When you work in the contracting space, lead conversion can truly be a challenge. Part of the key to success is getting your word out to your service areas to attract leads in the first place. 

How do you do this? With a great website and supporting digital marketing campaigns. 

So, what makes a great website?

The Basics of Website Design

What makes a great website? First, it has to be user-friendly and it has to load fast. If a visitor has to wait more than a couple seconds for the page to load, they're probably going elsewhere.

Next, it has to look great and function perfectly on any type of device--desktop computer, smartphone, tablet or laptop. In the web design industry, this is called having a "responsive" web site.

Then there are the colors you choose, the fonts you use, the photos you select, and how well it aligns with the business' brand. If you've invested in a high-end truck wrap, your website should match that look so visitors can make an immediate connection with the trucks they've seen around town.

The Importance of Visual Appeal

The written content on the page may tell users what a company is about, but if that content isn’t supported by attention-grabbing visuals, you could lose out on potential leads and conversions. A website should emphasize the work an HVAC contractor provides, whether it’s in pictures, excellent logo placement, or easy-to-read fonts—known as typography.

Visuals should convey a feeling of what a company is about. Is your reputation fun and spirited? Then bright colors, a playful logo, and unique typography can help portray this. Perhaps you have a unique service your competitors don’t offer. Then the hero image—that is, the large banner image on your site’s homepage—could be something related to that service.

How Your Website Helps Convert

When a web user becomes a lead for your business, that’s called conversion. Optimization means making this conversion as effective as possible. This is done by making your website user-friendly, through:

• Easy-to-Understand Design Patterns: When you see a red octagon, you likely know it means “stop.” When you see an isosceles triangle pointing to your right on a video, you know it means “play.” These are examples of easy-to-understand design patterns, known as design conventions.
• Clear Visuals: This includes apparent buttons on your call-to-action, so your users know where to go to contact you or get more information, as well as clear visual hierarchies—that is, a clear relationship between the importance and appearance of the content on each webpage.
• Trustworthiness: A successful contracting company knows what their prospects and customers are looking for when hiring a technician. That is, they know their audience. Does your audience want to see the sort of licensing you have? Perhaps certifications you’ve earned? These are types of things that can and should be strategically placed on important pages throughout your website, in order to establish trust as a brand.
• Interaction Without Too Much Distraction: Your CTA(s) (Call-to-Action) should always stand out. You want web users to know how to reach you, quickly. Oftentimes when a user visits your site, they’re not just idly browsing—they’re looking for specific services and the right contractor to hire for those services. Your CTA form should allow them to quickly interact with you by filling out a short contact form. This CTA should also not be surrounded by a lot of text, too many images, or distracting slideshows.
• Clean Formatting: When a user visits a website, they are often looking for one specific bit of information—therefore they will often scan rather than read the entire page. So the formatting of the text should be designed in such a way that supports this, with adequate text-to-background contrast, easy-to-read text, and short paragraphs.

You don’t want your website to overload its visitors with too many choices—this leads to something you may have heard referred to before as option paralysis—that is, overthinking that can lead to not making a decision at all. You want your web visitors to decide to reach out to you for their HVAC needs—not leave your site altogether out of frustration.

This is a brief overview of what makes for good web design. For a truly comprehensive web design strategy that serves your specific business needs, you’ll want to work with an experienced and industry-focused digital agency that offers full-service digital solutions. 

Our vision here at iMarket Solutions is to provide our contracting clients with cutting-edge web development and digital marketing solutions at an affordable price, that ensures a high return on investment.

To learn more about our Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC marketing solutions, contact iMarket Solutions today! Dedicated to Contractor Success