well placed. According to Cisco, 82% of global traffic will come from videos in 2022.
With that being said, using video ads is a great way to show people the great job you do. People prefer to watch videos to learn about a new product or service.
#2 Do giveaways
Offering something for free is a great way to get the “foot in the door.” Doing giveaways doesn’t mean giving away a house remodelling for free, but a free estimate, quote, or consultation helps build confidence and ease in the prospect’s mind.
Especially with costly purchases such as home remodelling, customers prefer free consultations. It helps them get a feeler for your work before going all in and investing money into the project. Moreover, it’s a great way to lay the foundation of a relationship that can last you years!
#3 Create contests that excite your customers
People love to win contests, raffles, and sweepstakes. A contest is a great way to inspire customers to think about home improvement. Contests can be around home improvement ideas and goals, and the winner can receive freebies (company merch or free estimates) in return.
#4 Humanize your brand by talking about your people and culture
Featuring your employees and company culture is a great way to show customers that your business is people-friendly.
Even something simple as showing a new piece of equipment you got and your employees working with it can win you the love and affection of your customers.
Small everyday snippets into your company make it look cool and more approachable.
#5 Use before and after photos
Before and after photos are highly impactful and a great way to pull in customers. There’s no better way to showcase your work than show how your project looked before you gave it your magic touch.
The stark difference between the photos can surprise customers and pique their curiosity about what you did in the project, how you helped, and whether you can do the same for them.
A great way to do this is to maintain a portfolio of your work and even showcase your staff doing the work.
#6 Show relatable images that resonate with your customer
The best ads are those in which the customers can see themselves as it is a great way to get more leads.
Customers can relate to the example (of a home improvement store and lumberyard) above of a couple painting their house in a DIY project. These are the types of ads that will instantly resonate with a couple looking to paint their own home or embarking on a similar house improvement project.
The image doesn’t reveal too much and can be interpreted differently by every customer- a DIY project that is spontaneous or well-planned. It shows the eagerness of the couple to undertake this project and begin this new journey together.
Unique home improvement advertising ideas: Key Takeaways
Home improvement needs commitment and determination. It is also one of the things that customers usually hesitate to do because of the monetary commitment required upfront. Making customers comfortable and sharing as much of your expertise as possible becomes imperative to gain new customers.
Your ultimate goal is to become their first choice whenever they think of home improvement, and there is no better way to do this than through digital advertising. You can do this by creating a holistic advertising strategy that experiments with different platforms and ad types.
Although, there is a common pattern when it comes to observing the best home improvement ads –
- They are concise and very easy to understand
- They mix text with graphics (photos and videos) to tell a story
- They give customers a clear call to action
- The best stories are about the customers as much as they are about the business
There is enough proof out there to show that digital ads are the way to go if you want to expand your business in the post-pandemic economy. Segment your customer, become a mobile-first business, and tell stories that resonate with your customer segment – these are the starting points of any successful home improvement marketing strategy.
[ad_2]
Source link
More Stories
All About Home Improvement
For Sale By Owner: Points To Consider
NAR(r) Broker Will Swear It – Real Pro’ Agents Share It – FSBO “Truth”